Spouse:  Anne


Children:  2 Sons & 2 Daughters


Grandchildren:  7 Grandsons & 8 Granddaughters





July 2009

In the summer of 1959 I would not have presumed the interesting turns and twists that the next 50 years would present. My focus then was to move on to college and to complete a degree in my chosen profession, Architecture. My experiences in Walla Walla provided a good foundation for the future. Although my time there following graduation was limited, I have strong recollections of the people and events that created opportunities far beyond those I ever imagined.

Band was a primary activity of mine in school. That led to participation in the U of W Marching Band. Unlike the 2008 football season, the Huskies went to the Rose Bowl three times in the five years I was in college. My introduction to California occurred as a member of the Band, a circumstance that ultimately led to residency in Santa Monica of more than 30 years.

In 1962 my family moved from Walla Walla to Oregon and it was there that I found work opportunities in architecture, first in Corvallis and then in Portland. I was first licensed as an Architect in Oregon and have added licenses in other states since then. After eleven years in Oregon, the sunshine and warmth of Southern California called and I responded. By this time Walla Walla was well off my beaten path. Between 1962 and 1996 I was in Walla Walla on only two, brief occasions.

My work in architecture has taken me to a variety of places in the United States, has included numerous trips to Japan and Korea, a few to Europe, and even one to the Middle East. I’ve had the opportunity to collaborate with a number of creative people and to see abstract ideas become the reality of buildings.

On a sunny day in July, 1996, my world changed significantly. Up to that moment my immediate family consisted of my mother, a sister and brother-in-law, two nieces, two aunts, and half-dozen cousins. With a few spoken words, my family expanded to include my life partner, Anne Tyler (Wa-Hi ’61), four children (two with spouses), three grandchildren, a mother and father-in-law, seven brothers and sisters-in-law, and numerous nieces and nephews. Since then, two more children’s spouses have joined the party and the grandchildren now number fifteen, with the sixteenth expected in October. For me skipping a generation and going straight to grandchildren has worked well. I would much rather spoil than discipline.

Having re-established a connection to Walla Walla, I have returned about twice a year since 1996. It is interesting to see the evolution of the city. While much has changed, the inherent qualities that made it a great place to grow up remain. I occasionally check the webcam at First and Main to see what the weather is like. I have no difficulty in viewing the snow from afar but do appreciate watching the trees come into bloom and leaf out in the spring, and to see the traffic backed up at Second and Main during rush hour.

My appreciation to the organizing committee members for their efforts in planning the reunion. I look forward to seeing classmates from 50 years ago and comparing notes.

After Wa-Hi I attended NNC, receiving my B.A. in History with minor in English; I got my “fifth year” from U of W; and years later I received my M.Ed. from SPU. I began teaching in a new junior high in Edmonds, WA and was able to travel extensively in Europe during one summer break. After seven years in Edmonds, we (now married) moved to Chicago where my husband got his MBA from the U of Chicago. I had a wonderful and unique experience of teaching in a Hebrew Day School near the U of C.

 

Our first daughter was born while we were in Chicago. We then moved to Beverly Hills and three years later our second daughter was born. After four plus years in sunny California we came back to the Puget Sound region.

 

We have been in our present home near Lake Washington for 32+ years where we enjoy the beauty of the mountains, Lake Washington, Seattle and the surrounding cities. 

 

My activities in the Bellevue area include civic/community events, Girl Scout leadership, and a broad range of service in my church, especially teaching and singing in the choir. I was grateful to be home while our girls were growing up, but then returned to teaching and shared my love of skiing by starting ski programs at three private schools. I left teaching in ’97, but after four years of relaxing I returned to work, this time at my church. After six years I “retired” again.

 

I love the Puget Sound area, but get back “home” to Walla Walla one/two times a year to visit family. I especially miss the Bee Hive, Gardners, the Book Nook, and the many specialty stores, but it’s great to see the new businesses and residential areas.

After graduating from Wa-Hi, I earned a BA in Education at the University of Idaho and was hired to teach in the Richland School District. I was fortunate to be able to spend the following summer on a ten-week student tour of Europe. Over the next four summers, I earned my Masters Degree in Education at Walla Walla College.

 

My next accomplishment was hiring a contractor to build a house. I continued to be a world traveler visiting Asia and the Middle East, Australia, New Zealand and South America. I met, then married, Alfred E. (Bill) Cottam, mechanical/nuclear engineer and retired British Naval Intelligence agent. After remodeling my home, we designed and had built a condominium overlooking the Meadow Springs Gold Course. We continued to travel both to Europe and Asia – especially enjoying our time in China.

 

After I retired from 30 years of teaching fifth and sixth graders, we sold the condo and moved across the state so that I could attend the Art Institute of Seattle. I earned my AA Degree in Interior Design and then worked in showrooms as a kitchen and bath designer for the next ten years.

 

My husband had a massive coronary during his second by-pass surgery so we sold our Bellevue home and bought a condo in Kirkland with a view of Lake Washington, Seattle and occasionally the Olympics.

 

Although I am now widowed and semi-retired, I still am enjoying my condo and am active. I enjoy reading, playing bridge, and attending many of the cultural activities in the area with friends and family. I also go to water aerobics, kick boxing and yoga classes.