Nickname (that you know of):
Everyone calls me Mickey these days
except extended family
and classmates in Iowa
and relatives in the east.
Marital status: married for 42 years Spouse's/Significant other's name: Royce
Address: 371 Bethel spc 2 Sanger, CA 93657
Phone #: (559) 875-7246 leave a message, we seldom answer this one unless someone says something. It's for the computer and telemarketers!
Cell phone: (559) 681-6705
Your life since 1964:
Left Clear Lake after graduation and went to school to become a nurse. Ended up in Ames where I met and married Royce in 1967. Ended my career when our first daughter called the baby sitter "mama" and took her first steps there. We decided we could do without the second car, etc. and I would be a stay-at-home mom, kids grow up too fast.
In the next 15 years, Royce and I had one more birth child, a son, and adopted another son and two daughters, all from Korea. We both were very active in our church and were Girl Scout leaders ( me for eight years and Royce for one). I also served on the Governors' Council for Adoptable Children and was very involved on both a local and state level working with families about to adopt foreign born children or who had just brought them home.
Royce was an internal auditor for the Iowa DOT and felt he had advanced as far as he could. We moved to Monterey, CA in 1982 where he was an internal auditor for a private company that grew too fast and laid off 1000 people a year later. We moved to Fresno, CA in 1983 where Royce went into the medical field. We adopted another son (black /white) and daughter (Mexican). Also became foster parents to children under the age of 2. Had eight or so in six years. Needless to say, we kept very busy with soccer games, scout activities and music events with our children. Our adopted children were "older, hard to place" kids (most came to us between 8 and 10 years old) with "baggage" you don't want to know about. Through their years with us we learned all about kids who can't bond, that indeed the first five years are THE important ones and it is hard to undo some of that, that environment isn't everything, that a great deal is born into you, what happens in the foster care system sometimes isn't good (one of our children was in 16 foster homes between 4 and 8 yrs old) and that sometimes you just can't win. Over the years all five of our adopted children have chosen or were forced to give up our family.
Your life now:
In 1999 Royce became CEO of a small hospital and we moved to Sanger (23,000 people and 10 miles SE of Fresno) He retired after four years, didn't like retirement and went to work in the hardware department of the new Walmart in town (two blocks from us) and loves the people and the no pressure job.
Our birth son and daughter live within 15 miles of us. Both are married. Daughter, Cortney, and husband, Forrest, have a 14 year old son, Jared. and eight year old twins, Zachary and Kaylee. Our son, Jeremy, married last October (2007) and has a 11 year old stepdaughter, Kirsten. He and his wife, Lindee, are expecting a baby in Feb. '09! We see everyone whenever we want and talk more often. We are so thankful that our grandchildren are close so that we can take part in their lives and watch them grow. If it weren't for them, we would have moved back to Iowa a long time ago, CA just doesn't feel like home to us.
I managed a pilot shop and then a flight school at the Fresno airport for nine years. Best job I ever had. It was more fun than work and wonderful people to work with without exception.
I was Sunday School Director at church for 12 years and just retired.
Have been a professional pen and ink artist for the last ten years or so and a quilter for about that long.
What classmates have you kept in contact with:
Sally Anderson, Bonnie (Cohrt) Schriber and Tom and Nancy (Peterson) McCarthy
Which classmates would you like to hear from: Everyone
Hobbies: reading, drawing, sewing, knitting
Favorite song of 1964 or earlier: So many-the 60's were wonderful (doesn't every generation say their music, etc. was the best?) "Lil' Darlin' " by the Diamonds or anything by the Beatles
Memories of Clear Lake:
" Loved the sound of the lake, especially at night or early in the morning.
" So many things about CLHS. It was my home away from home. I always felt comfortable and secure there. My brothers and sisters that I didn't have at home were there!
" Remember The Dandy Lion? Wish I still had my copies. Does anyone?
" The July 4th parade, carnival, and fireworks.
" Ice skating on the lake and hearing the ice crack.
" Girl Scouts with Bonnie's mom.
" Eating at the Barrell. Always cheeseburger, French fries and a coke.
" The old Corner Drug. No cherry cokes have been as good since.
" The wonderful smell of our bakery. And the class trips there.
Didn't appreciate our small town when I was growing up, but in this world, as I get older, I do see how good it was. It will always be home to me.
