Gail Finnie

Bella Rose Nevin, six years old
Jaime Clemente Nevin, four years old
Bear Campbell Nevin, one-year-old

Cheryl Finnie - Ashland, OH
Ed Finnie - North Carolina
Bob Finnie - Vail, CO and Santa Fe, NM

Mount Vernon Nazarene University, Eastern Nazarene College

Joni Mitchell

After graduation I attended Mt. Vernon Nazarene College, MT. Vernon, OH. It was a Junior College, so after earning my Associates degree in English I moved to Boston to attend Eastern Naz College, graduating with a BA in Literature. A year after graduating in 1976 I drove cross country and through Western Canada with a college friend in my red VW bug. It was amazing and I'm glad I had the opportunity before I became saddled with adult responsibilities! Highlights: Yellowstone, Grand Tetons, Canadian Rockies, hitchhiking across Vancouver Island (ferry strike so couldn't take car across); Coast of Oregon, Mendocino (Northern CA), San Fran, AND spending Thanksgiving weekend at my friend's parents home in Malibou, swimming in the warm Pacific! I returned to the Great Blizzard of '78 where the entire Boston area and beyond was shut down for a week! Got a job at Beth Israel Hospital as an admin in Psychiatry, then Dermatology. Moved to Hamilton NY in 1980 with Michael Rundlett, who became a graduate student in Psychology at Colgate University. Began my folk music career in 1983, singing in coffeehouses and concerts, mostly in and around Boston. Highlights in the beginning were being featured as a new artist at a concert with Nanci Griffith and singing Amazing Grace with Odetta(!), and singing at a coffeehouse in Greenwich Village. Began teaching the Appalachian Dulcimer privately and at some local music stores. Also became a music specialist at various pre-schools. My daughter Hannah was born in 1987 and I became a stay-at-home mom. Julian was born in 1990. Kept teaching dulcimer and performing. Eventually I became a teacher's aide in Special Ed and a substitute in public schools. Also worked at my local library for years -all jobs I could do when my children were growing up and needed me at home. Divorced Michael in 1997, then remarried in 1998. That didn't work out either, but I got a trip to Greece for my honeymoon out of it!! I'm happily single now, living with my cat Tuxedo! I'm recording my 4th solo album, which should be released in the spring. My acapella group, Taproot, will start performing again soon. We were together for 9 years, recording two albums, breaking up in 2003. A few years back I was a member of Boston Jazz Voices (for 2 years). My first gig was singing the National Anthem at a Boston Red Sox game at the legendary Fenway Park! This summer I became reconnected to college friends (through Facebook!) - writers mostly. Finally attended a writer's retreat in the Adirondacks that was founded by my favorite English professor at Mt. Vernon and a former boyfriend in 1977. I've dug out essays and some songs I've written, and they're holding me accountable to continue writing! These are published authors and serious writers - there were two reading/feedback sessions a day, with partying at night! I was the resident musician and found my particular niche. Can't wait until next July! I'm so glad to be reconnecting with my friends at BHS, and making some new ones! So, as the rest of you are, I'm moving through my 50's with my 60's almost upon me. I'm enjoying one of the benefits of my age by using my senior discount of 10% at Dunkin Donuts a couple times a week! Cheers!

I moved from Youngstown to Boardman in the 3rd grade, going first to Robinwood Lane. Mrs. Hamrock was my first teacher. I remember two things: her hugging me when I finally got a math problem correct at the blackboard (I've still got a math phobia!), and watching one of the space launches at Cape Canaveral. Moved around a lot. My freshman year my father got a job in Ashland, OH so we moved there for a year. I remember Debbie coming to visit! In junior high and high school I was primarily involved in music and some sports. My family attended the Nazarene church, which was very conservative at that time. My mother sent a note to the gym teacher excusing me from gym when were learning dance. No dancing or movies allowed. I attended one party, but no dances, especially proms. A TOTAL bummer! The highlight in high school was singing in the a capella choir and madrigal ensemble. I was too shy and introverted back then to try out for any of the plays or musicals - much to my regret. There is a picture in the year book of me in the chorus of Olilver, but that was it! I enjoyed High School, for the most part, but really missed out socially because of the restrictions by my church.