----- Original Message -----
From: marymc707@bellsouth.net
Sent: Monday, April 27, 2009 11:46 PM
Subject: Since leaving CHS
In December of 1974, we were blessed with a wonderful son, Andrew. He and his wife, Jessica, and two beautiful little girls, Leah and Jeanna, live in Charleston, IL, where Dr. Andrew teaches at Eastern IL University.
As the wife of a (27 year) career AF Officer, life was always interesting and exciting - filled with travel and fun experiences around the world. When I retired from teaching in 2003, with about a hundred years in the classroom, I had taught in seven states, England and the Republic of Panama. We had always planned to return to TN to retire - our goal being to retire in '03, but in July of 2002, Gene died unexpectedly in his sleep of a massive heart attack. We had lived in New Mexico for 14 years at that time, so I finished my last year of teaching and then returned to TN alone.
Living in TN again has been great..................until April 10, when an EF-4 tornado struck Murfreesboro. As I was hiding in the linen closet, my home and property took a hard hit, causing thousands of dollars worth of damage. It will take many weeks of repair, inside and out, but things are moving along..............new roof, fence, garage door, front porch being rebuilt tomorrow, etc., but my neighborhood will never look the same. Most of the trees are gone................I lost more than a dozen in my own yard.............the three houses behind me are being bulldozed, the one beside me was taken down today, with removal work going on on the one across the street starting today. A young lady and her nine week old baby died in the storm..............they lived across the street from the back of my property - their home was completely blown away. I am so grateful for the comparatively small amount of damage................mine can be repaired.................if you are inclined to pray, many folks in Murfreesboro surely would appreciate being remembered in your prayers.
As I write this, I still have wooden windows (I lost about a dozen windows............trying to clean glass out of the carpet is a little like trying to nail jello to the wall.......bits and pieces everywhere!), but I decided windows or no windows, I'm going to try my best to make the reunion. I dropped my reservation form in the mail this afternoon. I look forward to seeing all of your familiar, wiser and more mature faces....................what fun to rub elbows with old friends again!
Mary Helen McDaris Mertz
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