JoyceAnn Beebe-pickett:
CLASS OF 1979
Shawnee High SchoolClass of 1979
Louisville, KY
Wilkerson Elementary SchoolClass of 1972
Louisville, KY
JoyceAnn's Story
Here's my story: I was born overseas (Nurnberg, Germany) to American parents, both from the state of Michigan. My father had joined the Army and was stationed overseas. Throughout my childhood we moved ALOT! I've lived in Michigan, Germany, Alaska, Georgia, California, and eventually settling in KY. In 1972 I attended Valley Junior High as a 7th grader. It was during that year that Valley decided to tear down the hut classrooms behind the school and attach the junior high school to the high school. Therefore, all 7th and 8th graders had to attend class from 12:00 noon to 7:05 pm. Not that I minded that at all. Imagine not having to wake up early in the morning and get up for school. The only down side was that when I got home from school (especially during the winter months) it was already dark outside. Didn't leave much play time with friends in the evening.
During my freshman year of school it was decided that schools should be better integrated. That following school year (1975-1976) forced bussing began for all schools in Jefferson County, Louisville, KY. I remember seeing fights break out in classes because students didn't like each other because of the color of their skin, and parents in fist wars on TV arguing over silly stuff. I was bussed from Valley High School beginning my Junior Year (1976-1977) to Shawnee High School. That bothered me, because being a junior in high school and having to go so far away to school from my home and in addition having my parents advise me that I could not drive to school sucked. Wasn't a "licensed driver" suppose to show off to the under classmates that could drive to school and not ride the bus anymore? Then towards the end of my junior year I had to drop out of school for a time due to the birth of my daughter (Jennifer Lynne). Back then there was no special school set up for "mothers-to-be" keeping them in school. Back then "Mothers-to-Be" were a disgrace and where better off kept hidden from the other kids in school. I was a statistic that decided I didn't want to be one. I went back to school and was determined to graduate even though it meant that I would be graduating a year later (1978-1979). I did graduate, but not from Shawnee. I received my GED 2 weeks prior to my senior class graduation. I ...Expand for more
was in torn graduating a year behind with people that really didn't know me. Eventually, I went to college studing computer science and accounting. Boy does that sound nerdy and I guess you could say I was.
My life was on a path going no where that's when I decided to join the Army Reserves in 1981. I was stationed at Ft. Gordon, GA for both basic and AIT (advance individual training) from 1981 to 1982. Then returned to KY. As time went by I "grew up" and learned what my responsibility in life was. I setted down and married in 1982, but that marriage ended in a bitter battle with no one but the lawyers winning. I then found true love in 1998 and remarried in 1999 to a wonderful man. He too had been married before and between us had 3 girls. My daughter has grown and married, giving me 2 grandchildren (a boy and a girl). Unfortunately, my son-in-law died from a very aggressive form of cancer. Leaving my daughter to raise 2 little ones on her own, although I help as much as I can. My step-daughters (twins) the oldest one married 2 years ago and gave me a granddaughter. While the youngest twin is in college studying to become a ultra-sound tech. Both my husband and I work for the same healthcare organization, but at different locations. He is a Director of Engineering, where I am the Corporate Safety Manager responsible for safety and emergency preparedness for the entire healthcare organization at each of our healthcare sites. I love my line of work, although it can be quite demanding. You never know when a disaster can occur within a healthcare setting, so you have to be continually prepared.
Throughout my life I've believed that even though times can be rough with faith and determination I can overcome. I have a poem for my motto to life titled "Don't Quit," author unknown.
Now that I'm older and my health is not where it should be, especially after surviving 2 strokes and living with complications from those strokes. (It's hard to imagine me at 48 then, now 62 having 2 strokes.) I have to believe that although every day is a challenge, I must face that challenge heads on.
If I had to do my life over... would I? What would I change? Nothing!!! Life wasn't a box of candy or dozen of roses, but what I've become was because what I lived through.
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