The Galveston County Daily News

The straight stuff from the “don’t believe everything you read” department — from the Fabain compound — news that Barbara McMillian Fabain passed away is happily premature.

Barbara and her children, Kelly Kathleen Fabain (of Artillery Club fame) and her boy Robert Hodges, Russ and Carolyn Fabain and their Victoria and Ashley and Chriss and Melody and Jerrett Fabain, are not only all alive but they’re flourishing.

Barbara is a great-grandmother, thanks to Jordan and Robin’s little Haylee Lynn.

We join Barbara and her sweet girls Kitt and Dorey of happy memory in her happiness.

Ursuline’s Alums Uncover The past

The Great Annual Covered Dish for the Ursuline Academy alums was held at the KC hall and chaired by Sue Cantini as she does every year, always doing a great job.

Greeting everyone at the sign-in table were, as usual, the pretty faces of Amelia Collins and Beverly Bashor.

Officers of the group are prez Mary Ann Almendariz; veep Beverly Benevides Bashor; secretary Miriam Dell’Olio and trez Betty Defferari. The board mems are: Margie Broussard Alessi, Heddy Bember, Niki Lopez Brouillard, Sue Pennington Cantini, Amelia Collins, Nancy Perich Daly, Clemmie Finn, Pat Parma, Mary Ann Stepp Taylor and Anita (Sissie) Micheletti.

Had sooo much fun with Diva classmates, the aforementioned Mary Ann Taylor, Beverly Berrie Kennedy and Linda Lou Guelfi Overbeck and Barbara Whelton, Paula Brick Flinn, Betsy Barker Horner, Miriam Dell’Olio and Divacuz Genie Figari Kirschner.

Great seeing Mary Rose Estrada and Monte Estrada Siller, Viola Fritz, Rosalia Sanderson, Dorothy Cusick and Dorothy Mary Lopez Burns of ’44.

Aaanndd ’55 was well repped by Theresa Cromer, Rose Harris, Geraldine Harrington, Theresa Bethea and Mary Andreason, while ’51 sent Patricia Cadigan Loesch, Peggy Christopher, Maureen Di Mare and Rose Marie Fry (and her husband Kirwin grad Louis).

Nancy Di Mare Davis, Joanne Nessler, Audrey De Jonge, Mary Fullen, Jo Ann Hogan and Shirley Frank visiting with honorary mem Emma Williams, Lorraine Miller of ’43 and Lorraine Miller Bulles of ’66, Katy Parsley, Alice Harrington, Peggy Dallas, Joanne Weber, Cyrilla Jones, Theresa Franks, Thelma Jewell Autry and Marjorie Darney Macklin.

And Another Bridge To Folks Of Yesteryear

Once upon a gentler time, days of white gloves and party manners, there existed in the Baby Apple a bridge club, the Atterol Club, named after the founder, Loretta Yeager.

In a sort of impromptu mini-reunion, Ursuline grads all, were Cyrilla Christensen Jones, daughter of Atterol mem Hazel Christensen; Peggy Christopher and Audrey Christopher DeJonge, daughters of Atterol mem Blanche Christopher, and Mary Frances Teahan Tannos, daughter of Atterol mem Grace Teahan.

All three of these Atterol mems are dear and clear to Diva memory as DivaAunt Edith Buest and Grandmother Mary Frances (Fannie) Buest Fisher were also mems.

(Side note, folks: The Diva of today also reminded of being “dragged kicking and screaming” into the Ursuline school by Audrey Christopher DeJonge and Cyrilla Christensen back in the day.)

Carol Sullivan Martorell there with her aunt Mary Sullivan ’32 and Heddy Bember ’37. It was a delight to see them.

Next up is a Memorial Mass in November.

Not to leave you Dominican and Ball High girls out, send me your bits o’ tid.

Well, Buckle Our Swashes Again!

The Galveston Art Center will host its second Swashbucklers’ Soiree on Saturday.

It will be scaled down from last year and will take place at René Wiley’s Studio & Gallery and MOD Coffeehouse.

Look for drinks, snacks, a silent auction and people costumed pirates of course! All proceeds from the event will go toward the repair of their building (hoping to be back in there in 2010).

Also, GAC will be moving into its second “temporary/in exile” space in the former Maceo’s location on the corner of Market and 25th streets.

The admin offices also will be there aaanndd a small offering of works from its gift shop for sale.

D’ya wannabe Divafied, folks? If so, send deets ’n’ pix of your parteez ’n’ proceedings to have your name made part of The Diva’s Scenery. Call ahead and we’ll help with the pix. E-mail divascenes(at)aol.com or call her at 409-744-6540.