After graduation I went to work in New York City, as a secretary, for the assistant treasurer of the United Fruit Company. It was okay but not my passion.

I met my husband to be in Chet Lee’s in October of 1958. We married in July of 1959 and were blessed with four healthy children by 1967. In 1964, we moved to Anaheim, California for almost two years. We then moved back east to a lake in New Jersey and met many good friends. There were lots of activities, sailing, swimming, skiing, golfing, and snowmobiling. We spent the next ten years there and I still consider it home. While there I became an Interlake champion sailor. The men’s division wasn’t happy when I was picked over lots of them to compete in Interlake races.  They only took the top ten – and only one other gal and I fit into that category. I learned how to ski at a resort a half hour from our home. Donna Weinbrecht, gold star winner in the Olympics learned how to ski with me. She was about four at the time….I was much older. She lived at the lake also. Our friends of 40 some years still correspond and we get together for vacations. That marriage ended in July of 1975 after two years of separation.

As many of you know, my parents were very active in my teen years and were known to all as “Mom” and “Pop” Cooke.  We were lucky to have a home with a really large, finished basement and Saturday night parties were frequent.  So to those of you who partied with us the memories still hang on.  We unfortunately lost Pop in an auto accident in 1970.  Life at 327 Woodvale was never quite the same.

In August, 1975, I met Jim Schwamberger. He has been the light of my life ever since. We married in October of 1976 and moved to San Diego in July of 1977. It has been a great adventure. Jim has one son from his first marriage that we happily incorporated into our family. Our children are entrepreneurs, electrician, teacher, store manager and one works in the restaurant business. We now have five grandchildren, three in California and two in New Jersey. They are a joy! Grand parenting is the best.

After living in San Diego for a few years Jim and I convinced my mom to leave Staten Island and come to live in the San Diego area where she spent the remainder of her days.  She eventually moved in with us after the kids left.  We enjoyed many hours together doing charity events and working with various church activities.  Mom passed away last May (2007) and my plan is to take her ashes to Hawaii for dispersal – we spent many happy times there.

Although my health hasn’t been very good most of my life, we still always have fun nevertheless. This past year has been especially challenging. After three hospitalizations, the last one lasting 73 days, I came home on February 29^th of this year.  I have survived and I am now doing better than ever. I have been blessed with another chance to embrace this wonderful life we have. Jim is mostly retired now. We are free to travel and see more of the world.  I have been restricted from air travel due to breathing problems in the past but I believe that, too, will be changed in the future.  I am sorry that I will miss the reunion. Have fun getting to know each other again.