Following graduation I worked at Duckwall's, and did clerical worked a Ft. Riley. Rick LaMont and I got engaged in Jan.'70 , later that year Rick joined the Navy and we were married on December 20, 1970.
Until this point I had rarely ventured far from home but I soon learned that 'Home is where the Navy sends you!!' The first year I followed Rick to several schools and then we were sent to his first duty station, which happened to be in Hawaii, not a bad place to be as newly weds. It's wasn't long and the honeymoon was over and Rick was sent on his first deployment to Viert Nam. Between deployments we enjoyed the time we had there. I came back to JC in Sept.'72 after my father died and Rick came home late Nov.'72 before deploying again. I stayed in JC for a few months with my Mom. I returned to Hawaii as did Rick and our first daughter Jennifer Dawn was born there Aug.'73.
Rick had a few more schools to attend and then we were sent to Kingsville TX for the next 4 years,where we had our second daughter Jaime Feburary'77. In 1978 we were sent to Whidbey Island, WA and we both fell in love with the area. We had our son Jonathan here in May'82. Rick and I thought this felt like home and did everything we could to stay here. Which ment alot of time apart as Rick spent most of his time at sea, but the children didn't really have the typical Navy life and enjoyed being in the same school system for most of their school years
I have been working in retail during most of our married life. For the last 20 years I have managed JCPenney catalog desks, for 14 as a JCPenney employee until our store was closed and for the last 6 years have managed a JCPenney Catalog Merchant desk, as well as training new managers. Rick retired from the Navy in Aug,98 and has since worked in the same field with an aerospace contractor.
We lost my sister Paula in Feb.'98 to lung cancer. My mother and sister Leslie moved out here in 98 so that I could help as my mother had Alzhiemer's and Mom passed in Aug.01.
Looking back I have to say we've really been blessed, we have 3 great kids, Jenni is married and works as a dental tech. in Michigan. Jaime lives here and works as a trainer and manages a gym, she has blessed us with our only grandchild 'Hanna.' Jon is in his last year a WWU, and is s great kid.We are planning to come back for the reunion this year and are looking forward to seeing everyone.
