Karen Snyder:
CLASS OF 1966
Woodward High SchoolClass of 1966
Cincinnati, OH
Western Illinois UniversityClass of 1972
Macomb, IL
Karen's Story
Perhaps you remember how much I looked forward to college in Colorado to study to be a math teacher. The math was okay, but the chemistry required for the math major was a killer (Mr. Weiler's class had not prepared me for much). I dropped out for a quarter, and then started back closer to home after my parents had transferred to Chicago. I graduated from Western Illinois University with a degree in Business Administration/Human Resources Management.
I went to work for the Fed Govt where I had worked summers and Christmases during college in Washington, D.C., in Human Resources for DEA. After 10 years with DEA in D.C., Chicago, and Miami, I transferred to the Air Force at Homestead AFB near Miami. That's where I met my husband, Jim. He was flying F-4 fighter jets with a Reserve unit there (his home was Sacramento, CA where his civilian job was criminal investigator for the state). We met playing Ms. Pacman at the Officer's Club--the manager said he thought the base ought to give the game to us as a wedding gift--it was a first for them.
We got married, and I transferred to a base in Sacramento. There, our two girls were born: Katie, now 24, and Kristine, 22. In 1989, we transferred to Columbus,OH, to raise our girls closer to family in PA and IL.
Jim was a Special Agent with the State of Ohio until he retired in 2007. I retired after 26 years service when Newark AFB, OH, closed in 1996. I considered myself lucky to be home while the girls were in junior and senior high school. Also, my parents moved here from Chicago 3 months after I retired--my Mom knew she would need help because my Dad was in the beginning stage of Alzheimer's disease. My retirement was meant to be--between the girls and my parents (and the deterioration of my spine and hips), I couldn't have found time to work if I wanted.
We took some wonderful vacations in our RV with the kids and our little dog (a Lhasa Apso named Coco); to Cape Cod (whale watching and a beantown trolley tour of Boston, etc); to Traverse City,Michigan, several times (one of our favorite places); to Disney World in FL as well as St. Augustine Beach; to the Blue Ridge Mountains in VA; to the Great Smoky Mtns in TN. The biggest trip was a 30-day trip thru the west--South Dakota to Mount Rushmore and the Badlands where we stayed on a working ranch; a tour of the battleground of Custer's last stand; into Montana, then down thru Idaho and Wyoming to Yellowstone Natl Park, then thru the Grand Tetons and Jackson Hole, Wyoming; next to the Cheyenne Frontier Days to the Rodeo and associated events. Then we travelled down thru Colorado, first to Loveland where I was born and lived in gr...Expand for more
ade school; then we went to Colorado Springs to see the Air Force Academy. We were supposed to take the railroad to the top of Pike's Peak, but the week was too stormy, so that was a bust. On our way home, we stopped in Kansas City to see some friends, then stopped in St. Louis to go to the top of the Arch. Now you know what we like to do for fun!
I spent the bulk of 2005 having and recovering from surgery for spinal stenosis and having both hips replaced. Now I have an excuse for my clumsiness--hey!, they cut my legs in half at the hip to put those new joints in!
Since then and after the girls went off to college, I spent most of the time caring for my parents. Dad's memory had greatly deteriorated and Mom's physical health wasn't good. Dad passed in 2007, and Mom's health went downhill. I spend a lot of time caring for her now. In my spare time, I enjoy seeing friends, going to movies, and walking my little dog, Zora. Jim is very active with the food pantry that operates out of our church in Zanesville, and he delivers meals to the homebound.
We have joked Katie, our oldest, is in grad school at OU, Athens, getting her masters in education so she can teach integrated science. She always loved science in school, she loves working with kids, and she was the only child I ever knew that was sad when summer vacation came because she didn't want school to end. I think this will be a good match! I hope!
Kristine graduated from Muskingum College in May, 2009, with a degree in Business Administration and Speech Communications. She just started her career with a software developer in New Concord, OH. The company develops software for nursing homes to manage patient care and other aspects of nursing home management. Krissy travels to the customer after they purchase the software to teach their staffs how to use the system. She is looking forward to a lot of travel all over the U.S. (did we create a travel monster?) I know now I will be sitting at home many times worrying about her safety when she is traveling in bad weather all across the U.S. like she did recently (January 5-9,2010)--yes, I'm one of those Moms who is over-protective. Rest assured, however, the girls survived their childhood with me, and even seek my company now--they just come prepared with their defense, a patronizing pat on the shoulder and the statement, "Oh, Mom, it'll be fine," and we have some great "Girls night out" times.
I'm getting a real kick out of getting in touch with classmates, and discovering where you are and what you're doing. I don't know why I allowed myself to lose touch. It seemed as if I was just overcome by life's events.
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