Class Notes - Part 2

Henry and I just returned from a road trip along the North Cascades Scenic Highway. The attached photo was taken at the summit at Washington Pass. Our state of Washington is such a beautiful place!

I finally retired from 43 years of teaching and am loving every minute of no more alarm clocks! Since my mother just passed away, Henry and I have taken over all the family photos and memorabilia and are busy organizing and digitizing what we can. Hillary, 28, is living and working in Edinburgh, Scotland. Yes, we are planning a trip! Heather, 33, is happily married and lives over in Walla Walla, Washington with a one year old and almost three year old darling little boys. I am hoping to spend more time with these two energetic boys and have already had much joy with their hugs.

I send my warm regards to you and all our classmates and to everyone happy holidays!

I was at HKIS 1972-1975, graduating in '75. I arrived in Hong Kong right before I turned 2 years old in 1960 and attended British schools unless I was in the USA. Starting at HKIS in 1972 was fun from the start and helped me prepare for returning to the US for college after graduation. I am still in touch with many friends from those years.

After HKIS I attended Vanderbilt University, graduating in 1979. I went to Honduras 1979-1981 with a program similar to Peace Corps. I attended Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary from 1981 through 1984. I moved to Northern Virginia to work as a Minister of Education in a church from January 1985 until 1987.

I met my husband, David Caviness during that time and we were married in February 1988. David worked for Verizon until his retirement. I took part time jobs in churches for the next few years. My first child, Emily, was born in 1989. My second child, Stephen came almost exactly 2 years later in 1991. In 1993 we moved to a house in Clifton, VA, where we still live! I stayed home with my children, working very part time jobs in childcare programs.

In the last 1990s I taught music in a nearby public school while my children were in school for 3 years. Then in 2000, I stayed home again and taught private piano lessons for 8 years. I was offered (and jumped at) a job teaching music at a private school for gifted children 2008. I retired from that job in December 2021. I loved teaching so much that in retirement I am working as a substitute teacher in public schools about 3 days a week.

The best part about this season of life is that I have grandchildren! My husband and I go to visit with them as often as possible. (Another benefit of being a substitute is that I can take off whenever I want.) My daughter Emily taught high school English for 10 years and is presently training new hires for an insurance company so that she can work from home. Her husband Robbie works supervising lawyers in a government agency. They live in Richmond, VA and have two children, Lyla is 6 and in 1st grade. She loves dance, art, and learning. Wesley is 1 1/2 and loves daycare and kicking or throwing any ball within reach.

My son, Stephen, and his wife, Kylie live in Syracuse, NY. It is so far away! After teaching middle school math for five years, he is working on his PHD in Math Education at Syracuse University. Kylie was able to keep her job with a Virginia firm where she is a civil engineer doing city planning. She loves traffic circles. They have one daughter, Marley, who is 8 months olds.

My life is happy and full. I go into Washington D.C. to attend many Nationals baseball games with my sister Deborah Smith (HKIS 1980) and for various other fun activities. My sister Karen Smith Moore (HKIS 1973) lives in Charlotte, NC and recently attended the 1973 class reunion in Charleston, DC. It is fun keeping in touch with alumni all over the world on FaceBook, several of them on a daily basis.

The life and times of David Knisely: After high school I went to NAU (Northern Arizona U.) in Flagstaff, AZ – a beautiful part of the world. I did two years and then decided I needed to become a productive member of society (aka a tax paying serf).

I moved to Phoenix, and my first real job was in a deli. That’s where I found out that I really liked being around food (mainly because I could eat all the time! Luckily I have a high metabolism so the more I eat the skinnier I get because it takes so much energy to digest all that food?!). Thus I got into catering and spent most of my career doing that. Mainly for the oil companies (and a few mining companies) and mostly in Alaska. Although I’ve been sent to Washington, North Dakota, Colorado and even the Virgin Islands.

I moved to Alaska in 1980 and still live there about half the time. I’m retired and spend the other half traveling. I’m presently in Thailand, then Laos (for the first time), Indonesia and Malaysia (also for the first time).

I did spend a year working in Japan (‘86-‘87) where I met my future ex-wife and mother of my two wonderful children (daughter 29, a special needs teacher and son 27, an electrician).

Because of their wonderfulness, I am able to be retired (as they don’t live in my basement –they probably haven’t figured out that if anyone, at some point, needs to be living in a basement, it’ll be me!?!). Also I have been informed that I will not ever become a grandfather – except to their dogs…

15 years ago my life was jolted by the passing of my husband. At the time I had one child out of college and three others in college in various stages. We had barely begun empty nesting when David lost his 9-year struggle with cancer. Seven years later I retired from teaching fifth grade and eventually moved back to my early childhood hometown of St Louis, MO.

Through the years God has graciously provided for me. Three of my children live in the same state as I do. I have three in-law kids, nine grandchildren including two foster-grands, and live near my mom (95) and three of my five sisters. I am very involved with my church and the renovation of a 98 year old house. Hopefully I'll be able to move in early in 2024.

Jesus continues to pour out His blessings and constantly amazes me. I love playing with and helping my grandkids as well as working in my gardens. The pace of my life is swift, my schedule is full, and my heart is filled with gratitude. To God be the glory! Soli Deo Gloria

This is a picture of the whole family (missing one child)

After graduation from HKIS, I went to Pepperdine in Malibu. I have been in So Cal ever since. After my first job, I landed @ Pentel in March of '83 and worked there for 39 yrs. I retired in June of '22. I held many positions @ Pentel, my last was the Supply Chain Manager. Mary and I met in 1985, we were married in 1991 and have one daughter Alex, who is 32. I have two grandchildren from Mary's other daughter Sayde, the two boys are in their early 20's. Mary & I are in Gardena, CA, we have lived in this house since '94.

My three siblings and I purchased a home on Maui in 2004. Mary & I go to Maui twice a year, it is our happy place. We have been to many reunions and I also keep in touch with people I met in HK in 1969. Some of them left before we graduated in '75.

I look forward to our 50th, I can help like we have done in the past.

Love Ya,
Steve

Other highlights:
I'm semi-retired from a career mostly in the corporate software world, been living in the foothills southwest of Denver for the last 20 years, but in Colorado since 1984. Divorced with one daughter who is a freshman at Colorado State University. For fun & fitness I mountain bike, gravel bike, ski, camp and hike in Colorado and Utah. I also hear some potential road trips to Montana, Idaho, and Wyoming calling.

Fun fact: both my sisters (Lynn - HKIS '77) and Jill (HKIS '80) live in the Greater Denver/Boulder area as well.