No More High School

I graduated in 1972 and got a job. It wasn’t my goal.

My mother wanted me to join the U S Army, like Mary did, but I really wasn’t interested. I knew if I did, it would have been a last resort – you know… can’t get a job, gotta do something, so why not join up.

My father wanted me to go to college. For some reason, he thought I would be a great student and make something of myself if I went to college. So I tested and got admitted to college. I was ready to work the summer, saving a little money and then getting a part time job while I was in school.

When I graduated, I started working at Taylor Electric in Mequon as a billing assistant. This began my office experience. I found that I loved the work and was quite good at it. I discovered that each desk had its own job description and the more desks I sat in, the more I would learn. It was better than college because I learned tons about accounting, billing, customer service, computers and much more while they paid me! It may not be the most sincere reason, but the money was the best part.

I started in June, 1972, and Duke got back from the service in February,1973. He had previously worked at Taylor and he stopped in to get his job back after his commitment ended. He walked through the office to visit his best friend Steve, who happened to work with me, 

I fell madly in love.

Duke was 6’4” tall, in his best shape ever, and had just spent his enlistment in Texas so was tan and beautiful. I did everything I could to get his attention and finally there was a company baseball team picnic in June and he got drunk enough to talk to me.

That was it! We were married the following April. It wasn’t even a year but like someone told my mom, “when it’s right, it’s right.”  We just celebrated our 45^th anniversary so all those who said it was too quick or we weren’t the right astrological signs or I was too young, I say… POOP ON YOU!

I worked at Taylor through December 1977. I left for two reasons. I had full vesting in the company profit sharing fund after 5 complete years and I was going to have a baby in February. 

Effective 1/1/78, I was a housewife, and after 2/14/78, I was a stay at home Mom.

High school was over and I was ready to move on.