What have you been doing in the 50 years since you left Sherwood?
Education, employment, family, travel, interests? Give us a brief update of your life since 1972.
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Sherwood High School Class of 1972 
Well, since you asked…
After Sherwood, I entered the design program at Syracuse University and earned a Bachelor of Industrial Design degree. While I was in design school I learned photography and took a computer graphics class in the Experimental Studios department. This involved writing programs on decks of punched cards and submitting them to an IBM mainframe.
You can see some of the things I designed here: https://goo.gl/photos/qN7e34Xyj1qA86uc9
I taught photography and mechanical drawing at Sandy Spring Friends School for several years.
Got my first computer in 1978 and started writing computer art software. Did a bunch computer consulting and programming. My clients included Friends School (attendance and accounting systems) and Leisure World (an event scheduling system).
Joined a computer graphics and imaging software company in 1985 as a technical support programmer. Stayed there 9 years having risen to the position of Director of Engineering Services.
Married a beautiful actress.
Worked on a large forensic imaging project for the FBI. As National Operations Manager, I helped design and deploy a national network connecting firearms labs across the country.
Got recruited back to the graphics and imaging company and became the Vice President of Technical Services where I managed the technical support, quality assurance, documentation, and production teams.
Retired in 2005.
After retiring, I wrote a best-selling computer textbook (now available in 7 languages) which I continue to maintain. In addition to my writing, I continue to do photography and computer art: https://www.williamshottsphotography.com/
You can learn more about my exploits by googling “William Shotts” and can follow me on Twitter @William_Shotts.
Interesting and eventful life. Enjoyed seeing your photos. My son is an industrial designer and designing things…everything has a design element. All the best.
Education recap: Michigan State University (actually had Miss Marks, my 6th grade teacher at sherwood) for one of my professors. Graduated from Clemson with a BS in parks and recreation. Obtained a MaED from Western Carolina University in 2000, Exercise Physiology. I have lived in Western North Carolina for 27 years, after my husband was appointed to Cullowhee Methodist Church (Minister). I have a son who lives in Nashville with his perfect partner and two wonderful young kids (6 and 4). Steven obtained his Doctorate in High Education and Public Policy from Vanderbilt, (undergrad from Davidson College) and is Chief Policy Officer with The Tennessee Higher Education Commission. He also has always sung, been in plays, and musical groups. Yes, I still sing.
Since my 40th reunion update, life has really changed for me. In 2013, my mom passed, Steven’s biological dad passed, I had to put down two of my favorite horses, 2 dogs, and 2 cats. Lost my mojo so decided to throw myself in to Animal Rescue. I have been volunteering at our municipal animal Shelter, and admin a page “Friends of Animal Rescue Center-Jackson County NC” which I started 8 years ago. Check it out. The page has saved thousands of dogs and cats and we have not had to euthanize but a handful of adoptable dogs and cats in the last 5 years. (ALL shelters across the country are maxed out). I also foster dogs, and have adopted many, which of course, causes heartbreak when you lose them. ANYWAY,
I was caregiver for my husband for 5 years which was a learning and difficult time. I lost that job when he passed from cancer, the last straw for his health, in 2018.
I have two new knees and a new hip and if this keeps up I think I’ll get that pesky shoulder taken care of next year. I have had Meniere’s for 2o some years and have lost total hearing in one ear, with the other begging for attention. My vertigo makes it difficult for me to engage in many activities (including driving and riding my remaining 2 horses), which is the main reason why I am not attending the reunion.
* We are all in the age group where we are offered the opportunity for what is called “Conscious Aging” (a real thing). I’m taking a look at what I’ve gained, learned, and can let go of. I have believed for years that We are given opportunities, many painful, to help us grow. If we do not take that experience to help others through the same, it can be a wasted experience.
All in all, it’s a wonderful ride~
“life is a banquet…” Enjoy all of it!
Namaste
Music is in your genes and they have been passed on to the next generation…really great.
Happy 50th to the Sherwood HS Class of ’72!
“Don’t blink “Kenny Chesney reminds us, “Fifty years goes by faster than you think.” This has surely come true as I pause to reflect. Overall, I’ve been blessed with good health, strong ties with family and friends, and retired in 2016 from a rewarding career in health care. Not to say that it has come easy or without trials and tribulations, but such is the journey of life.
Brief Summary, hmmmm….. The down and dirty is that I have been married and divorced, married and divorced, and currently married to Don Eury, a fellow Warrior Class of “75. We’ve been together for almost 20 years now, and it seems like a blink of an eye. Looking forward to the next 20….well, we’ll take 5,10, or as long as the Good Lord gives us!
Some of my greatest joys have been my 2 wonderful boys, Chad and Brett Hines. They grew up in Burtonsville and graduated from Paint Branch. Gosh, I still remember when Paint Branch was built. My first date with Dean was to the Sherwood-Springbrook-Paint Branch dance in February 1970! Chad is a Lieutenant with the Baltimore City Fire Department and lives in Severna Park, MD. Brett and his family live in Berlin, MD where he and his wife have been high school teachers but are actually local entrepreneurs. Make sure to add a stop to Berlin on one of your trips to the Eastern Shore to check out their businesses: “The Buzz Meadery” and “Jun and Juice.”
My boys are happily married and each have a 4-year old girl, and 2-year old-ish boys. Fortunately, they live close enough to be a big part of their lives. I am equally blessed to have 3 “step-children, adding 6 more little ones. If you know anything about me at all, you know I LOVE being their “GiGi.”
I’ve managed to stay close to our Ashton/Sandy Spring/Argyle Road ground, living primarily in Montgomery County, except for a short stay in Virginia following college. My mom, sister, Sheree, and brothers, Chip, Dale, and Pat have been local as well, with Sheree and Dale in Anne Arundel County and now Pat’s recent move to Palm Coast, Florida in December 2021. We have enjoyed growing together as a family, which has been wonderful for our many gatherings and the like. Many of you may know that this has been a tough Spring for the Ewing family, with Chip’s unexpected passing in April and now my mom, Fern, passing just a few weeks ago. We are grateful that both passed quietly and peacefully with us by their sides. Still hasn’t sunk in yet.
Career-wise, I knew I wanted to be a nurse and work with children from an early age. This probably stems from being the oldest of five, including caring and advocating for my brother, Chip, who was born with Prader-Willi Disease. After Sherwood, I spent 2 years at Frostburg before graduating in 1976 from the University of Virginia with my Bachelor of Science in Nursing. Pursuing my passion, I received my Master of Science degree from the University of Maryland School of Nursing in Pediatric Primary Care with a Minor in Baccalaureate Education.
My nursing foundation led me along a rewarding and successful career beginning with my first job as a Public Health Nurse in rural Virginia, back to Maryland, and then around the world. The work for which I am the proudest, is as a Pediatric Nurse Practitioner caring for children and mothers with AIDS/HIV infection. I started in the very early days of the epidemic providing direct patient care, conducting clinical trials, delivering education and advocacy—locally, nationally, and internationally. I have deep satisfaction knowing that know our efforts made a difference in the lives of so many and contributed to the advances which continue in the present time, not just for AIDS/HIV infection, but other illnesses including COVID-19.
