I moved to Phoenix after graduation and lived with K'Lyn Gardner and Jackie Driskoll. I attended Durham Business College. A year and a half later, I married Gary Willis after dating him for 3 years. We've been married 33 years. We have one daughter, Kendra Colleen (32), a grandson, Wesley Ryan, who is 10 and a granddaughter, Kodi Michele, who will be 4 in August.

We decided to buy some acreage in 1969, since we had several horses. The plan was to work a year or two to save enough money. (30 years in June 99) It turned out that we needed to fence the property, build corrals, put in water lines, storerooms, buy feed, etc, etc, (money, money, money) We are still living at the same location.

I started working for the City of Glendale in June of '69 as a "Clerk Typist" in Customer Services. December '69, I transferred into Data Processing and was promoted to a "Data Processing Operator". (ancient history, old accounting systems) '74, I promoted to a "Data Entry Operator I" (old keypunch). '75, I promoted to a "Data Entry Operator II". '77, I promoted to a" Computer Operator" (Honeywell system). '83, I promoted to a "Computer Operator II". '84, I promoted to "Lead Operator" (Data General, HP’s and IBM systems). '86, I promoted to "Computer Operations Supervisor". The title I still hold.

Recently, I've have been given the responsibilities of "Security Administrator". I manage security and allow user access to the City’s computer mainframes and fileservers, plus software such as Novell, Peoplesoft (financials, human resources & payroll database), GroupWise (email), and several Oracle database (salestax, municipal billing, call tracking, recreation). I don't at this time manage the security of the Internet or Gateways.

After graduating from KU, I married Gary Garrett in 1969 and taught high school math and English for three years in a small town about the size of Wickenburg. That cured me from ever teaching again so I went to work in the accounting field.

We lived in Lawrence, then in Kansas City and in 1974 my husband, who was a mortgage banker, was transferred to Houston, TX. We had no children and I continued to work as a bookkeeper and controller of a private investment firm. I also went back to graduate school and took the CPA exam. After I was licensed, I worked as a tax accountant until 1986.

My father had moved the family business from Kansas City to Lawrence in 1975 and in the mid-80's his health started to fail. He needed someone in the family to run the business for him and offered it to me. I had just gotten a divorce and was tired of doing tax work so I jumped at the chance and moved back to Lawrence in 1986.

The company manufactures aluminum truck bodies (just like the cargo boxes you see on Ryder rental trucks) and custom trailers for hauling race cars, mobile labs, display trailers, etc. Our web site is bcvi.com if you want to check us out.

I am fairly busy in community and University activities and spend as much time as I can on the golf course. If any of you are golfers, I would love to get up a game at the reunion. I am really looking forward to seeing everyone next summer. Sidney

By then I thought I should expand my horizons so I quit, took my savings, and went to California in search of my life's work. The money went quickly and after a fun summer I came back to Wickenburg. I knew that I didn't want to stay so going to school seemed the only alternative. At this point I began my college experience. Who knew it would last for 32 years? Wonder if I'm LD?

I started at Glendale Community and went for 2 years, then transferred to Northern Arizona University. I lasted 3 weeks and nearly starved and froze to death. Apparently, I'm a warm weather kind of girl!

When I returned to the Valley I got a job working at the Telephone Company. I was an operator. I worked at this for almost a year and in January 1969 or 70 I started my illustrious career at Arizona State University. I soon discovered that I had to declare a major and hadn't a clue what I wanted to be when I grew up! I chose education because someone said it was easy. Luckily, I really enjoyed it but it surely was dumb luck! I finished my undergraduate degree in Spring of 1972 and began teaching in an inner city school that September. I was pretty sick of going to school (I worked full time while completing my degree and commuted from Wickenburg as well) so I swore I'd never return.

That lasted about a year and then I began working on my Master's degree. I went part-time and completed that degree in 1981. Again I vowed never to return, although I really enjoy my post grad work. I specialized in reading education so I'm a certified Reading Specialist and also qualified to be a librarian. I'll bet that wow's your socks off .

March of 1984 - June 1988 I left the confines of the classroom and went into a school supply business. It was a learning and losing experience. My partner and I lost lots of $ but I learned a great deal. (I'll share that at a later time if you're interested and we see one another. Frankly I can't imagine that you would give a hoot.) In the Fall of 1988, I went back to teaching. I was fortunate enough to get a job before we even closed the doors on our business.

