January 6, 2025

Jack and I have been married now for 51 years – which is hard to believe. Jack served in the Air Force for eight years, and he retired as a corporate pilot for Williamson Dickie in Fort Worth, Texas. There were ups and downs, but we fought hard to make things work. Jack is now 77 and still receives chemo – – past seven years – –for stomach cancer. We lost Christi our precious daughter to Huntington‘s two years ago at Christmas time. I have been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease and I’m under a doctor’s care for that. Needless to say, life has been hard and terribly wonderful, too!

I feel like I can handle the Parkinson’s, but it’s the insistent dizziness I’ve had for about 20 years that no doctor can seem to find a cure for. Dizziness impacts everything you do, especially if you have a movement disorder like Parkinson’s.

Next to my family, what really helped to shape me was earning two degrees – – one from TCU and another one from University of North Texas and traveling abroad to England three times because I have such a passion for British literature. I honestly think travel and college can change your life in many ways. I graduated summa cum laude from TCU.

I also wrote seven books for teachers,
I taught the gamut from ninth graders at risk to advanced placement seniors. I love them all!

I really enjoyed Abilene High and still think dearly about some friends that I met there. A lot of you made quite an impression on me, and it is so difficult to look at the obituaries posted and realize these eagles have definitely flown on . I hold each one of you dear to my heart.