My parents took me kicking & screaming to Florida in 1964... I graduated from Merritt Island High (we were the first graduating class) - Rapid City was always home to me - I have been back for visits and attended other reunions - the last was 2006....
I was married for 43 years - my husband Boyd passed away in 2010, he worked for NASA for 32 years.. We have one daughter Amber (Tim) and two fantastic grandchildren - Callie (18) & Seth (almost 15) - they live in Alabama.
I was fortunate to go to work at Kennedy Space Center in November 1966 - months after graduating from high school - (back then college wasn't a requirement - I did get a bachelors degree from Barry University years later - paid for by EG&G - the company I was working for @ KSC). I wouldn't trade the 45 years I worked there for anything. All of the launches I got to view - some as close as humans could get.. shuttle landings from the fire station on the SLF.. tour the inside of Space Shuttle Atlantis.. and experience the heartache of the first space related tragedy with the crew of Apollo 1 dying in a fire during training and watching outside the building where I worked when the Challenger accident happened (I knew immediately that there was a problem - it wasn't what you would normally see before SRB separation) .. then later when Columbia disintegrated during re-entry..
Living here is here is like living in paradise - 15 minutes from the beach & cruise ships - 40 minutes from Orlando. I traded Mt. Rushmore for the Space Center; buffalo & the Black Hills for alligators & Mickey Mouse!! hail & snow for hurricanes - but I get to see dolphins and beautiful sunsets over the river from my backyard!!
I enjoy kayaking, power walking, yoga, baking (haven't been doing as much as I did).... took golf lessons at the nearby college - but not very good at it.... enjoy going to the theme parks - especially when they have concerts..... I work at trying to keep my orange grove alive and free of disease.... also take a lot of road trips to Alabama....
Looking forward to the reunion... A great job to all who put it together!!!!