2002 finds me working in a real estate office in midcoast Maine, my husband Dick and I having ventured from the NYC suburbs where our three kids still live. Our eldest son, Dan and his wife (a NICU RN at NYU) have two super girls. Next in line is Tim who's studying yacht design and volunteering for Habitat for Humanity, and Jeannie who just completed a three-year course in Chinese medicine and acupuncture. There's LOTS of sailing and tennis talk in the Ronan households! Ten years ago marked the midpoint of my enjoyable years in hospital administration -- public relations, volunteer services and pastoral care. In 1994, Tim was treated for a malignant brain tumor at MSK -- anyone else in our class dealing with this in their family? Needless to say, we're supremely grateful for each new day given to each of us.
After teaching in New York for five years and completing a Masters in English at Hunter, I moved to California to complete a Masters in Counseling at USC where I met my husband, Tom, who was in the same program. Since I wasn't moving to Nebraska (his home state) or he to New York, we settled in California. So here we are thirty-five years later. Tom retired last year from administration at Golden West College; I will retire this coming December from teaching and counseling at Orange Coast College. Once retired, I plan to use my license as a marriage and family therapist, probably part time. Maybe. My daughter, Kate, graduated from UCLA and is an English teacher at Cerritos College. No grandchildren yet, but probably (I hope) that is not too far off. We've done a lot of traveling in Europe, the US and China. We have also done 11 Elderhostels in the past few years and plan to do many more once I retire. In 1990, Tom and I took extended sabbaticals from our jobs and moved to Austin, Texas where we both complelted our PhD's at the University of Texas, graduating (at last) in 1992.
It seems that little has changed in the last ten years: I am in the same South End townhouse (although the neighborhood has changed around me, but it's still diverse and interesting). I am still doing the same work: the consulting firm I founded in 1986 celebrated its 15th birthday last year (McCormick Bowers Associates, Inc.), still focusing on working with community-based nonprofit organizations, mostly in Boston and the small cities of New England. We focus on organizational development, resource development and diversity. Lately, we helped two interesting capital campaign organizations: VietAID, which is building the first Vietnamese American Community Center in the US, and the Museum of AfroAmerican History, which owns three historic buildings on Beacon Hill and Nantucket. We continue to work with mullti-service agencies, such as La Alianza Hispana. I also maintain active volunteer involvement through board memberships and activism in the League of Women Voters and the Democratic Party.
My husband, Tom, is Chief of GI at BethIsrael in Boston -- the chief benefit of being married to an academician is the worldwide travel, which we've done in spades! Have three adult children -- my son Ian is married to a wonderful Taiwanese woman, and they have a baby so we're truly a "citizen of the world" family. My two daughters live in Boston. Moi -- got MSW -- worked for 20 years, at age 50 went for a BA in Art at Mass. Coll. of Art. Had a ball there and ever since. Multi-media artist who is not famous -- I'll let you know.
The last 10 years have seen my husband and me become "empty-nesters." Our three sons, college graduates, entered the business world and moved out. Our oldest son is married, lives within a few miles and will make us grandparents in the new year. Our other sons live in Manhattan. I still am with the NYC Board of Ed, coordinator at what was the School for the Deaf, now "The American Sign Language and English School" when we began accepting hearing students. These are mainstreamed in a dual language environment of English and ASL. About 1/3 of our staff are deaf, an interesting experiment. We enjoy traveling in our Winnebago, bought as a result of my husband's mid-life crisis, I suspect. And we also enjoy the theater and dining out. When I retire, we will be able to expand our horizons and try new things.
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