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What We Are Doing Now
Send a paragraph (or more)
giving an update on your life to Karen Olson.
Tell about your family, hobbies, interests, travel, etc., etc.
Tell about your family, hobbies, interests, travel, etc., etc.
Your classmates want to know all about you!
| Crystal Dial | Wesley Eaton | Gary Falck | Vivian Gilbertson | Frank Green | Robert Halvorson |
| Muriel Hanson | Martha Hauschildt | Wayne Hendrickson | Donna Hulverson | LouAnn Jacobson | Rochelle Jensen |
| Kathryn Karnes | Dorothy Koehler | Nancy Krause | Bert Lansing | Carol Leach | Lyle Leehe |
| Darwin Litzell | Carol Madson | John Mathisen | Richard Moe | Rita Noterman | Ronald Perry |
| Sherry Quilling | Robert Richardson | Richard Roatch | JoAnne Rodewald | James Spindler | Rita Strom |
| Diane Tanberg | Harold Thompson | Dean Traynor | Maureen Traynor | Larry Traynor | Mary Wasson |
| Alice Wasson | Fae Ann Woodmansee | Mavis Youngren |
Richard Roatch (phone conversation with Mavis) Richard does not plan to attend the reunion. He is retired from a firm in North St. Paul. He lives near Elmwood and has 2 boys and a girl, all of whom live in the vicinity of Spring Valley. He has 8 grandchildren and a couple of great-grandchildren. He is currently remodeling his home and planning a fishing trip to Canada. |
Wayne A. Hendrickson I continue to have a wonderful life both personally and professionally. My family is thriving, my work is exciting, and we like where we live. My family life changed for the better in 1997 when I met Ann Temkin. We married at the end of 1998; soon afterwards, I moved from a suburban house outside New York City to a Greenwich Village apartment in Manhattan; and in November 2003 our daughter Rachel was born. We had commuted between New York and Philadelphia, where Ann was a Curator at the Philadelphia Museum of Art, but Ann moved fully to New York with RachelÕs arrival and took up a position at the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA). She is now Chief Curator of Painting and Sculpture at MoMA. My professional life is steady but increasingly busy. I am now in my 26th year at Columbia University where I hold the position of University Professor and have appointments in Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics and in Physiology and Cellular Biophysics. I teach (mainly graduate students) and conduct basic research (biophysics and biochemistry). We (meaning with my students and postdoctoral fellows) have produced some exciting research results, notably on molecules related to AIDS, neurodegenerative diseases, cancer and reproduction. We have also contributed to the technology of x-ray diffraction. Toward that end, I recently became the Associate Director for Life Sciences at the National Synchrotron Light Source Ð II, a billion dollar project at Brookhaven National Laboratory. I am also Chairman of the Structural Genomics Consortium, which works on pharmaceutical targets at sites in Toronto, Oxford and Stockholm. My two grown daughters, Helen Margaret (34) and Inga (32), are wonderful big sisters to six-year-old Rachel. Both older girls got married in the past two years, in RachelÕs mind to provide her with two brothers as well. Our family of seven gets on extremely well, and we will vacation together in France this August. We also enjoy weekend retreats to our country place in the hills of northwest Connecticut. Sadly, we lost my Dad three years ago. Otherwise, all are well. Mother still lives on the farm, looked after regularly by my sisters Mary and Karen who live nearby. |
Frank Green I worked at Smead Company in Hastings, MN for 42 years. I have two children and five grandchildren. I retired January 1st, 2002. What am I doing now? Just about anything/everything I want to. I have lived in Prescott since graduation. We have a 2005 Mustang convertible and drive the county and back roads all over the whole state. Simply put, WE are enjoying doing what we worked all those years for, so others could enjoy doing their things. I just wish all my classmates could have been so fortunate. |
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50 years, doesn't seem like we've been out of school that long. Yes, I'm coming to the reunion. Will be fun to see all my classmates. |
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After graduating from Spring Valley, I moved to St. Paul, Minnesota and began working for The First National Bank in downtown St. Paul. In June of 1960, I married Orlan Youngren. He was drafted into the U.S. Army in December of that year and was stationed at the base hospital in Fort Ord, California. I joined him in 1961 and we lived off-base in nearby Salinas. During our time in Salinas, I worked in the office of the Alisal Water Company. We returned to St. Paul in 1963 and I was rehired by the First National Bank. I worked there until 1967. In 1966, we bought our current home in Stillwater, MN. Our first son, Mark was born in 1967; our second son Eric was born in 1972. Mark now has three sons, Conner 13, Calvin 