Sherrie Igoe (Dembrowski)

Mark Goodman

Hi Sherrie,

I spoke with Holly's family. Apparently, no one suspected anything. Holly was supposed to go to her neighbors home for dinner the evening before and never showed up, which was totally out of character.

They called the police the next morning and found Holly. She had AFib, which was the cause of her passing. It still makes me cry when I think about it. I go all the way back to kindergarten with her - she was a very special and sweet person and a loss for all of us.

Mark

Jerilyn Miripol

My updated resume.  Jerilyn Elise Miripol

Jerilyn Elise Miripol

1520 Washington Avenue

Wilmette, Illinois 60091

224-261-5378

jmiripol@gmail.com

July 3, 2025

Writing Experience/Published Works:

I was a Fellow at The Ragdale Foundation in 1985.  I was accepted to The Breadloaf Writers’ Conference in Middlebury, Vermont and The Aspen Writers’ Workshop.  I received a full-tuition scholarship at The Squaw Valley Community of Writers in Olympic Valley, California.  I was invited to study with Pulitzer-Prize winning poet Lisel Mueller at The University of Indiana, Bloomington. I studied with Pierre de Lattre at The Split-Rock Writers’ Conference in Duluth, Minnesota.  I was invited to join PEN International—South Africa and PEN America.  I was a nominee of The Danforth Foundation.  My poetry was published in a mental-health textbook, “Group Psychotherapy: Practice and Development” by Baruch Levine PhD published by Prentice-Hall.  I was a poet-in-the-prisons teaching creative writing and sending them relevant books for their education in Lexington, Kentucky, The Pontiac Correctional Center in Illinois and Joliet Prison. I belong to The John Howard Association for prison reform and still attend their events.

I was a writing-therapist in the Psychology Department at St. Francis Hospital In Evanston. I worked with students who were on psychological disability:  Medicare, Medicaid, SSDI and Section eight or HUD housing. I taught creative writing at Oakton Community College.  I have been a member and former vice-president-of-programs of PPSEAWA (Pan Pacific Southeast Asian Women’s Association), an NGO of the United Nations that helps girls from undeveloped countries to receive a high school and college education.  I attended their National Meeting at The United Nations in New York and their International Meeting in Auckland, New Zealand.

Received my B.A. degree in Literature from Northeastern Illinois University. Professor Harry White, Thomas Hoberg were my Professors of Literature and Leo Segedin was my Art Professor who asked me to take out a student loan for a month-long Art/Literature study tour with my two professors and 33 students.  We visited all the homes of the writers and poets throughout England and spent 15 days in Paris exploring the Louvre and D’Orsy Museum whose collections are the Impressionists. My undergraduate tuition was covered by a Creative Writing scholarship.  I also studied life drawing (nudes) with Leo Segedin at The Evanston Art Center which was located at that time on Sheridan Road. Was accepted for a Masters in Literature from University of Ohio, Bowling Green. However, because of personal circumstances I could not attend.

I received a grant from District 65 in Evanston to teach poetry in Lynn Hyndmann’s fifth-grade class at Dawes School where I created a book of their poems which is located in The Evanston Library.

I read my poetry at Women and Children First bookstore, Artemesia Gallery, The Chicago Cultural Center, The Evanston Library.  I was invited to read my poetry for faculty and staff at Columbia College in Chicago and Northwestern University.

I played the flute but have returned to playing the classical piano. 

I was in a ballet company studying under Maria Farrar years ago.

I was a picture editor in the photography department at The Art Institute of Chicago for four years when I was in my twenties. 

I edited four high school textbooks (freshman to senior) in Literature at McDougal Littell in Evanston, Illinois. They no longer exist.

I have three published poetry books, “The Sounds Were Distilled,” “A Complete Mute-Light” and “Disc of the Sun” published by Guernica Editions in Canada.

My husband, Professor Richard P Van Duyne of Northwestern University, passed away in 2019.

