I left Gainesville in 1962 to go to the University of Rochester in Rochester, NY where I got a BS in Elementary Education.  After graduating I taught in Rochester for two years and then married Allan Winn (a classmate at the U of R) and spent the next year teaching in Ithaca, NY while he finished law school.  We had two kids (a girl, Katie, and then a boy, Allan, Jr) in Rochester and moved to Alexandria, VA where we have lived for almost 40 years.  Or third child (Rob) was born here.   Allan is a lawyer in a DC law firm and I stayed home for many years doing the 'Mom' thing -- PTA, taking in friends of our children whose parents worked, teaching the kids Apple Logo and how to play bridge raising money for the hospital and children in need, serving my church as an elder, working as a volunteer with children, etc.  When the children were older and we had two in private colleges at the same time - for three years, I went to work but I never had a real career.  I worked for the Alexandria Chamber of Commerce, was an interim executive director of the Alexandria Symphony, worked for a merchant bank (which helped inner city neighborhoods obtain loans for bettering the community) where I was also Board Secretary to a group of the leading pension fund managers all over the USA and Australia and was at the forefront of people who were  developing the internet and remote computing.  I then helped launch Safechild.net a child health and safety website where I wrote many of the articles, held focus groups and even did a television spot on safety.  It was a great site under the umbrella of the Consumer Federation of America but it was funded by a grant that ultimately was not renewed and so I 'retired.'  Since then I am back in the volunteer world, studying Spanish and training our third German Shepherd who is three years old.  I have spent a number of years advocating for seniors and chairing the Board of Senior Services of Alexandria, raising money for the local hospital, doing some church activities, playing golf (am captain of an inter-club team) and participating in a local garden club.  I also help organize reunions for my college (we have a group of women who gather every year or two) and travel with my husband who has a number of conferences and meetings around the country and to Spain where our middle child lives.  I am never at a loss for things to do while he works.  There is always something new to do or see. 

We have three kids -- all married -- and five grandchildren.  Our kids are in the picture below.  Katie, the oldest, is married to Charlie Boyer and lives with their two children, Maddie 13 and David 11 in Morristown, NJ.  Our middle child, Allan, Jr. is married to Raquel Winn-Gomes and lives in Zamora, Spain, with their child Alan 3.  Our youngest, Rob, is married to Mara and lives about 1/2 mile from here with Mia 4 and CJ 2.  Needless to say, I get a lot of grandmother time and I love it!  Allan is still working and I am glad to stay we are both healthy.

I am sorry I cannot be with you this April but it is a really busy time for me.  Allan and I are going to Spain for ten days around Easter.  When we get back I have to participate in a daffodil show (I spent a good part of the afternoon making sure my daffodils are correctly identified) and then doing arrangements for Historic Garden Week in Alexandria because my garden club hosts the event.  There will be six historic houses and gardens open to the public.

So I send my regrets and am sure you will all have a wonderful time!

I think you will agree that I have lived a charmed life and, yes, I think I know how lucky I am.

Below is a picture of the clan at our home last Christmas.  We are fortunate that they all still like to come!

Best to all of you,

Susan Stephens Winn