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What did I do after graduation?
I joined the Air Force where there was no time for timid,
bashful, backward or sympathy - so I got over it. The Air Force was a good
move for me. I learned a lot, made a lot of friends, found a husband and
a new home in Ohio.
After I was discharged, I worked at Wright Patterson AFB
as a cibilian for Civil Service. The Air Force was training me in Computer
Programming when OOPS we started a family. We moved back to McAlester so
I could be near my Mama for the birth of our first child then the second
and the third.
We decided to go west and bought an old school bus which
my husband restored and made a camper of. We took off with three kids and
a German Shepherd for San Francisco to join the rest of the "hippies".
( I'm kidding of course about the hippie part). We were just having fun.
We lived in San Jose and my husband commuted to his job at the Air Port
in San Francisco. We enjoyed the free traveling.
Our next move was back to Ohio because we missed our friends
there. We started an Air Conditioning, Heating and Refrigeration busines
and did very well but the office work and taking care of three small children
became too much for me and we began to think of other ways to make a living.
About this time, John (my husband) was approached by the
Principal of a Large Vo Tech School in Xenia, Ohio for a teaching position
and it sounded good so we were there for a few more years.
John made it clear to me from the beginning of our marriage
that he wanted a family and he expected his wife ot be at home taking care
of his children so with a few temporary exceptions, I was fortunate enough
to be able to do just that. Imagine the culture shock when I did get back
to work.
Moving around the country was just the beginning because
John started working for Nuclear Power Plants and we moved to Albuquerque,
Oklahoma, Kansas, and back to Oklahoma. At this time our children were
just about grown and I was tired of moving so we stayed while John continued
for a few years. In the meantime, I continued my Civil Searvice career
at Tinker AFB and we both retired in 1993.
Our children are doing well and we are very proud of them.
It was hard to let them go because we are at least ten years behind the
rest of you. We had our first when I was thirty two, but they are beginning
to scatter and we will probably also be "on the raod again" soon.
I just want to say that I didn't receive a lot of encouragement
during my growing up years but we are trying to do better with our children
by encouraging them in whatever thay want to do and so far it seems to
have made a difference.
I also want Mr. Mouser to know just how much he helped
me by the encouragement he gae me on Graduation Night. I would like for
him to know that my life has not been bad and that I never forgot his words.
Among other things he said" Wanda, somehow, I'm just not too worried
about you. You will make it all right". I HAVE MR. MOUSER. THANK YOU.
(at the time of this writing Wanda did not know Mr. Mouser
had pased away - however - I told he I would tell Lynell - which I will
do so by sending her a copy of this letter ) Peggy
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