And, in the “blink of an eye” so to speak, my career trajectory was launched at the University of Maryland, Baltimore where I served in senior leadership positions to provide strategic direction and operational oversight for human research protections, accountability and compliance programs. I was privileged to work directly with many of our global health care partners to facilitate the development, implementation and evaluation of clinical research and health care programs in-country where I had the opportunity to travel to Brazil, Nigeria, Mali, Japan, India, Bangladesh, and throughout the Caribbean nations.
I still have a hand-written assignment from 3rd grade that my mom framed and saved for me describing “What Will I Be When I Grow Up?” Those few sentences I wrote 60 years ago seems to have served as a Cornerstone for my Life: “When I grow up, I will be a nurse. I will wear white and will work in a hospital. I will work with children. I will work 14 hours a day and be very, very clean.”
Now to the present. I sold my Burtonsville home in August 2021 and bought a house in Berlin, MD this May where I am sitting as I write this, watching the tide ebb and flow, listening to the seagulls chatter, and the small planes still flying their summer banners over the Ocean City beaches. We never know what comes our way next.
They say “the Best is Yet to Come.” So far, so good.😊😊
P.S. Oh, did I mention that I came down with COVID and had to miss the Reunion at the very last minute?!?! Ugh!!
What an amazing career you had Sue. Congratulations on your retirement and move to the Eastern shore. I believe I have met your son Brett and his wife as they are friends of my niece Caileen and her husband Sam Goodman who happens to work at the Buzz Meadery. Hope to see you around OC/Berlin sometime as I spend a lot of time at our home in the area.
I’m a little late to the game . . . Happy Day of the SHS 50th Class Reunion!
I graduated from James Madison University in 1976 with a degree in Art and Art Education and FUN. My dream was to become an elementary art teacher but I became a graphic artist instead, which may have been the better career choice. My first job was in Harrisonburg, where I attended Madison and my second job was on K Street in DC at Omnigraphics. I went from there to Bethesda and worked at Computer Data Systems and then onto Georgetown for seven years for American Institutes for Research. Then, I got lucky in 1989 and got hired to start the graphics department at the Federal Retirement Thrift Investment Board (Thrift Savings Plan). I stayed at the TSP until my retirement in 2016.
I met my wonderful husband, Brian at a bus stop back in 1978. I asked him for change for a $5 and he sat with me! He was also a graphic artist so it was meant to be. We’ve been married for 41 years and have two wonderful grown Sons, Robert (now 33) and Erik (30). Robert is married to Kathryn. Instead of marrying in Maui, we had a Covid wedding in our back yard. All my grown men and Kathryn are fabulous cooks!
Starting out in Brookeville in the 4th grade, I never thought we’d settle here in Olney, where we have now lived for 35 years. We’ve made some wonderful friends here. Am I the only one in our class who still lives in Olney? We built a beach house in Corolla, NC twenty five years ago and, now that we’re retired, we spend many glorious weeks down there in the Fall and in the Spring.
Besides enjoying painting pictures (I’m no Patrick Sieg), reading good books, and walking Emma, our Aussie, I’ve been a team captain for 17 years of Relay for Life and my team, Diane’s Divas, has managed to raise $370,000 for the American Cancer Society. I’m pretty darn proud of that!
I’m totally looking forward to seeing you all tonight!
Thank you for the shoutout, for supporting the American Cancer Society and for being an amazing person.
Greetings fellow Warriors, Early on, after working as a nurse’s aide at Montgomery General, I went off to Milwaukee Wisconsin to a religious order and nursing school. After a short stint in religious life I returned to Montgomery General Hospital as a nurse. In ‘81 my husband Pierre and I were married. We have six amazing children and nine even more beautiful and amazing grandchildren! In my spare time as a full-time wife and mother I did a lot of Spiritual Mentoring, Group Spiritual Direction and retreat work. My husband and I have belonged to the same prayer community for 45 years. During that time our community founded Christian Family Montessori school in NE Washington that some of our grandchildren now attend. Just before Covid lockdown in 2020, my amazing husband agreed to move to the “Farm “. We now live on 20 Beautiful acres at the foot of South Mountain in Washington County,MD with our daughter and two grandsons, our two 24 year olds and two other young people, our two Jersey milkers and their new calves, and the vast assortment of winged creatures that keeps life a Continuous Beautiful Wonder. We also offer contemplative retreats in the off grid cabins on the land. I have thoroughly enjoyed reading about everyone’s adventures in life. I send heartfelt wishes to all of my friends and classmates for many more years of life and love! Enjoy the gathering and please pass my greetings to everyone! Very sincerely, Kristy Kilpatrick Malochee
Good morning Warrior family!
Excited to see several of you tonight.
Quickly,. I graduated from Salisbury State University, taught one year at St John Parrish in Olney..I yearned to get back to a beach area. Stident teaching at Ocean City Elem spoiled me. Having met new friends in the south I packed up . Off to SC I went. The next 35 years led to teaching, developing a program for Pre k to enhance reading through motor development. I continued teaching for 14 years . Traveling to National Conferences to present my research program. Was fortunate to have a district that loved to provide excellent professional development opportunities.
Was married in 81 and he died of cancer within 2 years. Life went on in education which ked me to administration. I have served as a coordinator of Effective Schools, Vice Principal and Principal. My final two years was at district level administrator implementing a discipline model. I retired in 2011 . Continued 2 years as a consultant.
During this time I met Mary through education. We had experienced similar levels of challenges. We have been together 38 years , two beautiful grandchildren. We enjoy lots of time on soccer, softball, and flag football fields. We also have had beautiful yellow labs from Mt Airy MD.
Hoping to expand our family of dogs in January.
Life is what we make it. I’m a fortunate person to love life and the journey it takes us.
See you tonight!
Debbie Unglesbee McElveen
Savannah Georgia
Graduated from William & Mary in 1976, degree in Theatre
Headed to grad school, finished at UFlorida (Go gators) in Costume design
Some professional work in MD, Nebraska, Michigan, Florida, Vermont, NC, VA, etc
landed a job in the Drama Program at Duke University (great health benefits.)
Took a job at William & Mary as costume designer in the Theatre dept,
expected to be there for perhaps(?) a couple of years.
I think this is where we last connected at the 25th reunion catch-up.
Retired from W&M as a full Professor in late May, after 40-plus years in academic theatre.
Still unpacking boxes, that will go on for a while.
Costumers sculpt in fabric, and sculptors are hard-wired to fill the world with stuff.
Fabric, clothing, books, movies, musical instruments, craft supplies. It’s endless.
David Morrill and I have been together for over 30 years, and he still makes me laugh.
We met during the Virginia Shakespeare Festival.
It’s great when you can share your life with your best friend.
Eleven cats (not all at once, Marty) and no kids, unless you count my former students
who are all over the country, teaching your kids and costuming or producing your favorite
movies and tv shows and theatrical productions. Seriously.
I have crossed paths with several of you over the years, at weddings and funerals.
Mary Jordan Lodge, Mike Earp, Marion Jenkins Perrier, Linda Boyer Whitehead,
Elspeth Inglis. I haven’t seen Susan diRende since we graduated from William & Mary
and she headed to LA. Pat Ryan Garcia’s mom and my mom were (briefly)
roommates in the nursing home at Friends’ House. Roger Marks stopped by W&M
when his son was visiting colleges – W&M only now has a film degree, and not in film
production, but it was a great excuse to reconnect. Caught up with Dave Taylor
in southern Maine many years ago, he’d started teaching music in the public schools again.
