I am a native Californian and a country girl, having been raised on a farm in Lodi (in the heart of San Joaquin Valley) where I lived until I was married.  My elementary school was a small three-room country school.  After I graduated from Lodi High School and Stockton College (a two-year junior college which was then part of what is now the University of the Pacific), I worked for the Stockton Unified School District as a secretary to the Assistant Superintendent. 

After I was married, my husband and I moved to Concord where we both worked for the Mt. Diablo Unified School District --he as an elementary teacher and principal and I as secretary to the Asst. Superintendent In Charge of Business.  I continued working until our twin sons were born; then stayed at home as a full-time mom until they entered high school.  When our sons were first graders, we moved to Clayton where I continued to live for the next 35 years.   

When I did return to work, it was again for the Mt. Diablo School District in a variety of positions—Elementary School Office Manager, Middle School Office Manager and Secretary to the Board of Education.  My most fun job was after I retired from the School District.  For nine years I worked as an On-Site Coordinator for Elderhostel groups in San Francisco. 

Tennis was my passion for many years, and 11 years ago I moved to Rossmoor mainly because of their excellent tennis facilities.  Unfortunately I had to give up playing tennis a couple of years ago because of back and knee problems.  My exercise program now consists of walking, water aerobics and a “Stretch and Strengthen” exercise class.  In Rossmoor I am also active in the Bone Health Club and the Volunteer Exchange.  As a Rossmoor Companion, I work with a dementia patient several days a week.  

After 30 years of marriage, my husband and I divorced, but only a few years later, I had the good fortune to meet a wonderful man, Bob Lehman, who has been the love of my life for the past 20 years.  Once we were both retired we started planning trips we wanted to make.  We will probably never be able to travel to all the places on our list, but we have already had some wonderful trips --Alaska, Hawaii, the national parks of Utah, exploring Indian ruins in the Southwest-- just to mention a few.  We recently returned from a three-week road trip to Glacier, Yellowstone and the Grand Teton National Parks—what incredibly beautiful scenery!

A very important part of my life is my family.  In addition to my two sons, I have three daughters-in-law (Figure that one out!) and four grandchildren—one granddaughter and three grandsons.  I feel very fortunate that they have always lived relatively close to me so that I could be actively involved in my grandchildren’s growing-up years. 

I had known for years that I had mitral valve prolapse but it had never been a problem until shortly after I retired when I developed congestive heart failure.  After a couple of trips to Kaiser emergency, it was determined that I needed to have open-heart surgery to replace my mitral valve.  Fortunately, the surgeon was able to repair the valve rather than replace it, and 15 years later it is still going strong.   Three years ago after having surgery (unrelated to my heart) my heart went into atrial fibulation.  As a result, I now have to take Coumadin, but, thanks to Kaiser’s great Coumadin clinic and counselors, my body adjusted to the Coumadin quickly and my pro-time readings are very stable. 

Because of the helpful, encouraging Mended Hearts Visitors who visited me when I had heart surgery in San Francisco, I decided to join our local Mended Hearts Chapter and become a Mended Hearts visitor.  I visited heart patients in the hospital for several years and now I “visit” heart surgery patients via the telephone shortly after they return home from the hospital. 

I have received and continue to receive so many benefits from our Mended Hearts Chapter—the helpful and timely information from our monthly speakers, the friendships formed with the other members and the satisfaction of being able to help others.