In 1990 I was awarded a Fulbright-Hayes to Mexico and studied throughout Mexico for the summer compliments of the taxpayers. Thanks for my trip. It was really nice of you guys to send me! I was accepted into an Administration Cadre at A.S.U. and completed that coursework in 1994. My enthusiasm for pursuing an administrative career is sometimes lacking. I'm not much of a political animal. I'm not interested in being a principal unless I can do it well and I think the political aspect is important. As I near retirement I think about it more because of the wage and the effect that would have on my retirement income. So who knows!! I love the classroom and I think we need more people who like what they're doing in the trenches so to speak. I guess I'm torn at this point because I think I would make a good leader. I've been studying Spanish for a couple of years and can now make myself understood. I was pretty proud of that and then just the other day I got a student from Kosovo. Anyone fluent in Albanian? If so, I could use your help!

I have successfully written several grants and am currently working on one that involves student achievement and community involvement. SRP awards several each year with monies up to $5000. Our school could really use it! I also teach undergraduate methods courses for Ottawa University. I really enjoy that! The students are mostly postbacks...rarin' to save the world. It's really fun!

On the personal side...I've never married...don't know whether I'm a reject or just too particular! I, have, however, due to my great job had approximately 750 kids. My siblings are all over the United States. For those of you that knew them....Chic is still in Texas fixing peoples teeth...Po is retired and living in a small town in Oklahoma....Rick got a degree in Drug Counseling and lives in Northwestern N.Y. and counsels drug addicts .... George's home base is in the Houston, Texas and is currently working "out of the country". My Dad died in 1973....he had a stroke in a teacher's meeting...and Mother died in February of this year.

Took longer than 13 minutes....You should be sufficiently bored by now!

I married Bobby Rubash on February 26, 1965. We will be celebrating our 35th wedding anniversary soon! We have 3 wonderful children, Arthur, 33, Ed, 29, who both live in Wickenburg, and Alisa, 32, who lives in Gilbert. We have 7 grandchildren and 1 on the way, 5 girls and soon to be 3 boys. They are a true blessing to us. We love being parents and Pap Pap and Nana. Out of our grandchildren we have a grandson named after his grand-dad, Bobby, and a set of twin girls. They all really keep us on our toes!

I attended beauty school in 1971. Bobby's mom, Babe, helped with the kids while I went to school. It was a long hall but very rewarding. In the 28 years I have been doing hair I have owned and sold 2 beauty shops and I am on my 3rd and final shop. I have one gal, Linda, currently working with me. She was a true blessing to me. She is a great worker and a great friend to be with all day.

During my busy schedule with hubby, family, and job, I was told that I had a cancerous tumor in my stomach. Needless to say, I was scared half to death. Bobby and I decided I needed to go where the "BIG BOYS" are, the Mayo Clinic in Scottsdale. Well they saved my life! I had surgery and came out with no stomach, a shorter esophagus, and a shorter intestine. After a rough year of figuring out what I could and couldn't eat, and being very determined, I have fully recovered. I went back to work only 3 weeks after surgery! I look back at pictures of me and I wonder how I survived. I was so thin due to not being able to eat all that much. Now I can eat whatever and whenever I want and I am back to normal weight. My wonderful husband, children, friends, and lots of prayers, and of course God, and Him alone, our prayers were fulfilled. The doctors at the Mayo Clinic were so impressed with my attitude and recovery that one of them asked me if he could write about my story in the new book he was writing. Of course I said yes, but I have yet to see the book.

Bobby and I took a cruise in February of this year to Mexico. It was for 10 days and we went with some friends from Prescott. We had so much fun! I cried when we got off the ship. Bobby asked me why I was crying and I said, "4 years ago I thought I was going to die and never be able to go on a cruise, my life long dream, or do any of the other things I want to do that is why!" He just said, "You silly girl, we have lots of time to do everything we ever wanted to do." So guess what, we are going on another cruise on February 5, 2000, provided, that is, we all survive the dreaded Y2K!!!!! Ha Ha Ha.

In the 70s I wouldn't read a newspaper, watch the news, etc. Moved a lot and worked here and there, traveled about half the states. Didn't know how to grieve for Don. Just wanted to run and hide from the pain.

In 76 moved back to Wickenburg and felt ready to get started on living again. I called Al Baum and asked him to put me to work. He made me the bartender at Remuda Ranch. From there, I met the secretary that worked for Jim Corbet (one of two attorneys) in w-burg. She wanted to quit. A year and a half later I was in Phoenix working for a big firm. I was a work-a-holic and in demand for my 130 min typing skills and the hours I would put in for monthly wage.

Moved back to Wickenburg and worked another 4 years for Jim Corbet. I got restless again...moved to Jackson Hole, Wyo for a summer (secretary on a dude ranch), back to Wickenburg and went into real estate for a year. Moved to Calif. and worked as a secretary in Silicone Valley. That lasted for about a year and then moved with my son to Utah. Worked for a one man legal aid office (no brainer job).