Through Oakton Community College, I am teaching immigrants Literacy on Tuesday and Friday evenings from 6pm until 9.  I am learning Spanish, my fourth class so that I can read Pablo Neruda, Isabelle Allende, Gabriela Mistral, Sandra Cisnernos, Julio Cortizar in Spanish.  I am learning photography with George LeClaire using my Canon digital camera once-a-week.

Jerilyn Miripol

IMPORTANT ORGANIZATIONS THAT I RECOMMEND AND BELONG TO

Jerilyn Elise Miripol

July 3, 2025

The Southern Poverty Law Center (tracks hate groups throughout the United States and fights those groups through litigation).

ENVIRONMENTAL:

The Green Party

Greenpeace

Sierra Club

ACLU

PEN America (free speech for authors and journalists)

PEN South Africa

Amnesty International

Doctors Without Borders

Death Penalty Focus (fighting against the death sentence)

Public Citizen (Ralph Nader)

Women for Women International

Planned Parenthood

NAACP (Evanston Branch)

Black Lives Matter

Save Tibet

Consumer Reports

Emily’s List (pro choice)

Heifer International (Ending hunger and poverty) Help Women Farmers Build Credit Through Micro-Loans; Give an animal as a gift.

PETA (over 82% of their operating expenses goes directly to program fight exploitation of animals) (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals).

Illinois Coalition for Immigrants and Refugee Rights

Giffords: Led by former Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords, this organization works to save lives

from gun violence through research, advocacy and policy reform.

Feeding America—help end hunger today.

National Alliance to End Homelessness

The Night Ministry of Chicago

NAMI (National Institute for the Mentally Ill)

Thresholds (fighting to transform the lives of people living with mental illnesses and substance use disorders., breaking cycles of poverty and unemployment. Opportunities for housing, employment and recovery).

Art Encounter (Evanston) Bringing art into the inner- city schools. President Joanne Pinsky and her daughter Leah.

Sherrie Igoe (Dembrowski)

Mark Goodman,

Thanks so much for sharing that info on Holly Romans, sad, sad, but now we can quit wondering what happened.  May she RIP!

Nancy Schroeder

I thank you also Mark. She was full of life at the reunion. I'm glad someone found out what happened. Thanks for sharing. She was such a Beautiful person. May she RIP.

Jeanie (Jessica) Witkin (Zeller)

I also want to thank you Mark, (and Sherry, for the inquiry), for the sad answer...this serves to bring some small bit of acceptance to a very shocking and sudden loss for us all.

Karen Holby (Fornell)

Thank you Mark for the answer to Holly's passing. She was a wonderful person and I miss her.

Judith Sheahan (Lindgren)

I was also very surprised and sad to learn that Holly had died. As a bubbly friendly person she was liked and admired by many. I do want to give some reassurance to any who may be diagnosed with AFib. I've had it and learned from my cardiologists and from reading articles published by respected medical institutions that it is very rare for AFib to cause death. With proper treatment, it is highly probable you'll still have a long life. In addition, with a couple of procedures, many can quit taking blood thinners. So, this is not meant to diminish mourning for Holly, but instead intended to help any recently diagnosed, while serious if untreated, that AFib can be successfully treated. 

Susan Holsten (Blumer)

I wish all her family peace and prayers. Holly, was a wonderful person. I had known her from my early childhood. She lived in a beautiful part of Western Montana outside of Missoula. I understand she had a beautiful home and esp scenic spot... just like the rest of Western Montana. She will be missed and , yes, she had an ever present smile. She will be missed. Thanks Pauline for letting us know. RIP Holly🦋

Susan Spiegel (Pastin)

Thank you, Judith, for the info that A-fib is usually treatable!  That's good to know.

I saw and talked with Hall at the reunion and she looked really good and healthy. She will be missed!

Lauren Dolinky (Moss)

I too had a long and wonderful conversation with Holly at the reunion. I had recently travelled around Montana so it was fun to discuss it with her. It was such a surprise to learn of her death. Thank you Mark for speaking to her family and giving all of us an answer. My husband and I have both had AFib for years. Ron had an ablation 9 years ago which has "cured" him. I take blood thinners and an anti arrhythmia medication. I am fine! It is fairly common in older people. Poor Holly. She was such a lovely, happy person. 