10, and Charlie 6, who live with their mother in St. Louis Park, MN. Mark lives in Corte Madera, CA with Blyth and their 2 year old daughter Lucy. Since he was ten years old and first saw Star Wars, Mark has wanted to create special effects for the movie industry. As a boy he made many home movies, and he graduated from the Minneapolis College of Art and Design with a degree in film. He now works for Industrial Light and Magic in San Francisco, a division of LucasFilm that is responsible for the computer-generated effects so popular in todayÕs movies. His name appears in the credits of many movies; what fun for us! Eric lives in Boulder, CO, with his wife Kimberly and their two children, son Maxwell 6, and daughter Emerson 3. Eric graduated from the University of Minnesota with a degree in Forestry. Eric and his business partner, Mike, own SOBO Homes, Inc., a design/build firm in south Boulder that specializes in residential remodels. When he was a boy, Eric was always busy designing and/or building or remodeling something, continually making a mess out of his fatherÕs carefully laid out workshop. While our boys were growing up, I was involved in a number of activities. The cake baking that I did for family events blossomed into a custom cake baking business that even included a number of wedding cakes. I also followed in my mother ElaineÕs footsteps and did sewing alterations and custom sewing for many years. When our boys were a little older, I started a one-woman housecleaning business in Stillwater, from which I retired in 1985. I now do volunteer work at the local Lakeview Hospital and at the Historic Courthouse in Stillwater. I am a member of a sewing guild and we do voluntary sewing for many charitable organizations. I also participate in the Red Hats and belong to a morning walking group. We go on frequent trips to Colorado and California to visit our sons and their families. |
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Well, what have I been doing for the last 50 years? Obviously not enough or this would be an easy assignment. As you can see, I still see myself in school! From the time I was in kindergarten in 1946 until 1997, when I retired from teaching, I had spent every year in a classroom. Then I became an adult, so I am really only about 33 - mentally. I went to River Falls and graduated in 1963. In my senior year (not now) of college I taught at St. Bridget's in River Falls. After graduation, I left Wisconsin and became a permanent resident of Minnesota, you know where Bret will finally make it to the top (if he is not too old), the Vikings! I taught in Murdock (four years), band and choir; and Olivia (thirty years), band. In the mid 70's I went to McPail's in Minneapolis for piano tuning and repair, something that I still do, and probably will until my hearing gives out. We have gone to several of the National Conventions throughout the U.S. For about 15 years Sharon and I ran a photography studio in our home, doing weddings, seniors, reunions, etc. Photography is now strictly a hobby! Because I didn't have anything to do, I went and played dance jobs every Saturday night for 40 years. Children, yes we had children - Bang!, Bang!, Bang!, a year apart. Then I figured it out and no more. Ken, named after Ken Olson, is a computer engineer; Jamie, our daughter, is in foreign sales; Richard, Jr.(named after me), is in drafting and designing homes. All graduated from college. We have grandchildren - eight, and one great! Sharon and I have sung with several groups over the years. Presently it is the Woodbury Chorus and Orchestra from Woodbury, Mn,- We sang with them in Switzerland a couple years ago. I also direct the Woodbury Singers of Renville County, a group of about 45 people from the area. Our lake place, called Shalom (a name with many meanings), is our refuge - a quiet place, on a small lake, bordered by a gully and cows, a place that I always meant to get several great things done - but I think that I will put my feet up and just think about it for a while. I would talk about health problems but we need something for the reunion - right. |
Bob Richardson I have been a self-employed attorney/farmer but joined a larger law firm (Bakke-Worman) a few years ago. Mary Ann and I had 3 children and we now enjoy our eight grandchildren. They spend time with us on a weekly basis. I enjoy working in the yard, walking our trails, watching all sports, and church activities. |
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I worked in Minneapolis for about a year, then back to Spring Valley for a construction company for two years. I then went to work for a steel manufacturing company in Hager City and worked there for 42 years. Then I found something I liked: RETIREMENT. Vicky and I have four children....three girls and one boy...and they all live in Wisconsin. We have 7 grandchildren. We have lived on a small farm near Spring Valley for the past 46 years. |
