LaVonne Mittermayer:  

I wasn't very "involved" in high school. I didn't get the encouragement I needed because my father didn't believe a woman needed an education to change diapers. Well, that's what my sisters all did, so he thought it would continue with me. It didn't. There were 3 boys and 4 girls in our family; 3 boys and 1 girl graduated from HS. Married in 1962 ... BIG MISTAKE! Something my Dad warned me about, but hey, I'm young (and stupid) so I got married to 'George'. Ended in divorce 8 years later, should have ended one month after the wedding. If your husband is cheating on you, GET RID OF HIM! This is who he is and will NEVER stop, EVER. Enough is enough. Wish I had known then what I knew later, my Dad was waiting for me to come home; but I didn't have the courage to tell him so I hung on and on and on...my life was destroyed by the first marriage; absolutely destroyed. After my divorce, my father insisted that I move back home, he didn't believe a woman should live alone, so I did. My older brother divorced and moved into the house as well. Ah...now I had someone to "pick" on. Eugene was one of my favorite brothers (the other was the youngest, Chuck). I threw out all Gene's clothes and shoes and took him shopping. I bought him some new "duds", went out with him, introduced him to some of my friends. The owner of the small shop where I took Gene, told me on the "QT" that he would see to it that Gene got a very, very discounted price. That shop owner helped Gene too, what a wonderful guy. Gene and one of his friends ended up taking dancing lessons and going to Hawaii. What a HOOT! Chuck was in process of divorce and he too moved home. I told my Dad, better buy a bigger house, your kids are all moving home! Chuck and I had a good relationship until his 'wife' showed up and caused problems. Once Chuck divorced "HER", we recovered our relationship. I remained living with my parents until their deaths. My father suffered for years with heart attacks and seeing him laying on the floor, large beads of sweat, difficulty breathing and there was nothing I could do to help... I couldn't stand it. Because of the experience with my dad, I recognized those symptoms in me which saved my life many times. I was with my Mom when she had a stroke. She was sitting on a chair telling me that her eyes were burning, she passed out and held her head up so she would continue to breathe. I reached for the phone, still holding her, and dialed 911. I had to call again and was screaming for help. An Elmhurst police officer picked up an ER nurse with oxygen and they were the first responders. When they wrote my Mother's BP on the pillow case...I just knew! I lost my Dad first who asked me to take care of my mother, to not allow anyone to take the house from her. My Mother passed away from this stroke which was just 6 months after my Dad. After the furneral, I sat in a chair and didn't care about anything. My brother Gene moved to Denver, CO and we would talk on the phone every week. The last time we talked he said "good-bye"....his usual was "see ya kid". I thought "odd that he would say good-bye" and considered calling him back, but convinced myself it was okay. That was a Thursday night; on Saturday morning my oldest brother called to tell me Gene passed away. His children brought Gene back to Elmhurst for burial in the family plot. Gene was not only my brother, he was my best friend. Gene's friend in Denver called me and said she knew I was close to Gene and if I ever needed something I should call her. Unfortunately, I did need her help but didn't have her phone number anymore...but it all worked out anyway. Stayed footloose and fancy free for 23 years and loved every minute of it even if, at times, I had a very bad attitude towards men in general. Attended College of DuPage. My first course there was EMT (Emergency Medical Technican) -Ambulance. After all I had gone through with my parents, I wanted to know for sure what I was doing was right. While taking the course, my oldest brother was in a car accident... head on! During a downpour (his wife, his son and his son's friend were also in the car) he moved the car as far off the road as he could to avoid the crash and he took the full impact; he was in terrible shape. My sister living in Idaho would call for updates; when I gave her information, she said "how do you know that?". It was all in the book for my EMT class and we were on those chapters at the time. I took the test and was a Certified EMT - Ambulance. I also was a Certified First Aid teacher and CPR Instructor. Also through COD, I went on a trip to St. John's Island, camped out with other students and endured the trip. It was raining when we first arrived and that rain caused MUD; hot, humid and sticky. We lived in tents and had to walk to bathrooms. ICKY! This was an all-expenses paid trip; took English, Biology (The study of birds) and a Humanity course. I hung a feeder that attracted tropical (tiny, tiny) birds. While one tiny bird was at the feeder, I approached the feeder, put out my hand and extended my index finger, this tiny little bird flew towards me and landed on my index finger....WOW how beautiful! He let me look at him closely ... no hurry to fly away. I also took a Humanity course while on the island. Got college credit and a free vacation all in one. What a bonus! Also took a Child Psychology course while at COD taught by a real-life Child Psychologist. The number of Registered Nurses taking that class outnumbered the rest of us. After the final exam was taken and before he passed back our tests, the instructor prefaced with "There is only one person in the class who scored 100%" everyone looked at each other and all around the room. Then he announced "the 100% test score belongs to LaVonne Clark" and he said congratulations! I really couldn't believe it was me! Quit COD, but later tried Elmhurst College. Now there's a really excellent local college. When I attended, I was told that every Professor had a Master's Degree in his/her subject. No wonder I did so well. However, life takes twists and turns, and I quit Elmhurst because I wanted to buy a condo and I did in Yorktown Green, Lombard which had a great view and was close to my favorite shopping center, Yorktown. Mind you, my employer was paying for tuitution and books and I was rewarded with top-notch grades...how's that for being stuipid and not continuing with my education? There was one other man who was significant, Bruce. He worked in a corner restraurant near the high school. He kept me company while I waited for my boyfriend (who was my first husband, Mr. Cheater) to get off work at midnight. Bruce and I enjoyed each other's company and had a good time together just walking, talking, and sitting on a bench in the park near my home. We lost touch after I made the FATAL mistake...my first husband, the CHEATER. Ran into Bruce, after my divorce in a restraurant while I was with two girlfriends. OMG, once I realized who it was, I was delighted! We talked for a long while that evening and starting going out on Friday nights to a bar meeting two of his friends and dancing up a storm...loved it! In 1993 I married the love of my life. Met by accident. My girlfriend asked me to date someone she knew, said he was a nice guy, give it a chance. OK, ok .... I drove to pick him up. When he asked me to come into the house and meet his parents on the second date, inside the garage was his brother. We started talking, we had graduated grade school together. We kept talking and I realized at that very moment that I was in love. Me? Yep, it happened just that way. He was cutting wood to repair their fence, wearing work boots, old Levis, red-plaid flannel shirt, brown quilted jacket and a handband. (I remember every detail). My "date" tried pulling my arm, but I didn't move ... said "I'm busy". OMG I was in love and stayed that way. My educated advice to women....if you date a married man and wait for his "divorce" to go through, like 5 years, because he's telling YOU, "she won't give me a divorce" which is all BULL, you wil...Expand for more