Amy Miller Rouse

amyrouse@pacbell.net

Not long after graduation I entered the Air Force and served for six years, during which time I married and gave birth to my daughter, Lisa, in Hawaii. A post-military job brought us to the Bay Area of California where I've been ever since.

A divorce after 15 years of marriage in 1996 was followed with meeting and ultimately marrying my best friend and husband of 10 years, Jay. (Our wedding day was the 20th year reunion, so our 10th anniversary is the 30th reunion!)

I've worked for (Pacific Bell / SBC) AT&T for nearly 15 years and am Director of Enterprise Design and Learning Architecture. It is demanding, cutting edge and very exciting. My husband is an engineer with Lawrence Livermore Labs on the National Ignition Facility (NIF) project, and my daughter graduated from Cal State with a degree in Criminal Justice and now with the City of San Jose in Police Dispatch.

My mom, now 83, still lives in Longview in the house I grew up in. Every time I visit I walk down to Columbia Heights Elementary and Cascade Jr. High and wander around seeing what's new. So many good memories from those years!

Recently "found" a bunch of folks via Sue Riss Daley's profile on FaceBook and then found this site. How fun! Can't believe it's been 30 years... Thanks for setting it up!

Music was the main thing I remember, Singers and Orchestra. A tour down the Oregon Coast performing. Making that record with the class of '78 and '77 (I still have it!) and spending hours in the music room.

Passing notes with my best friend, Kris Nicholson, was my favorite pastime and I fondly recall a hilarious birthday party a bunch of us threw for Donna York where we "roasted" her. (I recall something about a dissected frog "borrowed" from Mr. Ahmer's biology class, wrapped in a box with a pretty bow...)

In 2008 I was so sad to lose two very dear friends from the class of '79, Angela Miller Lyons and Diana Wilson. Both were my best friends from early grade school (we were Blue Birds and Camp Fire girls together and attended the same church from 1st grade through graduation). I attended Diana's memorial service where she was fondly remembered by everyone. I regret I lost touch with Angela after she moved to Texas but I kept up with her kids (they look just like her!) via Christmas cards and our moms. They both leave behind many people who loved them very much.

I still LOVE to read and write, still play music (lead worship at church, keyboards and vocals). Love to travel and spend at least a couple of weeks in Mexico every year and get to the mountains as often as possible for hiking, white water rafting or kayaking, and just recharging. I garden and cook and have friends over to enjoy both.

The most amazing vacation, hands down: Our honeymoon in New Zealand 10 years ago. Most of our time was spent driving all over the South Island. We loved it so much we plan on going back for a delayed 10th anniversary trip next spring. I can't wait!