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It was fifty years ago that we left Spring Valley High School showing in our rear-view mirror. We left behind many good friends and went on to chase our dreams as was spoken of in our commencement addresses. When I left the ÔValleyÕ, I knew that I was shy and didnÕt know much about anything. I decided to go in a quest of knowledge through academic studies. I spent two years at River Falls State College and earned the necessary grades to matriculate to the school that offered my dream major. The University of Minnesota offered a Fisheries and Wildlife Management degree and with it, I could be a fishery or wildlife biologist for the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources. I worked hard and achieved the degree I sought in 1964. The University of Minnesota Department of Fisheries and Wildlife wanted me and they employed me for three years as an assistant to doctoral graduate students. One of the students I assisted was hired by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and he got me a position with the same organization. The position was at a research laboratory on the campus of the University of Michigan. During my six-year tenure in Ann Arbor, MI, I managed to get a Master of Science degree from Eastern Michigan University in biology with an emphasis in physiology. In 1973, I left the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to help with problems in the family back in Spring Valley. From Spring Valley, I moved to Superior, WI in 1975 to take a temporary position at the University 0f Wisconsin-Superior Lake Superior Research Institute that became a career of thirty years. I advance my career to become a Senior Research Scientist and did environmental research in toxicology and some teaching. My career was blessed by working with many great scientists who assisted the development of my professional career. In addition, there are many students that have challenged me and made life interesting for which I am thankful. During my time at U of Wisconsin-Superior, I married twice with the second (Dianne) being a blessing. I have two wonderful children with my first wife. Molly is a biologist at Cambridge University in England with husband George Becker who is an astrophysicist at the university. Matt is a graduate student in architecture at the University of Oregon. After spending so much time seeking knowledge, I realized that it was wisdom I needed and I found wisdom through relationship with my Lord, Jesus Christ. Serving Him during the last twenty-five years by helping people has been a great blessing. I retired in 2005 to do the things I enjoy and they are mostly outdoor sports. During my professional life, the hobbies were mostly put aside. These activities now occupy much of my free time along with serving my Lord. I will be unable to make the fiftieth class reunion due to a conflict with another reunion scheduled two years ago. I will miss seeing you and wish everyone an enjoyable time and long life. |
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After graduating from SVHS, I continued my music studies, receiving a Bachelor of Science in music from River Falls, and a Master of Music from Southern Illinois University. I taught for a few years in Illinois and then moved back to Wisconsin where I taught vocal music at Menomonie High School for several years. During my Graduate School years and while teaching at Menomonie, I married twice, with both marriages, unfortunately, not lasting. |
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John Mathiesen |
Rochelle Jensen 1959-1963 - Attended University of Wisconsin at River Falls - received a BA degree in Elementary Ed (K-3) 1963-1968 - Taught Grades K-2 in Amery, WI 1968-1969 - Taught Kindergarten in Bloomington, MN 1969 - Married John Painter 1969-1997 - Taught Grades K, 2, 4, 5, in Dodgeland Schools, Juneau, WI 1997 - Retired in June, 1997 and John passed away in August, 1997. Since I retired, I went on two cruises, played alot of Bridge, and served on several committees at my church. |
Robert Halverson We have lived in Elmwood all our married life. We have two boys...Terry and Tim; twin granddaughters...Tarrin and Talley; two grandsons...Trevor and Jordan. Terry lives in Fridley, MN and Tim is at home and works in Somerset, WI. My hobbies are camping, fishing and casinos. I worked for the Corps of Engineers for almost 32 years and I retired in 2004. Mary Ann has worked in the Elmwood schools for almost 40 years and is still working. She has been head cook for about 10 years. |
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After graduation I had one semester of college at U W Stout. Then went into the Navy for three years. After that I worked at Fabri Tek in Amery, WI and bought a farm. Janit and I were married in May, 1966. I then went to work for Midland Coop for 2 1/2 years and then moved to Strum, WI where we live today. I also owned a tire shop for ten years, worked at a group home for downs people for 3 years, was a parts man for an implement dealer for 6 years. We have 2 children: Brian and Angela. Both are married. Angela lives in Eau Claire and Brian lives in Stoughton, WI. No grandkids. |