Sorry to have missed Sam Andelman, would have liked to thank him for all he tried to teach me.
Jason was a student in Intro to Theatre at W&M, many long years past.
Saw Mr Grz…(sp?) at the Montgomery General Hospital Picnic one year, told him
I was teaching plane and solid geometry (costume construction and flat patterning).
He said, “It serves you right.” Would love to know if Joyce Goad or Ted Richards are still with us,
and send thanks and best regards. For more than 20 years, I have patterned my final exam
in the Millinery course (a costume crafts class and gen ed requirement in the creative
and performing arts) on our French 5 finals during our senior year – after presentations,
we would go out for tea, and the students would have to wear one of their hats in public.
(And no, they did not have to speak French the whole time.)
The course was frequently overenrolled.
Best wishes to my classmates from Olney Elementary. Now, that was a long time ago.
I am not a reliable correspondent, despite good intentions, and have not kept track
of mailing addresses as I should – I do a little better with email. Check with Debby V for that address.
I do not use social media, as I have no filtering devices and that would just be incredibly foolish.
Have a lovely party and enjoy your retirement — I can recommend it.
Tric
Ted Richards is still in DC area and is on Facebook.
I’ve offered to pick him up and bring to Saturday’s luncheon but haven’t heard back yet.
Tod
Hi, Tod, thanks for letting me know! Best, Bob
Hey everybody,
Unfortunately am dealing with a family issue, so may not make it tonite.
If not, hope to see you tomorrow.
Tom Harding
PS- Salb can have my food 😁
Sent from my iPhone
You were missed at the reunion and I look forward to catching up sometime soon.
I included my website in my note and there is contact information in the site. Please take a look.
It’s been so long I forgot that our teams were called the Warriors. I have thoroughly enjoyed reading these comments and hearing of life after Sherwood. I would say that we, as individuals, could be aptly named Warriors after going through all that life has thrown our way since graduation. I am in awe of an amazing group of people that were randomly thrown together in a relatively small, rural high school class! My hat is off to all of you and I look forward to catching up in person tomorrow evening.
My life after Sherwood started with a trip to Baltimore to attend Hopkins where I worked a number of jobs to defray the expense, loved living the college experience as it opened my mind to so many possibilities, and also learned that there were a lot more smart people in the world than I. I chose Hopkins sight unseen after having declined a Presidential appointment to the US Military Academy at West Point, NY. I was dead set on attending West Point but then found out how difficult it might be to go to medical school directly upon graduation.
After graduating from Hopkins as the Centennial Class in 1976, my lifepath took me to the Catholic University of Lille, France for the first two years of medical training (all in French) thanks to those jobs and my study habits. I still thank Ted Richards in my sleep for all that he taught me in preparation for this journey. I transferred back to Emory University in 1978, met my wife Jeanne at Grady Memorial Hospital during my Junior year surgical rotation and we married after finishing my internship in Pediatrics, also at Emory (1981). Our oldest daughter, Danielle, was born in Atlanta shortly before finishing my residency. She lived the life of an Army brat, went through a number of schools, earned a sport’s scholarship to Stanford University and ended up with a Master’s in Occupational Therapy. She was recently wed on the family farm over Labor Day weekend, but is relocating to Louisiana, where her husband’s family lives.
After completing my residency in 1983, I volunteered for the Army and was assigned as a General Pediatrician to the 97th General Hospital in Frankfurt, Germany, the same hospital where my father had been assigned and where I had lived as a kid. Our son was born in that very hospital and we were fortunate to get in lots of family travel over our 4-year stay. Justin went on to USC with a Naval ROTC scholarship and has made a career as a Surface Warfare Officer. He was recently promoted to Commander, and is serving as the Executive Officer of the USS Cincinnati, a Littoral Combat Ship. He has been selected for command and will be assigned Captain of a ship next year. He is married and living in San Diego so we are way too far away from our two grand-daughters.
After our tour in Europe, I was accepted for military-sponsored fellowship training in Pediatric Pulmonary Medicine. We returned to Philadelphia, to be close to family, as I was accepted to UPenn for a program at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. After three years of fellowship training, I was sent to Honolulu, HI where I practiced as a pediatric intensivist/pulmonologist for three more years. Killer duty in a wonderful location, but a bit isolated. After my payback tour I had the chance to stay in Hawaii working for Kaiser Permanente but elected to return to Philly to again be close to our families.
I was employed by Thomas Jefferson University College of Medicine doing intensivist and pulmonary work, but later transitioned to the Nemours Foundation as a staff pediatric pulmonologist in 1997. I spent most of my time at the AI DuPont Hospital for Children in Wilmington, DE, with lots of travel to off-site clinics in three states. After making it through COVID, I retired from there in 2021. I still work part-time as the Medical Director for a pediatric skilled nursing facility for trached and ventilator-dependent patients and other children with a host of medical disabilities. My travel requirements are greatly diminished and my quality of life vastly improved since my second retirement.
My first retirement was from the Army in 2014, after a 30-year career. After leaving Active Duty, I switched to the Delaware Army National Guard, was promoted to Colonel and became the State Surgeon. I deployed to Iraq in 2003 and was slated to go to A’gan before I was pulled from that assignment. I was selected for a National-level job as the Assistant Surgeon General for Mobilization, Readiness and NG Affairs with duty in DC. I eventually retired as the senior medical officer in the Army National Guard, at the rank of Major General. My last duty assignment was as the Deputy Surgeon General for NG Affairs. I was able to advocate for process improvements for all Soldiers, but especially for the Reserve soldiers called to active duty. It was very meaningful but associated with an insight into DC ways that has me glad to be home in PA.
Life has indeed been good to our family but the best surprise came as an unexpected third child, Cara, 16 years after the second. It re-oriented our lives and has brought tremendous joy watching her forge her path in life. I can’t tell you how many times we were called her grandparents, rather than her parents. Very humbling indeed. She is finishing her fifth and last year of study in Bio-Medical Engineering at RIT and is in a combined Master’s program in Public Policy. She is leaning towards enrolling in a PhD program after graduation, but is not yet fully decided. She represents our last tuition bill and maybe our last wedding, but has been more than worth it!
Jeanne and I will be celebrating our 42nd anniversary next year. She is still working but thinks she’ll retire at the end of next year. After graduating from Emory she thought she was going to Ecuador through the Peace Corps. Happy for me, that had fallen through, hence our chance to meet and marry. She flew for Delta during my residency, went back to school for a BSN but gave that up to follow me to Europe after I joined the Army. While in Hawaii, she got her Master’s in Teaching English as a Second Language but morphed that into a job at the National Board of Medical Examiners on our return to Philly. She is now their Director of Client Programs and has enjoyed her career there immensely. I look forward to our full retirements in the near future. God-willing, and with good health, we’ll see more of the grand children, more of our astounding World, and have more time to serve others by giving of our time and talent as volunteers.
As someone who has already lost two of his closest high school buddies, Marty Hurley and Dale Lamendola, I would ask each of you to remember those who have died since graduation, as well as those who can’t join us tomorrow, and those who might be suffering in any of a multitude of ways. As I’ve grown older, the more I realize how important family and friends have become, and how we can help each other. I look forward to seeing many of you tomorrow.
