Richard Maynard

Let's see. After I graduated, I went to college at UNI and basically had fun for three years before dropping out. I helped start a dinner theater in Des Moines in '73 and worked there for a year. Then, I finished my BA at Simpson ('76). After that, I went to California and got my MFA in Theater ('78). For a long while ('79 - '93), I lived in NYC and worked as an actor. In the early '90's, I started teaching English to people who didn't know it. I didn't mean for this to become a second career, but that's what happened. In '93, I moved to NW Arkansas to be closer to my parents, who had moved there in the mid-80's. For the next 11 years, I taught English at the University of Arkansas to international students who were preparing to enter a college or university in the US.

My plan was to be at the U of A for about five years and then move somewhere overseas and teach. But that never happened - or hasn't happened yet. My father became seriously ill in 1998 and passed away later that year, and then my mom got cancer in 2001 and died a year later. You never know how much you'll miss your parents until they're gone. I don't think it matters how old you are.

I was still planning to take a teaching position abroad, but fate intervened again, only this time in a much more positive way. On a trip to Indianola, I ran into Jan Gaumer, who had moved back from San Francisco to care for her ailing parents. I hadn't seen Jan since I visited her in SF in 1978. We kept in contact and about a year later decided this was more than just a friendship. (I knew almost at once. It took her awhile.)

I moved back to Indianola in August of 2004. Jan Gaumer and I were married in May of 2006. Jan was an RN for most of her working life, and retired in 2016. I've been teaching at the Des Moines Area Community College since 2005. I have one more week, and then I'm retired, too. Hooray! I loved teaching, but it was time to move on.

I was co-producer and co-founder of a theatre company in Des Moines. We're now in our 10th year, but with a new name after merging with another local theatre. I'm no longer the Managing Director (I retired from that in 2015), but still a company member.

We had to put down our beloved Australian Blue Heeler, Buddy, late in 2017. He was just getting too old. Also, one of our cats last November. We're now down to one cat. No kids between Jan and me, which also means no grandchildren. We have these lovable pets and, more importantly, several very great nieces and nephews, whom we love as if they were our grandkids.

I'm really looking forward to retirement. I welcome no more deadlines. At least, a lot fewer. I hope to see everyone at our 50th reunion on Sept 8.

This actually happend in junior high. I've told it numerous times. It was Nov. 22, 1963. Remember that day?

We were in Mr. Stovers 8th Grade English Class. Right in the middle of Mr. Stover's lecture, Ron Bottorff shouted out, "The President's been shot!" Mr. Stover got really angry. He strode to the back of the room, and I remember him getting red in the face and wagging his finger at Ron. Bottorff tried to explain that someone had run past the room and shouted that from the hall. Mr. Stover said something to the effect that if Ron was just being his wiseass self, there was going to be hell to pay.

When Mr. Stover left, we all turned to Bottorff and said that wasn't funny, nothing to joke about. Ron was still pleading his case.

Well, you know the rest of the story.
It was true. What's ironic is that was probably one of the only times Bottorff tried to be serious and he almost got punished for it.

That's always been my "Where were you when..." story.