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In 1963, I graduated from UW-River Falls with a major in Elementary Education and taught for eight years in Wisconsin, Minnesota, Montana, and in the Peace Corps in Ethiopia, Africa. While in the Peace Corps I met my husband, Tom, from New Hampshire. We will celebrate our 40th anniversary in October. We settled in Southern Vermont for 34 years where Tom was a teacher and Education Administrator. After the children were in school, I studied nursing and worked in hospital nursing education, home health, school nursing and ended my career teaching nursing students in a Community College in Maryland where we moved in 2005. We are now both retired. Our children Ðtwins Matthew and Sarah were born in 1971, graduated from the University of Vermont and eventually settled in Maryland. Matt is a GPS Specialist and works for the District of Columbia. Sarah, a Speech Pathologist, is an administrator with a Healthcare company and lives in Owings Mills, Maryland, a mile away. Both are married, Sarah to Rob Willey, an accountant, and Matt to Kristen OÕGrady, a researcher with NOAA. They each have a girl and a boy- Sarah has Traynor-10 and Sumner-5 and Matt has Alaina-3 and Tommy-1. We spend a lot of time helping them when needed and enjoying them. WeÕve travel frequently, most recently to China last year for 2 weeks. We have also been to East Africa, France, Ireland, Costa Rica, and Hawaii. WeÕll go to Prague, Vienna, & Budapest for our 40th anniversary. I read a lot, volunteer a little, love foreign films and have done a little quilting as did my grandmother, mother, & sister. I donÕt return to Spring Valley as frequently since my mother died in 2004, but am looking forward to the 50th reunion and seeing classmates again. |
Kathy Karnes After high school, I went to Gale Institute for airline reservation training and was hired by Northwest Airlines. I worked there for a short time, and then began a career in the stock market field. I worked for several brokerage firms in the Twin Cities, Florida and California, and retired last summer from Piper Jaffrey. I love to travel and I love the sunshine, so I journey to California, Florida and Mexico as often as possible. Mavis and I traveled to Italy several years ago and I have been to numerous other European destinations. I have taken all of my nieces and nephews on trips for their graduation gifts and I enjoy traveling with my cousin, Dolly, who lives in Washington, D.C. Dolly is celebrating her 60th class reunion from Spring Valley High School this year. I live in a high-rise condo in Minneapolis and enjoy urban living...the Mall of America is only a short train ride away. I enjoy playing Scrabble and watchiing old movies. |
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I find it hard to believe 50 years have passed since we graduated from SV. Time seems to fly by much faster the older we get. Here is an update on my past 50 years. After graduation I went to work in the Twin Cities at 1st National Bank and lived at the Methodist Girls Club. Many good times were had with friends from SV and new friends that I met. I met my husband Bill in St. Paul, (he was from Glenwood City) and we were married in May of 1961 at Gilman Lutheran Church. We were blessed with four children. Julie our oldest is married to Scott Coozennoy they have three children. Julie owns Memories and More, a Scrapbook store in Forest Lake, MN. Our son Jeffrey lives Northwest of Grand Rapids, MN and has one son. Jill our number three is married to Ross Vass and they have two children. Jodie our youngest is married to Mike Beaudette and they have three children. All three of our daughters live in the Forest Lake area. Both Jill and Jodie and their husbands purchased Rice Industries from us. Bill & I started out in Minnesota, then on to Milwaukee, WI, then Pittsburgh, PA area, then back to Milwaukee and now back to Minnesota. The moves were all transfers with BillÕs job. In 1977 we started Rice Industries which is located in Lino Lakes, MN and we both retired from there in 2001. Our home is in Ham Lake, MN, which keeps us busy trying to do everything in the six months we are in MN. We enjoy motorhoming, and own a lot in an RV Resort in Indio, CA (in the Palm Springs area). We usually go out there in October and return the end of April. We do fly back to spend the holidays with our children and grandchildren. Our next love is traveling; I guess it goes hand in hand with the motorhome. We have recently been to Europe a couple of times, did a 23 day Panama Canal cruise and went down into Ecuador. We have done a couple of Caribbean cruises and this summer we are going on 3 week cruise and land tour of Alaska. We have traveled extensively in the US and Canada but we have many more places scheduled in our bucket list. I am looking forward to seeing everyone in August. |
