Cathy McGinn Hargraves

I left Dayton in August 1975 and moved to Texas, where I attended college, got married, and raised two children. My spouse served in the Foreign Service, so we moved every few years, both within the U.S. and overseas.

I lived in the Washington, DC area for ten years and spent more than six of those years working at the White House before returning to Texas in June 2009. In 2012, we moved to Rome, Italy, and later to Mexico City.

After Mexico City, we returned to our home in Falls Church, Virginia, where we remained until my husband retired in 2020. We have since moved back to Texas and now live in Cypress, just outside of Houston.

Val and I were on the sidelines keeping stats at a Varsity football game. I was busy writing and not paying attention to the ball when, the next thing I knew, I was on the ground UNDER four or five of the players along with the ball. Not sure what was worse, the pain or the embarrassment.

After leaving Dayton in 1975
San Marcos, Tx
Garland, Tx
Rowlett, Tx
San Antonio, Tx
Sugarland, Tx
Houston, Tx
San Salvador, El Salvador
Nassau, Bahamas
Falls Church, VA (DC area)
Cypress, TX
Stuttgart, Germany
Rome, Italy
Mexico City, Mexico

Valeria McFadden Thacker
Cindy Marsala Schwienberg
Berta Beesler Berkham

No

Retires

Married in 1978; we met in college.

I have GREAT memories of Val, Cindy, and Bert as well as Val's convertable camero, Mr. Misty floats, Mr. Heinke, football and basketball stats, LOTS of rolls of toilet paper, and last but not least, Wright Brothers Memorial at night!

NOTHING

During my time in the Washington, DC area, I had the opportunity to meet President and Mrs. Bush and members of his Cabinet, as well as President and Mrs. Obama and several of his Cabinet officials. I also met former British Prime Minister Tony Blair and his wife, Cherie, along with a number of U.S. governors, members of Congress, journalists, and television personalities.

Along the way, I crossed paths with John Walsh of America’s Most Wanted and country music singer Larry Gatlin — experiences I never could have imagined when I first left Dayton.

Too many times to count. Good thing my hand writing looked just like my mother's.

The increasing hostility in our political discourse and what it means for the future of our country.

Stay engaged in what’s happening in your community, your state, and your country. Be informed. Participate when you can. Support the policies you believe in, and respectfully speak up when you don’t.