Like many in our class I attended Bakersfield College for two years and then transferred to Berkeley. I graduated from Berkeley in 1964 with a degree in dietetics. From there I went to Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston for a year of Dietetic Internship and enjoyed New England. In the meantime I was commissioned as an officer in the Air Force to serve as a Dietitian. My assignment on completion of the internship was Andrews Air Force Base in Washington, DC.
While living in Washington, DC I met my first husband. He was an FBI Agent assigned to the Washington Field Office. When he completed his tour of duty in 1970 we moved Matthews, NC which is suburb of Charlotte. This is his home town. I worked for almost two years in one of the poverty programs helping people with nutrition. In 1972 I became the Director of School Food Service for the Union County and Monroe City Schools.
My husband and I divorced in 1980 but I love it here and stayed in my home. In 1984 I married Michael Schwenk who is from NY. He was in food sales and is retired from full time work. He is a fitness trainer for one of our YMCA's two mornings a week. He also works part time as a consultant to Dupont packaging for a product packaging milk and juice. We both love North Carolina.
I retired from my school position in December of 1994. I had worked for some sort of government agency from the time I graduated from college in 1964 so I was able to leave with 30 years service. At first I was going to do consulting work but then I started taking oil painting classes. I am so fortunate that when I made that decision, a well known artist became my neighbor and is now my friend and business partner. I have been oil painting since then. You can see my paintings if you visit my web site.
I find it to be enjoyable and have been selling my work for the last three years. I wish I had known I had this interest when I was younger as I might have learned more at a younger age. But, perhaps it is just as well as I have a new life now.
We take artists to France every year to paint. We go over early to find more painting material. This year we left on September 1 and returned on the 25th. It was lots of fun and I cannot believe that it is my paying job to do this!
I visit my sister Linda and family in Bakersfield at least once every year. Someday I will make it to an Arvin High Class Reunion.