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Fae Ann Woodmansee I started at North Central Airlines on May 13, 1960. In 1979, North Central bought out Southern Airways and the company name was changed to Republic. In 1986, Northwest bought out Republic. My husband, LaVern, also worked at the same place as a mechanic. He retired in 2000 and I retired in 2001. We had two cats, Missy and Kristi, who traveled with us wherever we went. We still have our lake place on Staples Lake in Wisconsin. Also a motor home since 1999, although we changed from a gas model to a diesel. We now have only one cat, Willie, and he is five years old. We just completed a two-week trip to Albuquerque, New Mexico and Branson, Missouri on April 29th. I am a quilter, and specialize in baby quilts with names and dates of birth. I still do alot of reading. Vern is into gardening and flowers. |
Larry Dahms I worked at Harshman's Garage for six months after graduation. Started as an apprentice plumber for Halverson Bros. Plumbing in 1960. I purchased the business in 1978 and relinquished it to my sons in 2006. Jan and I married in 1963 and are still married. We have two sons and four grandchildren. We purchased property in Marco Island, FL in 2000 and do much fishing and golfing there during winter months (Nov-Apr). Spend summer months at our hobby farm at rural Menomonie. No longer ride horses for competition (too old) but still ride with grandkids. Anxious to see old classmates. |
| Bert Lansing Bert is retired...still works a little |
Carol Leach 1955-63 - Worked at Crystal Cave, Spring Valley, WI 1959-63 - Attended college at UW River Falls, River Falls, WI (enjoyed a three-month trip to Europe through UWRF in 1963) 1963-73 - Worked at 3M Co., Maplewood, MN 1973-78 - Employed by Shepard's Office Supply, Naples, FL 1978-86 - Worked for Milwaukee Journal & Sentinel, Ft. Atkinson, WI 1986-90 - Black Stallion Motel, Restaurant & Lounge, Whitewater, WI 1990-2003 - Worked in convenience stores in Osceola & St.Croix Falls, WI 2003-present - Retired, living in Centuria, WI My dad died suddenly of a heart attack in 1975; Mom died of old age in 2001. My brother died in 2003 of cancer. My sister, Jane, lives with me in Centuria. The past 12 years I've been working on my Leach family history---without a computer. I have met some really nice people. I'm also working on my stamp collection, which is a work in progress. I read a lot and have quite a collection of hardcover books. I'm sorry I won't be able to attend the reunion as my health isn't too good, but I sure will be thinking of all of you. |
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In 1960 I enlisted in the National Guard {US Army} and served until 1964. I then returned to the family farm. |
Peggy Cooke In August of 1959, I moved west with my parents. They settled in Redwood City, California where my elder sister already resided and I went to Pacific Lutheran University in Tacoma, Washington. After two years at PLU I transferred to San Jose State University from which I graduated with a degree in Sociology in 1963. Between my junior and senior year, I married. In the fall of 1963 we moved to the east coast and lived for five years near New Haven, Connecticut and five years in Amherst, Massachusetts. During this time my three children Karen, Jordy, and Kristen were born and I was fortunate to be able to be a stay at home mom during this time. We loved the experience of living in the east, but really wanted to move back to California. That opportunity came in 1973 and we moved to Thousand Oaks. Shortly after the move, my marriage ended and I went back to school and got a secondary teaching credential from California Lutheran University. I taught in continuation high schools for a few years before I married a second time in 1979. I spent the next twenty plus years working in our retail camera store. With the marriage, Chris, who was then eight, joined the family. We retired from the business in 1998 and, for the fun of it, went back to school for the two years and became hypnotherapists. In 1992, my parents who thrived in California, moved from Redwood City to Thousand Oaks and lived in their own apartment until 2002. The last year of their lives, I cared for them in my home. My dad was ninety five and my mom ninety three and they had been married seventy two years when they passed away within four months of each other. They are interred at the Gilman Cemetery. Not being really good at choosing spouses, my second marriage ended in 2003 and took back the name Cooke. I went to work as office manager for a psychiatrist in this community and have been working there since. I work four days a week and I plan to work for a few more years until I donÕt feel like it any more. IÕve lived in the same house since I moved to Thousand Oaks. A couple of years ago I had it renovated with new bathrooms and kitchen and, although it is more space than I need, I plan to stay here for the foreseeable future. I have been active in organizations such as League of Women Voters, Chamber of Commerce, Rotary International and church over the years. I found my religious niche as a Christadelphian. It is a small church body worldwide with a big emphasis on Bible study that I enjoy very much. It is a very supportive community. I have had the opportunity to travel. I have been as far east as Turkey, north as Scotland, south as Argentina and west as Japan. Everyone believes that their children are exceptional, but mine really are and grandchildren are the best. They are all married with families. Karen lives in Portland, Oregon, Jordy in Santa Cruz, California and Chris and Kristen live locally. They each have two children. I have been blessed with perfect health and have a very consistent, routine life. I work, go to church, spend time with the family, travel a little and am content. |