Louis Guernsey, aka Tod, aka Marcus Welby
It was nice seeing you and Jeanne last night.
Since 1972 my life took me to Salisbury University’s PE Education program. A great life student teaching at Ocean City Elementary. Having a Phillips kid as a roommate was pretty cool. Crab cakes anytime . Parents of Fager Island kids was an added bonus for us teachers . Very fortunate to get a great school. After college I deeply was sold on the Eastern Shore. It’s a life style thing. Well, no jobs so I taught at St John’s Parrish School in Olney Md. Best PTA I have ever been affiliated with. Skiing on the weekends, and Md games at half court behind Lefty. Life was good.
After a few life challenges I decided through friends that SC was calling my name. Off I went in 77-78 . Little did I know that was only the beginning. The next 35 years gave me opportunities I only dreamed of. Presenting at National Conferences, representing our district in Title IX in Columbia SC, and beginning a grassroots program for Special Olympics in my district. I had a boy off of Defuski Island that became a champion Regional snow skier. My star Olympian went with me to International Games . She was a true athlete. 40 years later she still competes in fall sports bowing
I was married to my husband in Savannah Georgia. Unfortunately, he became ill and is deceased.
I dedicated my life to Special Olympics for 17 years, One of the greatest experiences. In 1984 I met my current partner in education and in our lives. She is an extraordinary individual that to observe Mary teaching her special needs kids is like a work of art.
Eventually we became a couple because our interest, love for kids, passion of education, and life was the fundamental reasons that brought us together.
We both went towards education, academia and degrees. I went the administration route. First middle school, elementary and back to middle. In the meantime we have had 4 labs that give us peace and joy. With any luck we will have one more in February. All from Mt Airy. You can take the girl out of Md but her dogs come from the best in Md.
In all honesty our life is blessed, we have 2 grandchildren 11, and 15. My girl is an awesome pitcher in Boca Fl. My grandson is totally basketball, and flag football, He is our constant . Always , letting us know he needs us.
Thank you for allowing my rambles. Mary and I travel when possible . Planning a trip next fall with our two labs to Maine.
See you in a couple days.
Deb Unglesbee McElveen
Hard to believe it’s been 50 years!! We aren’t that old, are we? Well, I moved out west after graduation and it’s been a great adventure. I attended college in Jamestown, North Dakota where I received my nursing degree. I worked in North Dakota, Minnesota, Wyoming and Colorado prior to settling in Montana in 1981 with my husband of 41 years. We have 4 exceptional children. Our oldest lives the farthest from us in Las Vegas where he is stationed in the Air Force with his lovely wife and 3 of our grandchildren. Our daughter lives a short drive away in Spokane, Washington, and our other 2 sons live in our little town of Stevensville, Montana. One of them is married to our other beautiful daughter-in-law and they have our newest grandson who just turned 1. I retired from 46 years of nursing (mostly in the Obstetrical arena) almost 2 years ago. Covid finally pushed me over the edge. Sorry we will be missing the big party this weekend, but we will be headed to Utah to celebrate the birthdays of 2 of the grandkids.
Hi Ruth, Sorry we missed you, but totally understand how important those grandkids are! It was a lot of fun (both days). Sounds like life has been as wonderful for you as it has been for us!.
Thanks for the note, Barb. And Harry! As Harry said there have been bumps, bruises, loss and chaos but the blessings of family make it all worthwhile. We always weather the storm, as you have. Enjoy your new ranch life!
Hi Ruth, when they call a number for a door prize (at the Reunion dinner) and the winner is in your pocket and you don’t hear it until the third call out and then you pull it out and can’t read it and finally get your glasses so you can see it and make it just before they announce too late…. yes we are that old. Harry
I was only at Sherwood for my senior year, having moved to Montgomery County from Baltimore County. I continue to value the education that I received from John Hubschman (in logic as well as English). I also benefitted from the support I received in anarchy (I published the Sherwood Pulp and, to the chagrin of many faculty members, covered faculty meetings), from my French teacher, Mr. Richards.
After graduating from Sherwood, I went to Georgetown (School of Foreign Service) and Harvard Law School. I’ve been with the same law firm, Fried Frank Harris Shriver & Jacobson LLP, my entire legal career (from 1979 to 1981 and 1984 to 1991 in the Washington, DC office, and otherwise [1981 – 1984, 1991 to date] in the London office).
Anne, who is British, and I married in 1996, and we live in Hampstead, London. I’m very proud that she has just completed a PhD in marketing from one of the leading business schools here!
I retired as a Fried Frank partner in 2016. I spend most of my time mentoring startups (mainly in Europe and Israel), who teach me more than the reverse. I continue to do some client work (pro bono and otherwise) as of counsel to Fried Frank.
Gosh, hard to believe we are celebrating our 50th reunion – seems like I’m talking about someone much older….I wish! Joey and I will be celebrating our 49th anniversary in Nov. and I can’t imagine doing life with anyone else. During the 90’s I started ballroom and country dancing and became a competition dancer as well as an aerobics instructor. Nine years ago we moved from Damascus to New Market, MD to an over 55 active community and we love it. My sister lives right next door which is great. Joey and I took a month and drove across country this year, saw many amazing sites along the way and went through 19 states in all. Our two kids, Jody and Joey have always lived within minutes of us until our son decided to move to Wyoming this past July. We have six beautiful grandkids, one 2 month old great-granddaughter and another one on the way. I am very blessed to have a wonderful family, good health and also retired. I’m an avid card player and love to travel. Looking forward to seeing everyone on the 16th!
Reunion week has not started out well for yours truly: Covid. Discovered Sunday, 9/11. Fortunately I am fully vaxxed. And I suppose I’ve had about as fortunate a 50-years as many of you. Married 1986, two kids, a granddaughter, 4 dogs, 2 cats, and happy events too numerous to account for here.
After college, worked for WDCA-TV, and later WTTG/WDCA when the duopoly was formed. Left TV in 2007 and went to REI, College Park – BEST job ever. When it became clear the store would close, worked for Takoma Bicycle beginning 2013. Retired 2017 and have involved myself in many volunteer activities in Greenbelt, including the New Deal Cafe, Access Television, Zero Waste and a couple others.
Hoping to see everyone this weekend – the Covid will have a say in that.
I am looking forward to catching up with friends and acquaintances from Sherwood’s class of 1972. We would never have admitted that we were so immature back then (we were seniors after all) and that our 50-year anniversary would arrive so soon. We have grown wiser, embraced life, and are looking forward to what is yet to come.
Below are some things that I am proud of and grateful for…
My 41 year long (and counting) relationship with my lovely wife Lisa. Deciding on who to share your life is the most important decision one will make and I’m proud that it worked out so well for us. My choice was quite easy because Lisa is smart, talented, beautiful, and fun. Her choice was a bit harder (and I mentioned that immaturity thing above).
We have three wonderful children. They have been fun at all ages, and I love/enjoy them as adults the most…seeing who they have become (and they are still changing), what is important to them and with whom they associate. Sharing an occasional “adult” beverage with them is nice as well. At this writing:
My oldest Robert is designing products and processes for a European based, international corporation and lives with his wife Katy (who is wonderful and accomplished as well) in Portland, Maine.
