The Quill of Alpha Xi Delta Fall Winter 2011 : Page 37

Sister to Sister By Claudia Zanardelli Sparschu, Michigan ‘86 My Alumna “Aunt”—a 25-year Friendship “As a college student on a budget, it was a real treat to be invited to the Goslings’ house many times to enjoy lunch or afternoon tea with Aunt Enid. Sometimes her husband, John, would even join us.” As a sophomore at the University of Michigan in 1986, I was initiated into the Alpha Epsilon Chapter of Alpha Xi Delta. A few months after initiation, each new Sister was given the name and contact information of an alum-na member of Alpha Xi Delta and was encouraged to correspond with her new alumna aunt. I was lucky that my alumna aunt lived in Ann Arbor, Michigan, which made it easy for us to become friends. Enid Gosling had graduated from Michigan with a degree in art history in 1947. As a college student on a budget, it was a real treat to be invited to the Goslings’ house many times to enjoy lunch or afternoon tea with Aunt Enid. Sometimes her husband, John, would even join us. Other times we would meet at places such as the art museum, and every year Aunt Enid would visit the soror-ity house on Founders’ Day. Like me, Aunt Enid loves Ann Arbor, and I always found her stories about the university and sorority life during and after wartime in the 1940s very interesting. I always enjoyed hearing about her European vacations and her life growing up in Detroit and Lansing. Another thing I loved about Aunt Enid was her art. She would always remember my birthday and Christmas by sending a unique card with her beautiful artwork displayed on the front cover of the card. Aunt Enid’s drawings depicted places she had visited, or scenes in Ann Arbor. I always looked forward to those special cards. After graduation, I moved away from Ann Arbor, but Aunt Enid and I still stayed in touch. Many times I would bring along my children or my husband and they also grew to know and enjoy “our” Aunt Enid. Over the years, I admired Aunt Enid’s constant desire to keep learning. Even though I worked full time, her calendar seemed busier than mine! Her schedule typically looked some-thing like this: Monday—classical music group, Tuesday—French conversation group, Wednesday—art museum discussion and then piano lesson, Thursday—painting group, Friday—Italian lesson followed by a group dinner at Paesano’s to practice their Italian. Over the years, I have told so many people about Aunt Enid and her lifelong learning. Someday, I want to have that kind of schedule! In fact, I started volunteering as an usher at the Detroit Opera House as a result of our conversations about opera. I started attending the Stratford Shakespeare Festival as a result of admir-ing Aunt Enid’s lovely Stratford costume sketches that line her staircase. I tackle the New York Times Sunday crossword each week with my husband just like she used to do each week with her good friend. Over the years, some things have changed. I am now 45, and Aunt Enid is now 86. I now teach high school physics rather than work as an engineer. I’ve lived in Europe. A few of our friends and family members have passed away. Aunt Enid now has six grandchildren and two adorable great grandchildren. Her eyesight is not as sharp as it once was. On the other hand, many things have remained the same. Aunt Enid is still the intelligent, open-minded, culturally well-rounded person that she always was. She still lives in her beautiful, historic house that overlooks the Huron River and Ann Arbor, and she still inspires me to always keep learning. It has been a genuine privilege to have had Enid Gosling as my alumna aunt and friend for the past 25 years. 37 The Quill of Alpha Xi Delta Fall/Winter 2011

Sister To Sister

Claudia Zanardelli Sparschu

My Alumna “Aunt”—a 25-year Friendship “As a college student on a budget, it was a real treat to be invited to the Goslings’ house many times to enjoy lunch or afternoon tea with Aunt Enid. Sometimes her husband, John, would even join us.” As a sophomore at the University of Michigan in 1986, I was initiated into the Alpha Epsilon Chapter of Alpha Xi Delta. A few months after initiation, each new Sister was given the name and contact information of an alumna member of Alpha Xi Delta and was encouraged to correspond with her new alumna aunt. I was lucky that my alumna aunt lived in Ann Arbor, Michigan, which made it easy for us to become friends. Enid Gosling had graduated from Michigan with a degree in art history in 1947. As a college student on a budget, it was a real treat to be invited to the Goslings’ house many times to enjoy lunch or afternoon tea with Aunt Enid. Sometimes her husband, John, would even join us. Other times we would meet at places such as the art museum, and every year Aunt Enid would visit the sorority house on Founders’ Day. Like me, Aunt Enid loves Ann Arbor, and I always found her stories about the university and sorority life during and after wartime in the 1940s very interesting. I always enjoyed hearing about her European vacations and her life growing up in Detroit and Lansing. Another thing I loved about Aunt Enid was her art. She would always remember my birthday and Christmas by sending a unique card with her beautiful artwork displayed on the front cover of the card. Aunt Enid’s drawings depicted places she had visited, or scenes in Ann Arbor. I always looked forward to those special cards. After graduation, I moved away from Ann Arbor, but Aunt Enid and I still stayed in touch. Many times I would bring along my children or my husband and they also grew to know and enjoy “our” Aunt Enid. Over the years, I admired Aunt Enid’s constant desire to keep learning. Even though I worked full time, her calendar seemed busier than mine! Her schedule typically looked something like this: Monday—classical music group, Tuesday—French conversation group, Wednesday—art museum discussion and then piano lesson, Thursday—painting group, Friday—Italian lesson followed by a group dinner at Paesano’s to practice their Italian. Over the years, I have told so many people about Aunt Enid and her lifelong learning. Someday, I want to have that kind of schedule! In fact, I started volunteering as an usher at the Detroit Opera House as a result of our conversations about opera. I started attending the Stratford Shakespeare Festival as a result of admiring Aunt Enid’s lovely Stratford costume sketches that line her staircase. I tackle the New York Times Sunday crossword each week with my husband just like she used to do each week with her good friend. Over the years, some things have changed. I am now 45, and Aunt Enid is now 86. I now teach high school physics rather than work as an engineer. I’ve lived in Europe. A few of our friends and family members have passed away. Aunt Enid now has six grandchildren and two adorable great grandchildren. Her eyesight is not as sharp as it once was. On the other hand, many things have remained the same. Aunt Enid is still the intelligent, open-minded, culturally well-rounded person that she always was. She still lives in her beautiful, historic house that overlooks the Huron River and Ann Arbor, and she still inspires me to always keep learning. It has been a genuine privilege to have had Enid Gosling as my alumna aunt and friend for the past 25 years.

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