Carolyn Wyld (Saul)

Preston Cook

Thank you Carolyn for your post about the bald eagle becoming our national bird in the AP release.  Associated Press has two million subscxribers so this article about the importance of this bill to the tribal communities was reprinted in hundreds of newspapers across America.  Below you will find the two clauses the article references:  

(7) Bald eagles are integral to the spiritual lives and sacred belief systems of most Indigenous peoples and Tribal communities. 

(8) Bald eagles are prevalent in belief, practice, stories, ceremonies, dance, traditions, songs, regalia, flags, insignias, arts, craft, and other forms of spir- itual reverence.

The bill had a great deal of tribal support, which was critical to its passage, and I thank them for their continued messaging on the importance of  this bill to the 575 recognized tribal communities. 

Susan Spiegel (Pastin)

I posted in the political discussion forum about the ETHS history teacher who was censured - and sanctioned.  He had posted a poster in his classroom that was an image calling for Jews to dissent when morality alls for it.  The parent of a student from another class that also uses same classroom complained.  See the political comments forum.

Ruth Gross

The NC contingent of the Class of '64 met for lunch today at Chili's in Burlington, NC.  Pictured here are the five of us:

Vernon Nees, Richard  (Dick) Winokur, Trudy Jourdan Pearce, Chris Vasar, and me.

Susan Spiegel (Pastin)

Nice pix - and glad to see Chris Vasser there!

Sherri Huff (Buxton)

Hi Ruth my daughter lives in North Carolina, so please let me know the next time you're going to meet. Hopefully it will be a time when they are visiting and I can join you. It looks like you had a great time. Thanks, Sherri 

Alison Van Swearingen (Brown)

Where is the "professor"?  Loved seeing the picture!

Ruth Gross

Alison, we miss you!

Paula Massey

Thank you Fred, and everyone else, for posting all the photos of the reunion held in September 2024. I really appreciate the names on all the photos too. It didn't work for me to attend so seeing these was very special.

Robert Lindner

Since I was born in Salzburg, Austria

Just after midnight on October 22,. 1946,

And since Salzburg is 7 hours ahead,

It is time for my birth in 1946 at the

Hospital on Mozart Square. 

At the time, the hospital  was

Staffed by the U.S. in the American Zone.

Here is my Poem for the occasion:

Happy Birthday to all of you that 

Are also reaching that AGE 

At An Age

I've, now, come through many

Years and I am still “in for a penny

In for a pound,” as they

Say. On this, my birthday,

When I’m still on my way

To the next.  Can’t say I haven’t any

Doubts, since my mind is full

Of them. And like gravity they will pull

Me down. But I will choose

To ignore the bad news

And listen to the blues.

While the fear mongers try to pull the wool

Over the future’s eyes,

I will keep wearing my happy disguise,

With a smile on my face,

I will enjoy the place

I have reached, in my race

With time. I’m here. That’s my birthday surprise.

Hopes instead of worries

Are my goals. Can I reach them? No hurries!

It’s easier just “To be.”

I will choose the happy

Times in my memory,

And let the future ride upon the breeze.

Of a simple life, day

By day, with choices that may come my way

I’ll take the easiest.

It may not be the best,

But might be the smartest

One. And on my seventy-ninth birthday,

An age that deserves to

Be recognized on the beams that the new

Sun brings with morning’s birth,

On my planet, an earth

That laughs and brings me mirth

With the simplicity of dawn’s first view

In song, “here comes the sun.”

And since sometimes time flies, let’s have some fun.

That’s what birthdays are for.

I’ll wish for many more,

But I know what the score

Is. So I will just enjoy this new one.

Susan Burns (Bangs)

Happy Birthday Robert and than you for all of your poetry.

Frances O'Connell

Happy Bithday, Robert. Keep the poetry coming.

Alice Rosengard

Happy Birthday, Robert! You had a most distinguished birthplace. With all the artistry that has emerged from Salzburg, it's understandable that you became not only a scientist but a poet. Best wishes, and may you enjoy many more years on our beautiful planet.