Daughter Erica is an attorney focused on mergers and acquisitions in a Richmond, Virginia, firm. She owns a new home that she shares with her two pet hounds.
Youngest son Stephan is attending grad school in New York and will finish in 2023 with a MFA in sculpture and a Masters in Art History…teaching may be in his future…and so is creativity.
I am a proud supporter of Washington and Lee University where I earned a degree in Finance with a minor in Art. Lisa’s parents lived in Lexington, VA, and her dad worked at the university after a long career in the Navy. Erica attended W&L’s law school and we have been visiting that town for our entire lives.
I had a successful and varied career with Marriott International that continued for 36 years. That job allowed me to travel and reside in different parts of the world including many cities in the USA, Europe, and the Middle East. My time with MI provided the wherewithal to put our children through college (the litmus test of a successful career) and the flexibility to become an oil painter…my current occupation.
It sounds almost cliche “guy retires early and picks up painting” but I am so grateful that it has worked out that way. Every painting I complete has a longer “shelf-life” than all those forecasts, financial analyses, and budgets I prepared for MI added together (those things were always obsolete in a year or less).
I am honored that several SHS students from our class are now owners of original Patrick Sieg paintings. Please visit my website: http://www.patricksieg.com.
Do you remember that uninspiring phrase “at least you have your health”? Well, I now know the value of that statement and happy that I can say it is true for both Lisa and me. I still play tennis several times a week (and sometimes win) and enjoy an active, healthy lifestyle (with many thanks owed to Lisa’s for her encouragement and example).
Finally, in my opinion what really matters is who you are now, today, and that your journey through life has made the world better and more beautiful.
Congratulations to all for living life fully and for making a difference.
That’s truly amazing- 50 years. I’m thankful to say I’m still here, and that I’ve truly enjoyed my time.
I went to college at Mary Washington College and graduated with a B.A. in History. While I was in school, I worked rather unusual jobs to make ends meet, like giving tours through the Kenmore mansion, working on a hospital switchboard 11pm-7am, and waiting tables all over town. I roomed with Melissa Mason off campus through much of college, and was very saddened to here of her passing. I think of her often.
I met my husband, Jim, when I was about to graduate college. After we married, I worked for the Patent Office in DC, and then, Ryland Homes as a production administrator. We got to travel to Paris, Rome, London, Bermuda and the Bahamas and other places before we settled down.
Jim and I have been married for 44 years, have three wonderful sons and two lovely granddaughters, who call me Mimi. We live in Mooresville, NC, and built a home on Lake Norman. I count myself fortunate that all my sons live near us. After moving 17 times due to my husband’s work, it’s nice to have a place to put down roots.
When we resided in Severna Park, Md., I had a career in medical sales with Novartis. We were there for 9 years before moving to Charlotte, then to the Lake Norman area 30 miles north. We ultimately started a custom homebuilding company at the lake during the downturn due to owning a community of lots. I established a real estate firm, and also did some interior design work for our homeowners.
My husband and I are mostly retired now, and have turned over the building company and realty to one of our sons. Now that we’ve retired, we can spend more time enjoying our home, traveling in the RV, and spending time with family and friends.
I will miss seeing everyone at the reunion. Have a wonderful evening.
Al Goldey’s most recent 50 years:
Now that I am fully retired, it’s a bit easier to look back at my experiences since graduating from Sherwood High School. I graduated from Frostburg State University in 1976 with a bachelor of science degree. I later earned a master’s degree in General Administration from the University of Maryland in 1989 while working as a medical physicist.
I have four wonderful grown children, all married, and seven grandchildren. My youngest daughter moved back to Maryland and graduated from SHS in 2006.
Following graduating from Frostburg, I moved to Florida to train as an Aviation Reserve Officer Candidate to fly for the Navy. That did not work out so I returned to Maryland. I worked for 6 years in Bethesda, MD producing flood-prone area maps for the Federal Insurance Agency, Federal Emergency Management Agency as a Senior Water Resource Analyst. I then accepted a position with a medical physics consulting firm in Adelphi, MD. I worked for 23 years for that group attaining the position of Lead Senior Physicist, Director of Business Operations, and Radiation Safety Officer.
I semi-retired in 2006 and moved to Maine for 3 years. I returned to Maryland due to my parents’ health issues. From 2009 to 2019, I worked for the Maryland Department of the Environment, Radiological Health Program. I assumed the duties as Section Head and supervised the inspection, Compliance, and Enforcement Division for all Maryland licensees holding a radioactive materials license in the State as well as out of state licensees performing temporary work in Maryland. I also assumed the duties as the Radiological Assessment Director for the emergency response to potential releases for the nuclear power plants (Calvert Cliffs and Peach Bottom). This included plume scenarios and ingestion pathway restrictions. Additionally, I was the Maryland group administrator for the US Department of Energy’s TRANSCOM program which is an unclassified web application used to monitor and track the progress of special nuclear material, foreign nuclear material, off-site source recovery projects, transuranic waste, and any other nuclear shipments as authorized. I was the governor’s liaison for radioactive shipments within the state of Maryland.
It’s nice to be retired and still have a house in Maine.
Nice seeing you. Maine is a favorite of ours (summer anyway) and our son now lives in Portland. We hope to visit often.
Mike Jacobson’s most recent 50 years
After attending the U of MD (College Park), BS in Secondary Science Education, I taught Chemistry and Biology for three years in Charles County. During that first year of teaching, Jami Lynn Curry (Class of 73) and I married. Together we had two children, Leanne and David, both of whom are now married and have each have two children (male and female). So, four grandchildren ages 12, 10, 9, and 5. We have lived in Howard County, MD since 1983.
I left teaching to work for the National Automatic Sprinkler Industry (NASI), an employee benefits organization (pension and health benefits) in the construction industry. In 1984, I became the administrator of NASI, a position I held until my retirement in 2020. Since my retirement, I have been very lazy; mostly trying to avoid COVID (successfully, so far).
Work travel was fairly regular; a few days every other month or so. This allowed us to see much of the US over the years, but nothing outside the US. Since around 2010, and until COVID, we travelled to Europe (highlights included England, Scotland, Ireland, France, Baltic Sea Cruise, Rhine River Cruise) South America, and Israel. Down under may happen in 2023!
Sounds like a great retirement!
Im sorry that I didn’t have a chance to say hello during the reunion. Enjoy your travels.
Fifty years is a long time. Working with lots of millennials has driven this point across lately. I believe that we may be older, but we are always young at heart! And, we listen to great music.
After graduation, I attended the University of Maryland for a couple of years and worked in restaurants to pay for school. Working at GD Graffiti in Rockville was where I was bitten by the hospitality bug, and I have made it my career. I have held many management positions in the hotel and restaurant industry, and lived and worked in Virginia, Florida, New York, Oregon, Pennsylvania, California, and of course, Maryland. I ‘ve overseen the renovation of, and operated two inns, the Pasadena Inn, which turned into The Oaks, and The Old Brick Inn, (which I co-owned) also in St. Michaels, MD. All my hospitality jobs were challenging and rewarding, but I am glad to have some sanity back in my life after working in Ocean City for eight years. Still looking for that perfect part-time retirement job.
