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I majored in psychology
and education. Because of the research I did with Ellie
Reese and the work I did with Tom Reese as a Teaching
Assistant, I landed a wonderful job after school at Bell
Telephone laboratories as a Human Factors Engineer! Who’d
have guessed it??
Anyway, I moved down to
New Jersey with the man who was soon to be my husband and we
shared a house with Heidi Muench’74 for a year who also got
a job at the Labs. By the time I left the Labs, Sue Nassau
(MHC’76) and Vicki Smith joined us and another couple of
roommates in a big old house. We had womnderul parties
there—our Garden Party was legendary for its elegance.
Anyway, after I married
Glenn Wing (UMass ’74) in 76, we hyphenated our last names—a
rather bold move back in the day! Two years later, we moved
back to Springfield, Massachusetts—where we had grown up.
My first son Teddy was born there, followed by Timothy in
’81. Timothy was not healthy, and I spent many of the next
years dealing with his health issues—mostly severe lung
disease. Along the way, my youngest son, Sacha (Alexander),
was born in ’86. My husband couldn’t handle the stress of a
sick child and the financial problems we had so he left us.
For the past 22 years, I have raised my boys as a single
parent. It has been a time of joy, but also of great
challenge and some frustrations.
After working at the
Labs, I took a few months off and then worked for the Girl
Scouts for a year and a half. During that time, I continued
to lead Girl Scout troops. In fact, I spent 15 years as a
Girl Scout leader, finally joining the Cub Scouts when my
third son was born! Within the next couple of years, I
began volunteering with the Boy Scouts. I led a Cub Scout
camp for two summers and was the first female Program
Director of our local Boy Scout camp (Horace A. Moses Scout
Reservation) for five years and was part of the District
Leadership team for several years. I loved the work I did
with the Scouts. I have continued my Scout association by
volunteering with a local troop that is historically
African-American. In between the two Scout camps, I started
up and ran a camp that was nationally accredited by the
ACA. This was a multi-cultural nature day camp and
sponsored by my local Unitarian Universalist congregation
where I continue to be active in various leadership
positions.
While Timothy was
struggling to survive and Sacha was little, I worked for 8
years with Discovery Toys. Robyn Bosler Eisley ‘74 was my
manager and we had great fun together.
Then I decided to return
to my first love—teaching. My first job was teaching in a
local Judaic school at $9 an hour! I taught Gifted and
Talented K-8 and then gradually added History, Literature
and even Judaic History when the rabbi quit. A good MHT,
my response was “Of course I can do that!” when asked about
something new! Then, I sat down and studied like crazy to
learn enough to do what I said I could do the next day! I
earned my M. Ed. In Special Education from Westfield College
in that time because I needed a “real job” to support my
family. The next fall I began teaching in an urban public
school in Springfield. My first year at Chestnut I taught
math—it’s what was open and “I can do that!” I was able to
switch to American History—which is my love—the following
year. With an exception of a few years teaching Ancient
World, that’s what I’ve been doing. Highlights of my
teaching include my students’ success in National History
Day including three kids who made it to the national level
of competition in Washington DC.
Along the way, I earned
my Ed.D. from UMass. It took 13 years and a “this is your
last extension ever—we really mean it” three times! I
worked with the local National Park Service to develop field
trips for my 8th graders. I became an expert on
Springfield, the Armory and the Civil War as well as what
makes field trips fabulous. I have been a volunteer Park
Ranger and even worked as arranger last summer and got “The
Ranger Hat!” Vicki Smith’74 and her family came to my
party; she and her mother-in-law arranged all the flowers
since they got there early!
In the past year, my
eldest son had a baby girl—I love being a “Grannie” and
truly enjoy Elliana; I’m sure I’d love her even if she
weren’t the girl I’ve been wishing for years!
Unfortunately, after visiting her on her birth day, I was in
a severe car accident on my way home from NH. Although I
didn’t have a scratch when I was rear ended at high way
speed when stopped for construction, I did sustain some
significant brain damage. I am recovering from that now,
and I am on a medical leave until the fall.
I am most proud of my
wonderful sons—Sacha graduated from the local community
college last night; Timothy is my world traveler who is in
Alaska working at a restaurant this summer, and Teddy who is
happily married, gainfully employed, owns a house and has a
wonderful wife and daughter. I am thrilled to have earned
my doctorate—I can’t tell you how long that road was—and I
look forward to doing something special with it—I’m not sure
of what. I see retirement as a long way away—I can’t
afford retirement anytime soon. I want to travel—last year
I joined my sisters and mom for our first—and probably
only—cruise together to Bermuda. This year two of my
sisters and Mom are going to Greece and Turkey on a
Windstar—that should be fun. The big dream I have left is
to buy my own house—I almost did last summer but got slammed
by the Bank at the last minute and then sidetracked by the
accident. I also want to travel, start dating again—and
maybe even marry! Who knows? Now that I have finished
school—at last!—I have all sorts of “free time” to be a real
person!
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