Mary Ellingson:
CLASS OF 1984
Loudoun County High SchoolClass of 1984
Leesburg, VA
University of Montana - JournalismClass of 1987
Missoula, MT
San Domenico SchoolClass of 1981
San anselmo, CA
Saint Hilary SchoolClass of 1980
Tiburon, CA
Loudoun Country Day SchoolClass of 1974
Leesburg, VA
Mary's Story
Life
Guten Tag,
About 23 years out of LCHS and the longest I've settled in one area was 6 years (Malmstrom AFB in Great Falls, MT).
Seven years and two colleges later I graduated from Seattle University with a degree in Communications/Journalism (rowed crew in college and worked in a fishery in Alaska) and went to work for UPI in Seattle WA. I was looking for something to do on the weekends when I answered an ad in the paper looking for river guides (you paid and they trained you. It was rafting, camping and a party every weekend!).
I was quickly hooked on the adrenalin rush, not to mention the physical and mental challenge. I finally found a way to calm my body and my mind. I learned that most river guides were ski bums in the winter and I decided I should move to Salt Lake City, Utah and learn how to ski!
I worked at Deer Valley and then at Alta (they had about 500 inches of snow per season, fresh powder almost DAILY). In the summers I worked for Holiday River and Bike Expeditions based in Green River and Vernal, Utah. I've run rivers all over the United States and some in Australia and New Zealand (both commercial and private). One of my favorites was three weeks on the Grand Canyon.
I was 29 years old when I met my husband Erik at Alta in Utah. He was working in a mid-mountain restaurant and I sometimes worked at the ski school desk in the restaurant selling class lessons. Our first date was to hear/see the Utah Symphony play with the Chieftans and six months later we were married in Erik's hometown of Crookston, MN.
We settled into married life in Telluride, CO where Erik worked as a cook at a popular local restaurant and ...Expand for more
I helped managed two in-town lift ticket offices. Our free time was spent skiing and trying out all the swanky restaurants/bars in town. We moved to a lower elevation (we were living at 10,000 feet right above Mountain Village and the town of Telluride) when I became pregnant with Angus because of my asthma. Angus was born in Denver the year the Bronco's won the Super Bowl and we moved to Virginia when he was 6 weeks old because I was completely freaked out about being a "mom." I wanted my mom and family. We moved in with my mom at 122 Belmont Dr, a few blocks away from LCHS (about June 1998 to March of 1999). Erik worked for my mom at Remax and I stayed at home with Angus. This lasted for about 6 months and then Erik discussed joining the Air Force with me. Obviously, I was all for it! I tried to enlist in the Coast Guard straight out of LCHS but was denied because of my asthma. My family has a history of military service on both sides.
I stayed at my mom's house till Erik completed boot camp and tech school. Our first base was Malmstrom in MT. and our daughter Saige was born there. Erik started out as a "missile cop," and then cross trained into canine. His current partner was retired and he now has a younger bomb dog named Matt.
Yes, the military pay is poor (esp. for enlisted) but the benefits and the travel are amazing! The Air Force really does take great care of the "family members." My son Angus has autism and my daughter Saige was born with a tethered spinal cord, the military has covered EVERYTHING to take care of and treat them both. I now substitute teach at my kids DOD school and still volunteer for the Red Cross.
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