I have been married twice and divorced twice, no children. I‘ve been fortunate to have had the opportunity to travel extensively, and have seen parts of the world others only dream of visiting. My honey, Harry, and I live in Bethany Beach, DE, and we plan on continuing our travel adventures, as long as we are physically able to do so. We are looking forward to visiting Australia and New Zealand in January to check that region off our bucket list.
The girls have kept in touch through the years, and we get together whenever Nathalie is home for a visit from Oregon. Nat, Mary Mead Branch, Pat Ryan Garcia and Deborah Valdes Hirsch have remained lifelong friends, and we have supported each other through all the things life has dealt us over the years, good and bad. No matter how long it is between visits, it always feels like we just saw each other yesterday….I believe they call that “gold.”
Looking forward to seeing everyone!
It was great seeing you and Harry at the reunion and many thanks for your (and the team’s) hard work pulling it together.
I figured out pretty early that my DNA had no great pre-disposition toward brains, beauty, art, craftmanship, or athleticism. But was able to look at any situation and see everything that could go wrong. Those people are not fun to be around, but they are useful. That led to the study of economics, and to Alaska in 1979, where I still live. It’s a pretty good place.
I had my share of random good luck and bad luck. I am extremely grateful to the woman who lets me let me live with her, and to our son.
I am appreciative for the growth of the microbrewery industry, and the invention of caller ID. I am probably only 95% as much as an asshole as I was in high school. I continue to be amazed by the vast spectrum of human behavior.
Sorry, won’t be able to make the reunion. Take good care, everyone.
Roger;
You weren’t that big of an asshole!
Very glad to hear that you are doing well.
I for one am sorry you will not make it, but understood.
Although I first enrolled In fall ‘72, It took 7 years for me to earn a Journalism degree at UMCP while I waited tables and worked as a switchboard operator to pay tuition. After (finally) graduating in ‘79, I found work as a copywriter at 2 small D.C. ad agencies. Moved on to WMAL radio in ‘82 and spent 5 action-packed years there as promotion director. After a brief stint at a short-lived D.C. TV station, I headed north to NYC and WABC radio in ‘87. I relished living and working in Manhattan but alas my time there was brief as I moved back to the DMV after Joe and I were married in ‘89. Joe is a Jersey boy who also went to UMCP where he befriended several SHS alums whose social circles intersected with mine.
With a baby on board in 1990, I took what was intended to be an interim communications job at a large religious non-profit in D.C. while I looked for another media opportunity. Never thought I would stick with that organization for 30 years, but somehow I did and retired at the end of 2020.
2022 finds us splitting time between our home in urban Silver Spring and a little place near Ocean City. Our sole progeny (a 32-year-old son) plays bass in a punk rock band and supports that passion by working in a restaurant/music venue. Along with the beach, Joe and I share a love for live music and spectator sports. I am also a devoted tree-hugger, amateur gardener, and an avid reader. I am blessed to still count as good friends several SHS alums and am anticipating a great time reconnecting with others.
After our graduation in 1972, I attended and graduated from the University of Maryland. Shortly thereafter Barbara Pulford and I were married, and we just recently celebrated our 46th anniversary.
We were blessed with two sons Harry III (Trae) and Joe who were 16 months apart. It was like having twins. We spent the next 23 years in Montgomery MD working hard. We were then able to fulfill a dream of building our own home in Howard County MD where we spent the next 14 years. Our sons moved away, and we became empty nesters. One of our sons, Joe, got married and ended up in Texas. So our decision was made – sell our home in Maryland and move to Texas. We landed 22 miles north of Ft. Worth. Our other son soon followed us, met the love of his life and was married. They each purchased ranches and call dad for help often. Good thing I retired when we moved down here because they had me doing things I never thought I would do – like branding long horn cattle, stringing fence, etc. If you’ve even seen the show “Yellowstone” yea, like that.
We are loving life with the 8 grandchildren they have blessed us with. We do lots of babysitting and now follow their different sport activities.
Like previous generations, we are no different, after 50 years life inflicts many bumps and bruises, loss and utter craziness. We fight on, never giving up or in, and we are survivors like you. We believe it’s more than that though, to this day we are all still tried and true… Warriors.
Looking forward to seeing you all at the reunion!
Well put, Harry
Hey Allison! I’ve always wondered if you continue to sing? Such a gorgeous voice I hope you did! Love, Kristy Kilpatrick Malochee
It was great talking with you at the event. We miss living in Texas…
Harry already mentioned a lot of what we’ve been through, but here’s my addition. After graduating in Accounting, I had different accounting jobs at different companies but mostly in Government Contract Accounting. I finally retired this past December after 42 years with the same company, the IT Division of General Dynamics (the original company 42 years ago went through 5 different purchases/mergers before I ended up with the GDIT Accounting Dept).
I was also diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis with my first episode back in 1979. Going through various complications over the years, I feel very blessed to only use a cane, no wheelchair, along with Harry’s arm (he’s been a huge help over the years).
Harry told you about our precious family but didn’t mention our son Trae has 4 girls and our son Joe has 3 girls and 1 boy. We’re having so much fun watching them all grow up! The oldest is 9 years old and the youngest just turned 1, and as he said we love to babysit and attend various recitals and games.
I’m also loving our move to Texas because I found a wonderful Divine Will Bible Study on Saturdays.
It was nice seeing you and Harry at the event. Please pass my greeting on to Nancy.
Debby Valdes
I only attended my last 2 years of high school, but Sherwood has always lived in my heart, mainly due to the lifelong friends I made there.
After SHS, I attended Maryland University, majoring in IT and then spent the next 40 years using that degree in my career in DC and Northern Virginia. During the 80s, Martha, Pat, Nathalie and I lived in a group house in Chevy Chase and spent our summers in Rehoboth. In 1990 our classmate, Dave Casey officiated at my wedding when I married the love of my life, Rich, and became a step-mom to my amazing son, Kenny. In 1992, our family was complete when my adorable son, Andy was born. Besides raising our children, Rich and I share an interest in theater, live music and traveling.
After retirement, my husband and I moved to Manhattan to be close to both sons where we are enjoying our grandchildren, Broadway and the pandemic.
It was great seeing you and Rich at the reunion and thanks for your (and the committee’s) hard work pulling it together.
Worked in younger years as an aerobics instructor and a manager for Spa Lady and various retail stores–Currently I am a retired Navy wife I have 3 beautiful children and 7 beautiful grandchildren–Was married twice and am now single living in Utah.
So I left Sherwood headed for Univ of MD, Engineering School – managed to earn a BS in Electrical Engineering. Got hooked on a job offer with the National Security Agency and didn’t look back – retired after 35 years (and 3 as returning contractor) designing and implementing world wide enterprise telecommunications and IT systems as engineer, technical director and systems engineer, supporting US Defense and Intelligence. Got to travel to Europe, Asia and Australia and our two outlying states, Alaska and Hawaii plus Guam. Also got to attend The George Washington University earning an MS in Telecommunications and Computers. Looking back it was a great career.
Met the love of my life, Dawn, on a blind date in Charlotte, NC. Helped her raise her two daughters, Kerri and Tiffany (from age 7 and 4) and our third, Hillary, living for 31 years in Columbia, MD. Our greatest accomplishment was preparing them for success as Mom (Kerri) to grandson Callan and employed as a Howard County Civil Engineer; Mom (Tiffany) to granddaughters Charlotte and Harper and employed as as Howard County Middle School Assistant Principal; and the youngest, Hillary, employed as an Athletic Trainer for the Orthopedic Surgery and Sports Medicine practice of the Children’s Hospital of the King’s Daughters in Norfolk, VA.