Mother came down with cancer and died in 82. Went back to Utah in 83 and started college. One year later, married, he joined the army and I stayed in Wickenburg. Sam (daughter) born 1985. In 85-89, Fort. Bragg area, In 89-91 Germany, In 91 divorced.

In 91-94, SUU, college in Cedar City, Ut. Education, early childhood dev and psyc. I can teach in two states now and no desire to teach in a public or private school at all. In 94 moved to Alaska and now I am awaiting a business license. Then I will be getting my dream job off the ground of having my own preschool. In 94 remarried same guy and now we are separated. He flew up two weeks after we drove up. He is a major drinker.

I was at a party with Richard Chrzanowski in my late twenties and we started playing trivia and I had not a clue to any of the answers. I had missed out on a lot after 1970. I knew nothing about politics, government, movies, actors, etc., Anything! Except how to type, draft petitions (did most of the work in a couple of offices, personal injuries, probates and divorces) and drink or smoke a joint. Really dropped back in, when my daughter was born and moved to Ft. Bragg and Germany. I don't drink now, smoke or pick up joints. Don't have much desire to go back to Wickenburg anymore. Jim Corbet's mom died (my best friend). Not only what is or not in Wickenburg, but I have traveled so much that sitting in one spot for long periods of time or climbing over people to get out does not appeal to me anymore. Fairbanks is relatively small and I am comfortable here. There is a high demand for preschools and it is the age I am attracted to work with. So, looks like I have finally put down some roots. Feels like home here. So very nice as long as one remembers to plug in the car, warm it up and dress for it. Sam complains about the winters, but said the other day that she would like to at least do a year of college here. She is only 14 and so much can change by the time she graduates from high school. She would much rather socialize than do her homework.

It's been wonderful reading all the bio's. I am very anxious to see everyone again at our reunion in 2000.

Plans ($) for school did not materialize and I went to work for the telephone company on Central & McDowell in Phx. Working in the Coin Center was interesting for a time as there were only three in the western US. In 1968, I bought a car (1960 VW), took some night classes at Glendale Comm. College and got married. We stayed in Phoenix for a year while my husband finished at ASU. At that time (1969) there were not any secondary teaching positions available in biology so he applied and received a job teaching in Lyle, Washington.

We arrived in Lyle - never having seen it and being told very little about it! What a shock!! I had imagined tall pines etc. Lyle was in the middle of the state right on the Columbia River so it had scrub oak-type vegetation. The town reported a population of 327 people and was composed of three gas stations, a post office, a tavern and a mercantile! We stayed two years. I worked for the Diamond Fruit Co. and the community hospital during that time.

In 1971, we returned to AZ and Paul took a job at Amphitheater High School in Tucson. Our oldest son was born in 1972, and we decided I would stay home with him. In 1977, we adopted a darling little boy to go with the one we had. In 1979, our daughter was born. During the years I stayed at home I did child care and consignment sewing for a lady who sold to Nieman Marcus.

In 1981, we moved to Nogales when my husband became an assistant principal and athletic director. I loved it there. I enjoyed the mixed cultures and we lived in a beautiful, tranquil spot. In 1983, we moved to Prescott and I really enjoyed it. We both have family in the area and, since I do not tolerate the heat well, I loved the snow and winters there. I went to work for the school system. I spent 3-4 years as counselor's secretary at Granite Mtn. Jr. High and then moved to the district office to be secretary to the Director of Student Services. Our children were all active in sports and other activities so they were busy years. I am active in my church wherever we live and usually teach pre-schoolers or children groups.

In 1990 we moved to Goodyear when my husband became principal of a high school in the Tolleson District. I worked for the Agua Fria School District as assistant principal's secretary and then at the district office in personnel.

In 1992, we moved to Monte Vista, Colorado. The elevation was almost 8,000 ft. and it is in a valley in the middle of the Rockies. As you can imagine, I loved it - winters and all. We bought a house 100 years old and began restoring it. I scrapped 12 layers of paint off baseboards and crown molding to reveal gorgeous oak underneath. It took three years to complete and I loved it. I was secretary to the general manager of an electrical utility. The job was great. It paid well and I did some traveling on the job. My husband was principal of the high school. At the end of 4 years we returned to AZ to lock in my husband's retirement with the AZ system. I came back very reluctantly.

Paul has been superintendent at Santa Cruz Valley District in Eloy for 3 yrs. He is retiring at the end of the month to pursue other interests. We have purchased a number of lots in the AZ City area and he plans to develop them. There is a great need for housing here. We plan to give this project a few years and then decide where we would like to live. I am hoping for seasons, trees, and cold weather!! I have not particularly enjoyed this area. It is about halfway between Phx. and Tucson so all the larger cities have to offer is available to us. However, it is hotter than blazes here!

