Karen Melby-

Schmeisser

Deephaven, MN

August 11, 1945

June 1963 to August 2003…40 years! So many years, yet it sometimes seems like only yesterday…is our long-term memory better than our short term?

Well, a long time ago I was a freshman at the “U” where I met my husband
Fred and became a very young bride and mother. We’ve been married 38
years, but suspect I’ll be an “old” grandmother as our three ‘grown’
children are yet to marry.

Karen with Mark Laidig and Steve Pouliot at the 40th

Fred and Karen

Although I sometimes wish our hectic lives were more in step to the slower pace of the 50’s and 60’s (our growing up years), I do relish the
smallness of our world today.

I’ve crossed a lot of water! Places I dreamed of seeing as a schoolgirl, I now see weekly. Each week I cross the oceans to Europe, Japan or
Hawaii as a flight attendant for American Airlines. On my trips to Paris I often think of my favorite MHS teacher, Eloise Fick. She was certainly
a ‘learned lady’ from whom I received a very solid base of French…and testimony to this…more than 35 years after sitting in her classroom, I became “un orateur de francais” on our French speaking flights.

We were fortunate to have many fine teachers and wonderful community in which to grow up. And I feel especially blessed to return to my roots. After 9 moves in 25 years, “you can go home again!”
 

David,     Heidi,     Scott,    Fred,    Karen

Jeanne Adsem,  Karen Melby,  Kathy Kiskinen,  Alice Bristol

With Nan Heathcote - 7th Grade