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Leaving SV in May of '59, I and many others went to the Cities to work. I had the experience of working as a proof operator at 1ST National Bank of St Paul I only worked there 3 years, but still have fond memories. In '62 when Leon returned from the army we were married at St Johns Lutheran Church in the Valley. (I miss that old church) We raised 2 sons, Brian and Tony, first living in St Paul and then buying a home in North St Paul and living there for 32 years. During that time we were very active in following the boy's sporting activities, camping and some traveling. Leon was diagnosed with MS in the late 70's so that meant my returning to the workforce. I worked a short stint at 3M and then worked for the State of Minnesota for nearly 25 years in the Department of Employee Relations (Personnel). After the sons high school graduations and FINALLY on their own we were able to do more traveling around the U.S. Due to Mental Health and other problems of their parents, we are blessed with caring for our 2 Grandchildren, Brian Jr. and Melanie. Currently they are 16 and 18 years old. While I say blessed, and it surely has been a blessing in many ways, I can tell you it is not easier the 2nd time around. So our retirement is quite a bit different than other folks our age! We now, and have been since '99, live by small Rocky Ridge Lake, 9 miles NW of Spooner Wi. It is a very peaceful and tranquil setting, which we enjoy immensely. (The grandkids would say too peaceful) I do miss the city living sometimes-the nice parks and shopping centers! We DO NOT miss the traffic though. In the future we look forward to spending more time in the South perhaps visiting relatives in Florida and Arizona, especially in the winter. (Why did our ancestors settle here in this cold climate??) Health issues are cropping up, but so far nothing that has not been manageable. |
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The past fifty years have flown by so very quickly. After graduation, I attended UW-River Falls for one year and then worked at Bell Telephone in St. Paul for a year, before marrying Don Blegen (class of Ô57) in 1961. We had two sons, Bryce and Eric, and Don taught at Elmwood High School while I stayed at home with the boys until 1966, when I returned to college at RF part-time. I graduated in 1972 with a degree in elementary education, and began working for the Ellsworth School District that fall. After 24 years (mostly teaching 4th grade) there, I was fortunate to be able to retire when Don did (after 35 years of teaching and many years of wedding photography) in 1996. We have greatly enjoyed our retirement and have traveled extensively and had a great time, often thanks to our older son BryceÕs accumulated frequent flier miles from his business travels. WeÕve had wonderful trips to Australia, New Zealand, Europe, Alaska, Hawaii, and more. Our first trip to Costa Rica in 1997 was so enjoyable that we went back again in 2001 but that did not turn out so well, since I was shot in both arms during a robbery of our tour bus. Our sons both live in Washington state, about two hours apart, so we make a couple of trips a year to visit them. Bryce is in international law, specializing in customs and trade regulations. Eric is the director of a retreat center in Union, Washington. Much of my time is spent visiting my 98-year-old mother at Park View Home in Woodville, but I also enjoy photography trips with Don (he only retired from wedding photography), trips and lunch with friends, reading, hiking, gardening, singing, and volunteering. I feel very fortunate to still be alive and well (the ages of people in those obituary pages are scary these days), and am really looking forward to our 50th reunion in August! |