We left Maryland for easier, lower cost living in the Delaware Beach area, with it’s ocean and inland bay water, but quick access to family in MD and VA. Travels (mostly with friends from Columbia) have allowed us to experience ocean cruising including the Panama Canal; Greece and Mediterranean islands; the Rhine River; Florida winters; Alaska mountains and glaciers; Hawaiian islands; the Danube River; and next up Ireland and Scotland, the reason for missing the reunion (delayed twice by COVID). But there is still so much more to see and places to go!
Here in Delaware, we live next to a marina on Indian River Bay that allows us to walk to our boat (that doesn’t get used enough), enjoy the community pool and clubhouse activities, volunteer at church, and I expanded my electronics hobby to include amateur radio (call sign KC3HPD) where I mainly focus on world wide capable HF (0-30 MHz); while Dawn has become an expert quilter and embroiderer.
All the best to the class of ‘72!
50 years… wow. As my wife’s grandmother was fond of saying: I’m on the right side of the grass this morning, so all is good. I graduated from UMd in ’77 with an Architecture degree. That career was short-lived thanks to the joy of rampant inflation – kind of like now. Home interest rates of > 12% killed a fledgling design-build residential construction company. In ’79 I left for CA and a job writing CAD software for Architects. In ’82 that led me to Seattle… where I’ve been since. I met the love of my life in ’83, we married in ’84, and stayed happy until Claudia’s untimely death from a very rare and nasty cancer in 2013. We had three kids. Our oldest, Gregg, is married and here in the area. He and his wife have a daughter, who is a joy. Our late-in-life twins are both in college in Boston. My daughter Abby, who is tall for a female but short for a volleyball player, ended her athletic career as HS ended. My son Jon, a RHP, is still playing baseball in college. I stayed in software thru 2016, at some large companies, some medium sized, and some tiny startups. I retired to chase the twins from practice to practice. As a single Dad, I couldn’t keep up with my job and the kids. I’m planning to leave WA sometime soon — the crime, homelessness, and taxes are making the state uninhabitable. Where I wind up will probably depend on where the kids land after college. Enjoy the reunion!
Worked in younger years as an aerobics instructor and as a manager for Spa Lady and various retail stores–Currently I am a retired Navy wife I have 3 beautiful children and 7 beautiful grandchildren–I was married twice and am now single.
Since graduation I practiced Dental hygiene for 44 years in 3 different states. Mark and I have a son and a daughter that we raised mostly in Woodstock, GA. I have played in the dirt quite a lot mostly planting flowers. All kinds of flowers but mostly day lilies and daffodils they are all over GA and a couple other states. We have always had lots of dogs. Our favorite breed is the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel and of course any rescued pup that comes to the door.Mark and I are trying to figure out the retirement years. Hoping for a few more house projects we have put off and a lot more travel! I guess the trick is to keep staying well enough. Blessings to all our friends that have made it this far! May we keep staying healthy and having fun!
So great to see you at the reunion.
Joan Lyons Panuska
After graduation I went to Frostburg State College. I graduated with a BS in elementary education in 1977. I met my husband Pat at Frostburg and we got married in 1979. My husband worked at Allegany Health Department so we lived in the Cumberland area. In 1981 I had my son Clint. We built a house in Creasptown in 1983 then I had my daughter Mallory. In 1985 I had my youngest daughter Holli. When the kids went to school I started substitute teaching. Then in 2001 I got a full time teaching position in West Virginia as a special Ed teacher. In 2007 we decided to look for a second home at the ocean . We decided to build a house in Delaware 3 miles from the ocean. In 2010 my youngest daughter got married and she is 15 minutes away from us. She has 4 children and we see them often. They know us as Grandpa and Grandma. My other daughter has moved down here as well and is getting married in 2023. She writes for OCToday paper. My son is in California and we don ‘t see him often. I love living down here people are great. It will be great seeing every one in a couple weeks.
Hi Joan! So good to hear about your life after SHS! I’ve often wondered. Sadly I won’t be making it to the reunion. We will be in Utah to celebrate the birthdays of 2 of my grandchildren.
I will do my best to be concise as there’s lots to cover. So, away we go…
Within a week after graduation, Margaret Pully and I spontaneously jumped in her VW bug, headed to Ocean City for the weekend and ending up staying at The Seacrest Hotel on Talbot St. That weekend led to my working at the hotel, cleaning rooms and living on the premises, for the rest of that summer and the following summer. I attended Montgomery College for a couple of semesters then during the summer of 1973, while working in Ocean City, I met some people from Baltimore. I had an itch to experience city life so I moved there, worked at Johns Hopkins in Admissions, and took courses at University of Maryland, Baltimore campus. After a couple years, I had an epiphany to make another life change so I moved back in with my parents who had retired and moved from Olney to Reading, Pennsylvania. They were tired of the winters, by that point, and wanted to make a move south so the 3 of us ended up in Clearwater, Florida, and I finished up my 2-year degree and then a Bachelor’s degree in Literature from University of South Florida in Tampa. Shortly after I graduated, I found a full-time job at a local hospital as an insurance biller and during that time, met my future husband, Dick, who was the Director of Respiratory Therapy. He ended up getting a job on the Mississippi Gulf Coast (Gulfport) where we moved right after we got married and lived for 20 years. We worked at the same hospital, he in Respiratory and I as the secretary to the Director of Nursing. Around 1995, my husband got an itch to do something different and he had been making salsa as a hobby for years, sharing it with friends and family, so he made the tough decision to leave the hospital and start a business. With that, “Big Dix. Serious Southern Salza” was born. I adjusted my work schedule to help make the product and we had a good ride, although exhausting, ending up with a number of different products which we sold in gourmet shops and gift stores all over the country. The success was gratifying but after 3 years we decided to sell the business. In 2001, after my dad had passed away and my mom had relocated from Clearwater to Sarasota, we decided it was time to make a move back to Florida and then my step-son and his fiance’ announced that they wanted to get married on the Mississippi Gulf Coast. It was a wonderful experience and we were thrilled that they chose that area. Right after the wedding, we put our house on the market and moved to Bradenton in September 2001. My husband continued to work in Respiratory for the duration of his career and I decided to change course a bit and worked at a local community college as a staff assistant in the Mathematics Department. It was incredibly rewarding and I enjoyed every minute of it. We’ve both been retired for a year+ now and focusing on the next phase of life, I spend much of my time supporting live music in our area, doing Jazzercise, hanging with friends and, as a “side hustle”, my husband and I do yard sales/estate sales which we love. My step-son has two children, 12 and 16, and they live about an hour north which is awesome!
I have really enjoyed reading everyone’s updates and I’m so sorry that I won’t be able to attend the reunion this time. Hope to have an opportunity to catch up next time. If any of you have an occasion to come down our way, would love to see you. Peach and love to all!
