Karen Alston:
CLASS OF 1964
Austin O. Sexton Elementary SchoolClass of 1964
Chicago, IL
Neal F. Simeon Vocational High schoolClass of 1976
Chicago, IL
Juliette G. Lowe Upper Grade CenterClass of 1972
Chicago, IL
Benjamin Banneker Elementary SchoolClass of 1970
Chicago, IL
John Fiske Elementary SchoolClass of 1967
Chicago, IL
Karen's Story
Life
My name was Karen Williams. I spent my 4 years in cosmetology. I hung around with those girls mostly Margie Lewis, JoAnne Warren, Julia Robinson, etc. I never really hung in a click that wasn't my thing.
After graduation my parents sent me to Lawrenceville, VA to a small historically black college called ST. PAUL'S. I didn't do well, because I got caught up in the partying and hanging out in DC, Norfolk, VA, etc. For some reason the southerners on the eastern seaboard thought Chicagoans were the people to hang around. They had much respect for us. I often wonder is it because of the reputation of Al Capone.
I flunked out of course and suffered embarrassment in the face of my family. I enrolled in the now extinct Central YMCA Community College and made the dean's list. My last year there I got bored and was sitting up late one night doing accounting homework and saw this commercial about the U. S. Coast Guard. I wanted to try that. I started the process of enlisting. I didn't get in before the start of my final semester at Central Y. So I enrolled and graduated on Jan 17, 81 and left for Boot Camp on Jan 26, 81. I went to Cape May, NJ for boot camp and graduated in Apr 81. My first duty station was ...Expand for more
MSO Honolulu, HI. I lived there for 18 mos. and my first child was born there.
I transferred to Petaluma, CA where I lived for 4 1/2 mos. I then transferred to Governors Island, NY which is at the tip of Manhattan. I met and married my first husband and became Mrs. Alston. I lived there for 5 years and had my second child there. I then transferred to Washington, DC and have been here for the past 17 years and also had my third child here. Thank god I didn't transfer anymore it seems every new place I lived I had a baby. I have 2 boys and 1 girl. She is the Hawaiian and is 18 yrs of age. My middle son is 14 and is the New Yorker and my last child is 13 and he is the Marylander/Washingtonian. As you can see I am finishing 20 years of military service.
Since the last reunion for me which was the 25 year. I have retired and re-married. My daughter is grown and married with a beautiful little girl and my middle child has graduated high school and will be attending the local junior college. My youngest son is now a senior in high school. Lord I am almost free. So I have two down and one more to go. The best part of this is I still look good for my age.
I have more stories to tell. Just send me an e-mail.
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