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50 YEARS - WOW - My mind says I'm 40, but my body reminds me that I'm 67. I had 47 wonderful years with my husband, Wayne. Unfortunately, he passed away in June of 2007. We were married in 1960 and were blessed with 4 children (2 boys & 2 girls). Now I have 4 grandchildren (2 boys & 2 girls). When we married, we started farming on Wayne's farm. We farmed for 20 years, and then we bought a house in Spring Valley and lived there for 20 years. Wayne worked for the telephone company and I worked for many, many places in Spring Valley. Then we returned to our farm for retirement, where I live now with my Kitty. We planned to travel after retirement, but only got in a couple trips before Wayne passed away. One was to the East Coast, where my oldest daughter lives in Virginia. Then we continued down the coast to the keys where my youngest daughter lives in Florida. California was the other trip to see our oldest son, and visit some friends in Arizona. My youngest son lives right here in Spring Valley, so I get to see him all the time. In October of 2008, Kitty and I bought ourselves a motor home and we continued the traveling. This past Winter, we were gone for about 6 months and traveled over 10,000 miles. That brings me right up to now. I love to feed the birds in my flower garden and take care of the yard. As for sports, it was snowmobiling and motorcycling, but now I'm more into 4-wheeling. Other than that, I love to sit out on my deck with my Kitty and my brandy and watch the sunset. |
| After graduation, my summer job was at Crystal Cave where my responsibility was to dust and restock shelves in the gift shop and occasionally went down to bring up the persons on the Òshort tourÓ. On Sunday I sold jewelry, |
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ItÕs hard to believe 50 years have gone by since graduation, and in many cases it has been that long since IÕve seen some of you. We may be a little grayer or a little thinner or stockier, but I am sure the recognition will still be there. In 1965 I was employed by Sperry-Univac, later known as Unisys, and started a 26 year career with them which, in 1976, gave us an opportunity to relocate to Salt Lake City, Utah as part of the management group for the printed circuit board facility. It has been home ever since. In 1966 I married Joy Stefon (class of Õ63) and moved to Columbia Heights, a Minneapolis suburb. We were blessed with our beautiful daughter Stephanie in l967 and Joy began teaching high school English in 1968. In 1980 Joy changed her career path to Human Resources and has been in personnel management ever since. In 1995 Steph married her college sweetheart Brock Varoz. We consider ourselves very fortunate in having these two as our children but even more so in having them as our best friends. As I mentioned above, in 1976 we moved to Salt Lake City for work and I became involved with the horse community, having my own quarter horse for a few years and getting involved as a volunteer at Western Pleasure horse shows. I not only enjoyed my involvement with horses, but played a lot of softball, and did a lot of skiing, camping and hunting in the beautiful Wasatch Mountains. In 1991 we had to make a decision to return to Minneapolis because of down-sizing of the printed circuit board division or pursue a new career in Salt Lake City. By this time Salt Lake was home, and I started a new career path with EIMCO (manufacturer of equipment to separate liquid from solids) as a planner/scheduler, remaining until 2005. I am currently semi-retired, working part-time at Mark Steel Corporation (steel fabricator) as a coordinator for EIMCO products which they build and assemble. In addition to working part-time, my interest in horses has evolved into my own business as a Horse Show Coordinator, conducting shows for Quarter Horse and Paint Horse Clubs throughout Utah and Nevada. My hobby has evolved into my own business that I still, fortunately, enjoy very much. Joy and I have become avid travelers, enjoying annual trips to the Riviera Maya in Mexico with our children, along with four trips to Hawaii, and a couple of cruises to the Caribbean. We enjoy the warmth of the tropics, beaches, deep sea fishing and snorkeling. We even managed to be on the Big Island of Hawaii when the major earthquake hit in 2006. That was quite the experience! Another highlight was participating as a spectator in the 2002 Olympic Games held in Utah. We were able to take in several venues and enjoyed the international climate that comes with such an event. In addition to traveling, we enjoy golfing and sharing time with Casey, our English springer spaniel that has become a great companion and never fails to amuse us. Again, I am looking forward to seeing you all at our 50th Class Reunion and extend an invitation to all of you to stop and see us or give us a call if you are ever passing through Salt Lake City. |
