At eighteen I left Washington state and traveled to Oregon with my family. They left me at Pacific University in Forest Grove. This began two love affairs. I was soon dating the native Oregonian whom I would later marry; the other love was Oregon.

Except of two years in Washington, three in California, and two overseas, my husband and I have spent our life together in Oregon. Three of our four children were born here and two still live here.

I love Oregon’s natural beauty, from the arid southeast corner to high mountains, high desert, fertile valleys and the coast. I love our state parks. We need to preserve farmland, old growth forests, wilderness, and marine resources. Thanks to Oswald West, Tom McCall and others, for keeping our beaches for the people of Oregon. I wish there were more willingness to pay taxes so our citizens can have the services they need.

We have been married more than fifty years and have lived in the Clackamas Valley, on the east slope of the Cascade Mountains, and in the Rogue Valley. Now retired, we enjoy traveling and returning home to one of the world’s most beautiful coasts.