update-deroode

Update-deRoode

Deedee deRoode (I never used the name “Edith”)

My senior photo had the description: “Quiet and reserved.” No one who knew me after high school would make that claim!

How did that happen? First, college: in Wooster, Ohio. Far enough away to feel on my own, and close enough to Bible Belt thinking to realize that my parents weren’t as restrictive as I’d thought. And it’s hard to be shy when you’re living with your playmates and discovering interests you never even thought about like hiking and modern jazz and bridge. I loved Spanish literature, drama, and history but I don’t remember even considering what kind of career I might want to steer toward.

Luckily I was able to postpone that decision and go to the University of Madrid – lucky because, more than anything else, I’d wanted to travel. I came home a year later, took a job with GE, did some writing, took various courses and traveled to shareowner meetings around the country.

I remember our 25th reunion and how many of you were changing careers or following newly perceived interests. I quite envied you! The transition to the next stage of my life wasn’t always happy. I was laid off from GE in ’83 (it felt like a divorce) and I’d also been taking care of my mother who was developing Alzheimer’s or dementia, and visiting my father who had suffered a debilitating stroke and was in a nursing home, and coping with my brother who had more internal and self-inflicted problems than we could deal with. When I realized that what I envied were the new and different things you were trying, I started to do volunteer work, tried a new job, and went to night school for a paralegal certificate. Eventually I wound up here in Iroquois in Shelton, CT and so enjoy what I do that I can’t imagine retiring. I still feel this way in 2011! I would never have anticipated this situation 50 or even 20 years ago.

Among my blessings in life are good health, a lot of travel (South America, Mexico, the Caribbean, Africa, Europe including Turkey, and Canada but, again, never enough) and my sister (remember Betsy? She’s been called “Elizabeth” since I lived in Spain) who has encouraged a close and loving relationship with her family. One niece, Ashley, has two daughters; she and Bill live outside of Seattle. The other niece, Gillian, has one daughter; she and Chuck have a condo in Boston’s North End. My brother, Jamie, alas, died a number of years ago of heart trouble. I’m down to one cat – again, from a shelter – and live across the road from the beach on Long Island Sound in Milford, CT.

My memories include early morning chorus practice (do you remember Mrs. Murray making us do solos in front of everybody for our test!?), ganging up on substitutes, our trip to Washington, and Mr. Sarmiento’s smile. I remember Ann Bohnel’s white lace dress that she made for our senior prom; I remember stage fright when I was “Alice” in “You Can’t Take It With You” and having potato salad and Halleluias at Umland’s. I remember football games at Nyack and Piermont, and I marvel now at how those towns have changed! Every time I hear the Four Lads sing “Moments to Remember,” I think of us. I look forward to seeing any and all of you more often; I truly treasure our get-togethers.

Deedee