During our time in the area I have been secretary to the chief of police in Eloy, worked for a lead manufacturing company and am now at Central AZ College in the Continuing Ed Dept. We have no idea where we will finally decide to settle but I am counting on it not being in the desert!

We moved to Yuma, where Gary was working, and I became a stay-at-home Mom. Compared to what was coming, not at all a bad job.

Mid-’67 we moved from Yuma to Phoenix and after a couple of months I decided to go job hunting. We had a small apartment in central Phoenix and only one car......what can I say?......I wanted ‘a home’, and 2 cars, and to take exciting vacations every year, etc., etc., etc. We’ve been dubbed the ‘me generation’ and that was the beginning of it for me. I submitted applications all over town and the first one to call me in for an interview, became a 28 year career with US West (then, Mountain States Tel & Tel).

I started as a compilation clerk in the White Pages Unit of the Directory Dept. I remember sitting in the waiting room of the Company doctor’s office downtown, waiting to take my physical, listening to two women talking behind the desk...they were asking each other how much time they had in with the company and one replied that this was her 9th year and I thought ‘Wow, that’s a long time...I’d never stay in one job that long’. HA! How naive I was!!

In 1972 my second child, Alan, was born and in 1974 Gary and I divorced. Now I was a ‘single parent’ with two children. That was a little frightening at times, but frankly I was more comfortable relying on myself and being in control of my life than.....any of the alternatives!

From White Pages I moved to (naturally) the Yellow Pages, to management, to Denver, to Staff, to Training, to Systems, back to Phoenix, back to Denver, and around and around I went. I can honestly say that 20 or so of the 28 years I invested there were very good years. I loved my jobs; I enjoyed and learned much from my experiences; the people, for the most part, were very good people and very good friends. But somewhere in those last few years with ‘Ma Bell’ either my veil of naivety dissolved and I began to see the ugliness of Corporate America, or things began changing very quickly and got all ‘sideways’ practically overnight. We went from an environment of respect and caring to never-ending revenue increase demands, inflated budgets, flamboyant ‘conferences’, head-count reductions, endless ‘business trips’ taken primarily for the purpose of inflating one’s own personal frequent flyer miles, and politics, politics, politics. Very little business, just politics.

Then I hated going to work. I’d start getting depressed on Sunday mornings, contemplating Mondays. I completely understood the postal worker mentality. In 1990, the Company offered a 5 + 5 retirement incentive, a hell of a good deal for those who were eligible. I had the number of service years I needed, but I was 2 years too young. I was in the Phoenix office at the time and 9 (count them, 9!) of my good friends left........ and I had to stay. AHHHHHHHH!!! By then, I had too much time invested in my retirement to just quit, so I gutted it out until 1996 when they offered another early retirement package, which I WAS eligible for. On October 6, 1996 it was Emancipation Proclamation time....the freeing of the slaves......a rebirth.....life. Hooray!

In 1990 I married again. Wayne is my ‘soul-mate and my best friend’.....old cliches, but true. There will be no more divorces in my bio. However, I do wonder from time to time if it is natural and healthy for one man and one woman to live together.....forever...(?)

In 1991 I was diagnosed with breast cancer. And it scared the ‘pee-waddins’ out me. The word ‘cancer’ sucks.....and ‘malignancy’...that’s a real good one too! For the first couple of weeks, those two words just kept popping into my mind randomly and I’d think about dying and ‘the meaning of life’ and all that melodramatic stuff. Fortunately, I had good doctors and once all the medical events began happening, it got less melodramatic and more real....more a matter of science and technology....and beatable!! They tell you that once you’ve passed a 5-year milestone your chances of longevity are pretty good. I was a teeny bit ‘concerned’ during that 5-year period, but I’m still here and I don’t plan on going anywhere real soon.

My goal is for us to live to about 105 and spend every cent of our retirement and Social Security income on a small yacht anchored off the Cozumel shoreline. Sorry kids!

Well, in conclusion, my husband and I are now living in New Mexico, outside of Albuquerque. Like Dinel, I’d rather be in Colorado, being a ski-bum and drinking hot buttered rum, but my husband loves it here and we’ve put a lot of sweat-equity into our home and property, so I guess we’re staying. For now at least. Kim has given me two grand-daughters, Alan has one daughter, and I’m discovering that it’s MUCH more fun being a grandmother than a mother. I think I’ve pretty much recovered from my abuse by USW and I’m not adverse to returning to the work force for a few years, but it’s going to have to be ‘the perfect job’.....I’m not wasting one more minute of very precious time doing anything that I don’t absolutely love. I’ve been thinking maybe Continental Airlines, so we can fly free anytime we want to!!