Kathy, I’m bummed you’re not attending the reunion! You’re one of the few people I do remember from 50+ years ago!! Here’s my e-mail address anne.kelsey@rocketmail.com My phone number is (805) 423-3865 I seldom go on Facebook but do messenger so send me a friend request and, hopefully, we can communicate! Anne Knight Kelsey
50 years? Let’s see. Personally: 1 great husband (Bob), no kids, 7 cats (not all at once), 6 homes in 3 states (PA, NJ, MD). Professionally: 46 years and counting in journalism; 10 years with Gannett newspapers (general assignment reporter, desk editor, sports editor), last 36 years writing for various magazines (sports, travel, boating, and my favorite subjects, nature and the environment). I’ve returned to my roots in Maryland and, just before COVID, we moved into our dream house, which came with woods, a small stream and a neglected treehouse.
Marty – I really think you are the only one from our journalism class that actually became a journalist! Miss Goldberg would be so proud ♥️
I worked as a classroom teacher for three years. Worked as an adjunct instructor at the undergraduate level for 21 years. Served as director of financial aid at the college level for 42 years. I enjoyed many elected and volunteer positions. Earned my doctorate in 2021 and working on a second Masters. This time inLibrary Science
Live in Newton Kansas. Serve on the board of Caring Hands Humane Society. Do some subbing. at the k 4 level. Play in two golf leagues. And owned by one 2 year old kitty.
After high school graduation, my adult life in CA began when I left home just days after my 18th B’day. I attended Diablo Valley College in Concord, which is in the San Francisco Bay Area. By 20 yrs. old, I moved down to California’s Central Coast, San Luis Obispo County. I began work at Olde Port Fish Company, eventually becoming the manager of their two fish markets. After 10 years in the fishing industry, I then bugged the Port San Luis Harbor District’s Harbor Master to hire me on their all-men crew! ( good pay but no benefits @ the fish company) I reminded him that he’s already seen me driving fork lifts and lifting rope boxes loaded w/ fish, etc. He hired me! I spent the next 10 years as supervisor at Port San Luis’ boat launch, where I operated the overhead crane, lifting boats off their trailers and into the water. I launched boats anywhere from 18 to 32 ft. long. At almost 34 yrs. old, I married and had to quit my job @ the harbor, as we moved to S.L.O.’s North County, where we purchased a home. I had my first child 10 days after my 35th B’day and my son at 37 yrs. old. As I wanted to be a stay-at-home-mom, I started up Kelsey Family Daycare, watching ONLY TEACHERS’ CHILDREN, allowing me to be closed all summer and every single school day my kids had off!! This enabled many vacations to England, where I was born. My children continue to have a strong relationship w/ aunts, uncles and my cousins and their kids! We went somewhere every summer, Hawaii, Cozumel, Yucatan Peninsula, France and more! My marriage lasted 20 yrs and I’ve remained unmarried now since 2008. My daughter, being a “tom boy “, like her mom, is a Firefighter/paramedic and ocean rescue certified for Santa Barbara County Fire Dept. She’ll be 33 in Sept. My son, Clive will be 31 in NOV. He and his girlfriend are busy travelling most of the South American countries but plan to move to Fort Lauderdale in August, for a few years. Clive has his 100-ton Captain’s License and they plan to work together, skippering boats, for a few years, before returning to CA to live in San Diego, settle down, marry and start a family! ( There are no BIG BOAT jobs in San Luis Obispo County) OK, then, that’s my update! Looking forward to seeing all of you that I’ve not seen since March 1971!! Anne.
After graduating from SHS I attended MC for three semesters and decided I could in fact do this college thing – and decided to lunge into University of MD College Park which I loved and became very involved in the Greek community, enjoyed sorority life and served as President of Alpha Phi. Graduated in 1976 with a Degree in Therapeutic Recreation where I did several internships and fell in love with the elderly population. As luck would have it, I got a job immediately after graduation with Rockville Nursing Home. Stayed there a few years and decided I needed to supplement my income and began working in the cosmetic department of Bloomingdale’s and continued that career path for 36 years – Working for Clinique as an Account Executive and ending my cosmetic career with Clarins Cosmetics. After my 30-year marriage ended – I took a leap of faith went on a blind date. That blind date became my future husband. I very quickly sold my house, quit my job and moved from Olney – my home for 54 years to Lewes DE where I now live and love. Again, as luck would have it a Nursing Home a mile from my home had an opening for a Recreation Therapist Worked there happily for 10 years and retired during COVID. I am loving being retired and enjoying life at the beach. I have been blessed with two terrific children – both Auburn University graduates. They have both relocated in the suburbs north of Atlanta. They have blessed me with four grandchildren and with one on the way! With my marriage I also acquired three stepchildren and one grandchild.
Life has been good to me – cannot believe it’s been 50 years!
What’s new since 1972? Where do you begin to tell of 50 years of your life?
For me it’s been a wonderful and trying ride through life. I’ve had multiple careers that have given me the practical knowledge I have today. There is an understanding that life has its ups and downs but if you stand by your ideals, people take notice. I always loved to volunteer my help whenever I could and did that mostly by helping at the Montgomery County and Damascus Community Fairs for over those 50 years. Who would have thought leaving high school would result in a retirement party gathering of hundreds of people you’ve touched over your last 20 years, sending you off. I was blessed to have had that, and will remember it always.
Personally, I have had the greatness of finding a partner, friend and love of my life to share my ride. In the summer after graduation I found that in my wife Stephanie to share my name and life in the fall of 1975. Together we have two wonderful children in Richard and Megan. Ten years ago during the 40th Reunion I became a Father-in Law to Theresa the mother of our three grandsons, Victor, Peter and Martin when Richard married. Becoming a grandparent makes you so proud of your children and your life’s achievements. In 2016, Chris joined our family when he married Megan and now we have a foursome for camping and hiking which we love to do.
During the 45th Reunion in October of 2017 in Ocean City, we purchased a home in Ocean View, Delaware as a second home and future retirement home. Then after more than 50 years of working, in early 2020 I retired from Akin Gump in D.C. as an IT Computer Specialist. When COVID-19 hit that spring, Stephanie decided to retire as a Technical Writer and we began our move to Delaware which we completed by the end of October that year. We love it here near Bethany Beach. We enjoy walking, biking, hiking on the trails, kayaking, playing pickle ball and all our friends in the development.
We live in a neighborhood that has not only a fellow Sherwood classmate, but a Saint Peter’s classmate as well. It’s such a small world! There are so many classmates and former co-workers in Southern Delaware and the Ocean City areas. Hopefully this year we will be able to get together with more folks than we could because of COVID.
We are looking forward to seeing so many classmates during the 50th Class Reunion in September and hope to reunite old friendship. I have been able to touch base with some of you over the years and love reminiscing where we left off 50 years ago. This is a great accomplishment we should all be proud of and share with one another. Stay safe, safe travels and see you there!!
Hah! Have had more jobs than I can shake a stick at. PT Teacher-Naturalist at 2 Nature Centers, FT Director of Ed. and Director of Summer Camp for a 3rd. Compost Education Agent (“The Agent of Decay”) at the Montgomery County (PA) Cooperative Extension. Worked at a now-defunct non-profit supporting Environmental Ed in the classroom. Science teacher grades 5-8 at one school, then grades 4-6 at another, where I was also the Assistant Beekeeper. Now semi-retired, back to PT teaching at local nature center. Did I mention that my undergrad degree was in French? That was pretty useless.
Love traveling, especially birding trips. Mid-life crisis was taking up the ukulele.