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50 years! Wow! It doesn't seem possible. I enlisted in the U.S. Navy during our senior year. I was all set to go to boot camp when we graduated. I boarded a train in Minneapolis the morning after graduation. I have to say the my 9 years on active duty were the most rewarding and exciting time of my life. I was stationed in a Heavy Attack Squadron out of Whidbey Island, Wa. Our squadron deployed on the Aircraft Carrier USS Coral Sea (CVA43) in July of 1960. I made two 9 month cruises in the pacific seeing places that I only dreamed of a year before. We spent several weeks in the South China Sea giving support to Laos during the Communist aggression in the early 60's. This was a clandestine operation at that time. It was quite exciting. I married Cindy Haugeland from Woodville in Sept. 1961. We had 5 children, Sandy 47, John 45, Eric 43, Kathy 41 and our "caboose" Lizzy who was killed in a car accident the day before her 15th birthday (July 91) We have 11 grand children and 7 great-grand children. All of our kids live in the area. After I got out of the Navy, I started working of Aaby Plumbing, heating and electric in Woodville. I worked there for about 15 years and then worked for Shafer Electric out of SV. While working for Shafer, I had an accident at work. I fell from a ladder (about 20') and landed on concrete crushing my left heel. It was broken in 17 places. I have a permanent partial disability but I never missed any work except during my healing. After the accident, the Doctor said I had to get a "sit down" job so when an opening came up at the Park in SV I applied there and got hired as a seasonal administrative assistant. I stayed there until I retired in 2003. My wife is a retired nurse. She spent 20 plus years at the Baldwin Hospital as a scrub nurse in the surgical dept. She still does a little part time in ER. She was also the Chief Medical Examiner for St. Croix County for 3 yrs. After we retired, we sold our home in Woodville and moved lock, stock and barrel to Missouri, right on the Arkansas border. We purchased a home there and lived there for a year and decided it wasn't for us so we moved back to Wisconsin and purchased a home in Barron where we reside now. I still enjoy getting out on the trout streams and doing some ice fishing. My passion since retirement is golf! I truly love the game. If anyone wants to go 18 with me give a yell! Well, that's about it. Would enjoy hearing from any classmates. Hap |
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Upon graduation from high school in May I married Jim August 15. We will be married 50 years. We moved to LaCrosse, WI, where Jim finished his college education and I had planned to start mine. However, our first child, Kathy, was born in December of 1960, so plans were put on hold. While in LaCrosse I worked at Trane Company as a secretary for the Controller's Staff. When I got pregnant I had to quit working for them as in those days, you lost your job when you were 6 months pregnant or started wearing maternity clothes. Couldn't get by with that now! After Kathy was born, I then got another job at Trane Company in the Research Lab as secretary. Jim got his first teaching job in Somerset, Wisconsin, and we stayed there for two years. I worked for 3M Company those two years as an executive secretary for Microfilm Technical Service Vice President. |
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Where did the last 50 years go? After graduation, Kathy Karnes and I attended Gale Institute in Minneapolis and subsequently were both hired by Northwest Orient Airlines. I worked there until 1961, and then I started working for Real Estate Research Corporation. I worked in real estate for the rest of my career, becoming a Licensed Real Estate Appraiser when I worked at Midwest Federal and ending my career in 2004 at Wells Fargo as a Review Appraiser in Private Mortgage Banking. I married Patrick Hawkins in 1964 and we had 3 childrenÉKathryn, Bradley and Deborah. Kathryn is a family therapist for Pierce County. She lives in River Falls with her husband, Peter, and her son, Sterling (13). Peter is also a therapist and his twin daughters and his son are presently in college in Minneapolis, River Falls and Menomonie. My son, Brad, lives in Red Wing and works as a graphic designer for a printing firm in the Twin Cities. My other daughter, Deborah, lives in Wabasha with her husband, Mike, and her son, Keller (10). She is a Program Assistant for a private non-profit organization and her husband works for Winona County in Criminal Justice. Patrick passed away in May, 2000, after many years of struggling with his health. I lived in Maplewood, MN in the same house for 38 years, but moved to Lake City, MN when I retired. Lake City is 15 miles from Red Wing, 15 miles from Wabasha, and 40 miles from River FallsÉso you see I plopped myself down in the middle of my kidsÕ lives and it is a wonderful place to be. I am very active in my community as I am Treasurer of the local food shelf; Financial Secretary of my church; Chair of Lay Ministry Board at church; and a member of the Hospital Auxiliary. I also have a very special friend, Ken, who has 7 children, 25 grandchildren and 27 great-grandchildren, so we are very busy with family activities. My hobbies include collections of all sortsÉMcCoy & RedWing pottery, Nativity scenes, hobnail dishes, snowmen, Spring Valley advertisement piecesÉbut my main love is my ÒMavisÓ collection. My home is somewhat of a shrine with about 25 ÒMavisÓ ads displayed and 3 curio cabinets housing my extensive collection of ÒMavisÓ memorabilia. I am also an avid Scrabble player and I have a Maltese dog named Biscuit. Life doesnÕt get much better than this!
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