After graduating I returned to Illinois and worked for several years at facilities for adults with disabilities. Then my life changed when I committed to a friendship, from the college years, to the love of my life; Ginny Santee, class of 1972. We were married in August of 1975. We knew we wanted to move from the large urban area and after a long search we moved to Redmond, Oregon in May of 1979. At the time, Redmond-population was just over 5,000, only had one stop light, and I would avoid it just because I could! I continued to work for adults with disabilities, Ginny went back to community college for an RN degree, and we had 2 children- Matt and Mandy. Matt, the oldest is a fisheries biologist in Corvallis- home to the Oregon State Beavers (more on that later) and he has 2 daughters 12 & 9. Mandy is a high school math teacher in Vancouver Washington married to the high school head football coach and has 2 sons and a daughter 10, 7 & 4, Grandchildren are an absolute joy and we see them often as we are only 2 ½ & 3 hours away.
We both retired—Me after 31 years 1/15. (Ginny 10/14’). Aside from seeing the grands we travel as often as we can; we have been blessed to do numerous Caribbean and south seas sailing/diving trips and travel back to see family in NJ and IL. We enjoy northwest fly fishing/ hiking/ camping/ backpacking/ and just recently added kayaking; we travel to our part ownership condo on the beautiful Oregon coast every other month where we clam, crab, fish, whale watch, beach comb, and enjoy great Oregon wine. A travel highlight was the opportunity to travel with fellow Oregon State Beaver fans to Omaha, NB in 13’, 17’, and finally winning it all in 2018- What a thrill! (another big thrill was enjoying my Cubbies win it all in 16’) Our latest travel adventure, planned over a year ago, is visiting Italy, France, and Germany for over 3 weeks coming up this May and June. Unfortunately, our travel conflicts with the Phi Delt reunion, so I will be there in spirit and will try to send some old photos and memories for the brothers to share.
Phi Delt memories-
-as a pledge class locking the sleeping room doors and blasting music in the early a.m.
-2 Fla trips, speeding through Atlanta in rush hour, I am positive the Good Lord was with us on that one, and having to decide, due to being “financially embarrassed”, do we buy toothpaste or beer? I wonder which one won?
-all-nighters studying out on the porch
-Yucatan trip with Croakie and Haddard
-“bowl parties”, after one attempting to give CPR to a tipped cow
– flag football (over 3 years I had 2 broken noses)
-“procurement” of homecoming house decorations – Flying Dutchman Ship
-why didn’t that flag pole bend back after the tires were dropped around it?!?!
-so many great memories with the Brothers!!