Cheryl Granot Castano 

Cheryl Granot was my freshman roommate in Loomis. Cheryl had been raised by her grandparents because her parents, both deaf, had been unable to care for her. She came to CC on a scholarship and money was always tight, but she never complained. She was a hard working, dedicated student and a wonderful friend. After college she was a teacher until she married Father George Castano. After her son, Andrew, and her daughter, Anna, were born she was tragically killed when a wave hit her during a scuba diving trip in 1983. CC sent me a note telling me of her death and I will always be grateful for that kindness. I will forever miss this dear friend. --Meg Henderson

Jami Harrison 

Jami Harrison was a summer start our freshman year. I met her as a sophomore when she joined the Kappa Kappa Gamma sorority and was my “little sister”. Jami grew up in Dallas and loved horseback riding. Her friends agree that the adjective which best describes Jami is ephemeral. My last contact with her was at our 40th CC reunion. She was so excited to attend and told me that two highlights of her life had been ten years in Broadcast Nightly News and eight years as a California State Capitol Tour Guide. Her hair was a bright shade of orange at our 40th reunion! Tom Ann Casey was always her lifeline and dear friend. On her business card she wrote, “A work in Progress”.

--Meg Henderson

Peggy Finch Herman

Peggy was a great roommate (freshman and sophomore years) for so many reasons. I was very thankful to have known this highly intelligent and caring woman. She had an unlimited quest for adventure and boundless curiosity about the world. Her annual Christmas letter was a travel diary of her year of fun, especially the joy and peace she found on horseback. I always was sorry we did not live closer after we graduated. Peggy -- R.I.P.!

Linda James 

Linda James was one of the first people I met at CC as we were both on 2 North in Loomis freshman year.  Linda studied hard, played hard and was a natural leader.  One of my favorite memories of her is her wedding.  Linda graduated in December 1971 and married Joe R. in the spring of 1972. (I can’t remember Joe’s last name now, but don’t feel too guilty about it as Linda dated Joe for months before she could remember his last name.)  I was one of Linda’s eight bridesmaids.  Others included Liz Speir, Marcia Holloman and Debbie Hartwick. Linda preferred to call us her “Maids of the Bride” and demanded we wait on her hand and foot in the days leading up to her wedding.  The dresses were flowing raspberry, and we were all sure we would never wear them again.  But then there turned out to be a Colorado College formal dance a few weeks later, and the Maids of the Bride made a pact to all show up in our matching raspberry dresses. --Janet (Merrill) Jones

Freshman year Linda was next door and I remember many evenings talking in her room. We seemed to find her room full of laughs. Throughout the 4 years, her room was where we landed to talk about everything -- big things and small things. Memories of playing Yahtzee? at home in Denver with her mother makes me smile today. A laugh, a smile, a quick wit, a great mind, and always so put together. No doubt wherever she was, whatever she did...she made lives better! --Marcia (Holloman) Laska

Nancy Virtue Lewis 

It is hard to think of anyone with more energy and love of life than Nancy Virtue. She filled the room with her presence and everything was more fun when she was there. Nancy and I were Kappa Kappa Gamma pledges together and she always had us laughing. Nancy grew up in Oklahoma City and was a fierce Oklahoma sports fan. --Meg Henderson

Barbara Wilson

My freshman year I lived in Loomis Hall, and enjoyed good friendships with the girls – it was a girls dorm in those days. My best friend was Barbie Wilson. We did so many things together – eating meals in the dining halls, sitting in our rooms talking at night while we worked on our “niddlies” - various kinds of handwork – embroidering work shirts, crocheting afghans, making hooked rugs; we enjoyed biking, hiking and camping, and visiting each other at our parents’ homes. The most special, though, was a summer of traveling through Europe together. We were so in-sync with each other, we literally opened our eyes at the same time in the morning, without setting an alarm clock! I think one key to our friendship enduring was that we both wrote letters, long letters, to each other. When she was in her 40s, Barbie called to tell me that she had pancreatic cancer. “I’m going to beat this,” she said. She traveled to, I think it was Wyoming, where they offered an experimental treatment. Soon after that, though, she told me the treatments were not working. I flew to Seattle for what we both knew would be our last visit with each other. I remember her saying to me, “I look okay to you, don’t I? But, I’m not, I’m very sick.” I cherish the memory of that visit. It’s rare in life that we have an opportunity to say good-bye to someone, knowing we’ll never see each other again. Barbie was a rare friend. I miss her terribly. I am so sad that her life was cut short. She was so vivacious, funny, full of energy, loving adventure and life itself. I am grateful that Colorado College brought us into each other’s lives, and I’m grateful for the friendship we shared for many years. She will always be in my thoughts and in my heart. - Jean Silk