Salem College Class of 1982

Did you know that the first official Fourth of July celebration took place right here at Salem Academy and College? On July 4, 1783, Salem Square was the site of the first organized Independence Day festivities.

Fun Fact: Check out the marker where the brick sidewalks cross in the middle of the Square. Here’s to a fun and safe !

Hey ladies - if you can please help Vicki Estes Lucas C’83 and her son Al with expenses during and after a heart transplant- read the go fund me and donate if you can! Thanks!

Big Al’s Heart Heroes, organized by Vicki Lucas Hi my name is Vicki and I am mom to a heart warrior Alex, known by many as Big Al. Alex, my son w… Vicki Lucas needs your support for Big Al’s Heart Heroes

I want to update y’all on our reunion two weeks ago and also share my thoughts about Salem in 2022 as well.
The events were fun - Friday afternoon there was an art exhibition and party in Hanes then the induction of the new president ( yawn) so most of us skipped out after we heard there was a tail gate on the back porch of Hanes House with those crazy ladies of 80 and 81! Friday night party with a great band and heavy (cold lol) appetizers was fun! Unlimited beer and wine just like the old days. Us being who we are now and not then headed back to our respective Airbnbs and hotel rooms about nine. I think if we had shown up at the kappa sig, sigma chi or KA house at wake it would have been invasion of the buzzed old chicks but hey we still got it!
Saturday was a breakfast for donors then a box lunch under a tent on the old Clewell Pool. This was different in that every class was invited and it was so much fun to see our ‘81 partners in crime - man no one has changed!
That evening Debbie Furst Bell had set up a get together at a tapas place downtown and turns out the manager was a salem grad and other younger classes showed up. We had a big champagne toast with the younger women we met that night—the future is in good hands!
Lots of us stayed in Airbnbs nearby and I highly recommend that for these events!
Never has the campus been more beautiful and there really was an upbeat feeling this time around campus. The reunion was fairly well organized and as usual a fun little bazaar to shop on the main drag through campus had cute stuff (Jen Maddrey sold out but hopefully will be making more Moravian prayer tea towels.
While I didn’t see many students mingling around like last time (exam week) the vibe was positive and hopeful. Every time I go back I pinch myself that I spent 4 years at that place. Not many people can experience what we did and it changed my life in ways I never imagined.
Now it’s 2022 and taking the STEAM approach and adding it to their liberal arts curriculum is a brilliant move. I know in my local high school they are already offering classes in health care careers that even include internships at local medical facilities in our area. If you apply to UGA and go in as pre med or nursing or anything medical they now give you the choice of actually going to Augusta to the medical college of Georgia as a pre health care student and you track right into your career. It’s the best way a womens college in particular can compete in todays competitive environment recruiting students.
As a group supporting Salem can help achieve this goal so think about how you can help. We all got totally showed up by the class of 81 as someone in that class made an anonymous ONE MILLION DOLLAR donation to Salem. Guess we need to put our big girl panties on and get busy (as I’m buying scratch off tickets lol).
At any rate, or next reunion is in 2027(45 years) so please try to come!
As for class news:
All is well at The Paynederosa, still selling a little real estate and trying to get some traveling in this year as John retires from Delta next May ( lord help us all)
Muffie Newell is still in Staunton Va and she and Ross are enjoying being empty nesters. Her girls are grown and flown but luckily live fairly close to home.
Laurie Davis Edwards and Bill are in Thomasville Georgia where bill is an architect and Laurie is still teaching- one of her boys got married this year and is living in Wilmington NC and the other is a sound engineer in LA.
Angeline Fleeman Dobbins is in Atlanta still practicing some law and enjoying traveling with her husband.
Gail Moore is winding down her career in DC with the pentagon where she manages all those cool flyovers you see at big events for the Army.
Debbie Bell is in Charlotte managing her moms health and is working as a decorator. She bought a cute place in Florida on Treasure Island that she is excited to renovate- yay road trip!!
Ruth Modlin Ellett is still in Richmond consulting non profits
Jennifer Ingram Maddrey is Uber busy with her monogramming busy and her daughter just finished up college and is off the payroll!
Nancy Coudriet Bolen has a daughter at NYU and a retired husband.
Sunny Nolde DeZeuw is a new grandmother and a realtor in Hilton Head so ring her up for all the scoop on your second home there!
Fordham Baldrige Britt and Elizabeth Carver Warren came for lunch Saturday and look fabulous- both are busy with young adults and grand babies and weddings as we all are.
Lee Woodson joined us at the tapas place and has moved closer to Winston and bought a nice farm.
Speaking of horses Nanette Molitor came all the way from Colorado and is loving having a horse and working in a local tack shop (I feel your pain sister lol)
KENT Watts Leboutillier came from the Bahamas where she has been instrumental in restoring her island to its former glory after hurricanes a year or so ago. We have re-elected her class President but s
He hasn’t accepted…yet 🤣🤣
Karen Stepp Turpin was there and while I didn’t chat with her she looks great!

We really missed everyone and hope to see
You at the next one. Time goes by so fast so don’t waste it!!!!

'Ahead of the curve': Historians reflect on 250 years of Salem Academy & College "It's important to have an appreciation of where you live to understand its past and your place in it," said Michelle Hopkins Lawrence, a history teacher at Salem Academy. She said Moravian ideals shaped the all-girls institution from the beginning, through today.

... happy memorial day, and remember to kiss a soldier