Also see 2001 Family Photo Below.

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Biography:

After graduation in 1966, I completed two years at North Central Michigan College in Petoskey, then received my B.A. degree and Elementary Teaching Certificate in 1970 from Central Michigan University.

I taught first grade in Petoskey for almost a year, got married to Chuck Drake in December, 1970, then we moved to Sault St. Marie in Sept. of 1971. We spent three years there while Chuck completed his B.S. in Math.

Our first son Doug was born in July of 1971. We then moved to Houghton, where Chuck worked on his Master's degree in Mechanical Engineering. Our second son Steve was born there in Nov. of 1976.

Chuck found a job as a Design Engineer at Reynolds Metals Co. and moved our family to Richmond, VA in August of 1977. Our first week there, while househunting, our room at the Holiday Inn was robbed-- welcome to the big city. It was a tough adjustment, moving away from everything familiar to a strange place where we knew no one. Luckily, I soon found a wonderful family-oriented church that reminded me of the First Christian Church in Petoskey and immediately felt at home. We remained in Richmond for 13 years, where I was a domestic engineer--became an expert at playing with children, car-pooling, cooking, and cleaning. I always managed to find time, however, to enjoy singing, both in the church and in the Richmond Choral Society. Some lifelong friendships were established there.

Our third child and only daughter, Kathryn, was born in Richmond in Dec. of 1980. During our last few years in Richmond, I began doing part-time work as a supervisor in the nursery of a health spa. Yes, I was in good shape back then. I also began substitute teaching and working as an assistant in a school for special needs preschoolers. Chuck's job was downsized in 1989, when our oldest son was a freshman at James Madison University in Harrisonburg, VA. Those were uncertain times.

When Chuck began job hunting, he was offered a teaching position at two universities - one in Erie, PA and the other in Big Rapids, MI. Since we had so many Michigan connections, he took the job at Ferris State University in Big Rapids in Aug. of 1990, which is where we are today. When we first moved here, I thought I was in Podunk, U.S.A., but over the years, have come to appreciate the joys of small town living. Of course, my daughter and I quickly discovered the joys of city shopping and movies about 50 minutes away in Grand Rapids.

I have continued to be very involved in music at the First United Methodist Church here as well as singing baritone in a barbershop quartet and various small ensembles.

When we moved back to MI, it put me pretty close to C.M.U., my alma mater. In 1994, I completed my M.A. degree in Early Childhood Education. For the past 6 years, I have been the program director/ lead teacher for the Michigan School Readiness Program for four-year-olds. I am also involved part-time in home visiting young families with infants through the Early Success Grant Program. Before I began directing "Focus on Fours," I was the assistant in the program for six years. I always knew music and children would be a strong focus in my life.

My daughter Kathryn is a junior voice performance and Italian major at the University of Michigan. She studied in Florence, Italy last spring, and Chuck and I travelled there to hear her recital in the Florence Conservatory of Music. Attending all of her musical endeavors has brought a great deal of joy to my life.

Our son Steve is currently completing his degree in Mechanical Engineering at Michigan State University.

Our oldest son Doug is a radiation physicist at Providence Hospital in both Novi and Southfield, MI.

All of our children played soccer. Watching soccer games, and in Chuck's case, coaching, refereeing, and team managing, have also been important pasttimes in our family.

Staying in touch with all the cats and chicks of '66 has been a lot of fun over the years. Laughing with old friends keeps us young.