Since 1960 - My father died in December of 1960 and my mother and step-dad returned to Clear Lake long enough to move my two younger sisters and me to Tulsa. I married Larry Dietrch of Joice, Iowa in 1961. He was in the Army and we moved to various bases in Arizona. After his hitch was over we settled in Phoenix and I went to technical school to learn electronics. I was hired by General Electric to work in their Computer Information System manufacturing facility. We had no children and were divorced in 1971.
I continued my education and earned a degree and Arizona State teaching certificate for manufacturing processes and community college business courses. I taught at Phoenix Job Corps for seven and half years then went to work for Digital Equipment Corporation for 15 years in various teaching and technical management positions. I met and married Carl Erwin, a widower with a son and two daughters. My mother was in poor health and moved to Arizona to be near us.
When Digital Equipment Corporation closed the Arizona manufacturing sites, I taught for the Maricopa County Community College District at three different college campus sites. In 1996, Carl and I retired and since his children were grown, we built our dream house in the tall pinewoods of north central Arizona. We were close enough to the Phoenix metro area to remain close to the kids and our four grandchildren. My mother's health continued to decline, she had a major stroke and is now in a nursing home in Texas, close to my younger sisters.
Now- Carl died quite unexpectedly in 2002 during "routine" gall bladder removal surgery and I'm still trying to get my life in order. He was the light and love of my life and I still miss him every day. I feel like a giraffe on ice. ¦I just can't seem to get my feet underneath me before another large and unexpected problem dumps me back down.
I have a part-time job that has been my anchor. I am the desktop publisher for our homeowners' association newsletter. I have the printing done in Phoenix but other than that, I handle every aspect of the job from advertising to mailing.
For several years I was in touch with Judy (Leonard) Vosburgh who was married to our classmate, Roger. Roger died several years ago of heart problems. The last address I had for her is: 2119 South Jefferson; Mason City. Currently there are 5 Vosburghs listed with Mason City addresses but I haven't followed up to see if any of them knew Judy.
I'll sure try to make a reunion! (And she did!!)
Favorite things: My family. I still sing tenor in the Messiah, I bake, crochet and won a red ribbon at the Arizona State fair for my jam and marmalade. I am a charter member of the Planetary Society and remain active with the events at the Lunar and Planetary Science Lab in Tucson. I have hiked the Grand Canyon and caught my limit of halibut in Alaska. I like to travel and take my cat and dog with me everywhere.
Martial Status: a recovering widow.
Here is a picture of my pets and me. My Cocker is named Taffy because she is the color of molasses taffy and I take her around to nursing homes. She will be 8 years old in November and is so gentle with frail, old people. A circle of wheel chairs gathers around her pretty quickly after we walk in the door so I use that as a "stage" and she has a routine of tricks I taught her. Then she goes around and does a "shake hands" with each person. Most of them want to pet her and some cry and tell me stories about their pets. I am drained after each visit but I keep going back because they ask to see Taffy again and again.
Tabitha, the cat, is a frisky 13 years old. Tabitha thinks that Taffy is HER dog, HER playmate and HER pillow. Both animals are seasoned travelers and they go with me everywhere.
