Karen Sue Smith Garrison

After graduation I waited a year and then went to a business college in Utah where I received my associates degree. I enjoyed my time away but I returned to Chicago and worked at Rock-Ola Juke Box Co. and McDonnell & Miller Mfg. Co. During my time at McDonnell I met my husband and we were married in 1967. He was in art school at the time and we had our first son, David in 1968. We moved to Burlington Iowa in 1974. I was fortunate to be a stay at home mom and I had two more sons, Steven in 1971 and Todd in 1978. I was a professional volunteer during my kids school years working in the PTA on the local and state levels. I had many successes there and even won woman of the year here in Burlington for my volunteerism in 1985.
I was divorced in 2005. Have no regrets mostly because of my three wonderful supportive sons, their wives and my 5 and 1/2 grandchildren. My oldest grandson Seth is 15, Aaron is 12, Jacob is 7 and my only girl out of all of them is Sariah 5. My youngest grandson , James is 16 mos. The new one coming is also a boy. THE NEW ONE CAME March 21st! My oldest son is an FBI agent living in Washington DC. My middle son works for American Ordiance, an ammunitions plant, here in Burlington, as a contract administrator and my youngest son has worked in a very high end restaurant here in town overlooking the Mississippi River. He has been there nine years and has worked himself into part of the managment team. I currently work for our local YMCA/YWCA at the membership services desk. I love my job, I work with great people and I love being involved with the public. Even though I was one of the quiet ones and not very outgong I am looking forward to the reunion. Somewhere in the last 50 years I found my voice so the quiet part would come as a suprise to my family!

I also have returned to the volunteer life by accepting the position of Treasurer to our Friends of the library here in Burlington. We have an active used book store within our new public library. My daughter-in-law, who is on the board, volunteered my services when the treasurer had to step down. It's a good thing I get along with all my son's wives....

Since I didn't start at Schurz until my sophomore year, I wasn't able to enter a regular biology class, so they put me into a botany class. I didn't really mind because I wasn't too crazy about cutting up a yucky frog! Anyhow, during that year of botany we had a science fair and we were encouraged to create something that representd a subject we had studied. So, I baked a cake,formed it into the shape of a kernal of corn and I labeld the appropriate parts of a kernal with different colored frosting. I received a ribbon for 5th place for the most unusual! What's really sad is that I still have the ribbon!

I have fond memories of being lost in the triangle, (memorable) lunches in the caferia, and lively discussions in Mr. White's history classes.

I enjoyed the group in my DE Class and I have fond memories of music class with Mrs. Schultheis.
And who could forget those lovely green gym suits that when properly starched could stand alone!