After Central

Ron and I graduated from Central College in 1966.  We both worked in the social work field before attending graduate school at The University of Iowa in social work from 1968-70 on stipends.  We were the first married couple that went to school in the same class.  Amazingly, we have been married for 53 years.

Ron and I both worked in clinical settings and later were in private practice for 34 years-in the same practice.  Both our areas of practice were in individual, couple, and family psychotherapy.  I also had a quarter time position as an assistant professor at The University of Iowa School of Social Work in the Des Moines Center for 32 years.  Ron retired in 2018.   I retired from the School of Social Work in May, 2011.  I continue to see clients in private practice and will retire at the end of this year.  I also mentor new professionals in the social work field and consult in various settings in my field. 

What fills my Hours

            Since Ron has retired he loves to fish and spends a great deal of time going to sporting events.  He is an avid Hawkeye fan and continues to follow the Hawkeyes with our son and grandchildren.  He also does all the cooking since I have not retired from private practice.

            I also go to the grandchildren’s games mostly on the weekends.  I am an avid Hawkeye fan.  However, when they play against Michigan and Michigan State I tend to have split loyalties being a Michigan native.  We travel with the grandchildren in the summer.   They love to stay at a cottage in Charlevoix or Grand Haven, Michigan.  I traveled more frequently throughout my career because of involvement and local and national boards in The United States.  Ron and my son, when he was younger, would join me on these trips. Ron and I are blessed with long-term individual and couple relationships and have spent quality time with them over the years. 

Ron was not a member of the fraternity but we have been always invited and attended all the reunions.

Family

Ron and I have one son who is 46 years old. He graduated from The University of Iowa and is now is director of Sales Marketing at an environmental company in Ankeny, Iowa.  Brian and his former wife have four children: Drew (17), Devon (15), and twin daughters Abby and Allie who are now 13.  We are blessed to have four grandchildren.  They are all excellent students and participate in soccer, baseball and golf. Since they live in Bondurant, Iowa- a bedroom community of Des Moines- we are very involved in their lives. 

Recent Awards

One of my proudest achievements was being the first clinical professor to go through the tenure process and given a promotion to clinical associate professor.  The College of Liberal Arts did not have a tenure track for clinical professors before that time.

Memories

            Ron and I have many great memories of the fraternity gatherings.  He often went pigeon hunting with John Cobb.  The greatest memory I have of John is his part-time job at a funeral home run by Dar and Sully Hiddelson in Pella & Monroe Iowa.  We had a few parties at the funeral home.  One had to be very creative to challenge the norms and we all seemed pretty good at doing just that!