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After Classen I went to OCU and majored in physics; took another year and got a teaching certificate. Taught at Classen from 1965 to 1967. Took Mrs. Frosch's place since she got a job teaching physics at Central State (now UCO). She happened to be leaving the year I graduated. Right away I applied to teach overseas with the DOD schools. You must have taught 2 years, so in May of 1967 I heard from them wanting me to teach science in Japan at Tachikawa Air Force Base.

That summer I had already accepted a Shell Fellowship to Stanford, but the government let me arrive late to Japan so I could keep my fellowship. I taught at Tachi 2 years. Had a WONDERFUL TIME!! The final Christmas there I wrote applications all holiday for an Academic Year Institute (5 schools offered them). Got a full scholarship to probably the least desirable one--at Wisconsin State University in Superior, Wisconsin. Everybody warned me about the freezing temperatures, but we figured I could manage not to freeze my tail feathers off in just one year.

That's when I met Ed. He was from Duluth--just across the bridge. We met in September and got married in January. (In that part of the country, you must get married--otherwise freeze to death at night.) He had been divorced a year and had 2 darling children, Grant and Maren (6 and 4). I finished up my master's degree (called Masters of Science in Teaching) and taught in Superior 2 years.

We moved to Denver then, since there wasn't any really good work for Ed. What a wonderful move it's been! He's been in the development business since we got here. Doesn't build vertical--takes raw land and gets it ready for a builder.

I worked as a secretary for Johns Manville when we first arrived and then taught a year in Aurora (Denver suburb). Taught 8th grade science and about went crazy, so I quit. That's when we had our 2 kids. Alecia came in '76 and Brad in '80.

I had a great old time volunteering at school. The most fun thing I did was to run the before-school foreign language program at the grade school. We taught Spanish, French, German, and Latin--about 180 kids in the programs. Had a huge foreigh language production at the end of the school year. It was hilarious, but the kids and parents loved it.

Alecia later went to Columbine--graduating in '95--4 years before the aweful tragedy. When she went there it was the best high school in Jefferson County. I suspect it was still great in '99, except there were 2 crazy kids going there then. The reason we switched and I had to drive her such a long way, was Columbine was so much better than Evergreen High School.

Then, what to do with Brad. Kept him in private school through 6th grade, then he got into an option school for 7th. While he was there a group of 6 of us wrote a proposal to the school board to start a new school--also option. It became D'Evelyn Jr./ Sr. High School in Jefferson County. I am happy to say it is the highest performing public high school in Colorado academically--has the highest composite ACTs and SATs. And all of the students take the 2 tests--not just a few who need them for college entrance.

Brad graduated from D'Evelyn in '99. Then he graduated from Colorado School of Mines in '03. Alecia is now living back at home and finishing college, after several years living and working in California.

Since I'm not teaching, I'm selling residential real estate. Have my license under Ed, so I, in effect, work for myself. It's great. Lots of freedom.

In '03 Ed and I made a sailing trip to Greece with 6 other couples. Leased 3 bare boats and sailed around the eastern islands--near Turkey. This summer Alecia and I are going to Italy for 2 weeks.

That's my life in a nutshell!! HA