Attending the Academy were the two best years of my high school career. Unlike Orel, I loved Syntax. I was so glad I had taken my book home the night before the fire even though I didn’t have homework to do that night. I still have my book to this day though I haven’t looked at it in a long time. There were so many opportunities that I had while at CBA that I would not have had if I had stayed in Adams. Of course, music was a big part of it for me. Being in choir, triple trio and ensemble were highlights especially all the trips they involved. Being part of a larger class and school was great. It was good getting to know kids from other areas and how we could come together to form a unique student body. Working as a class on our Junior and Senior plays was an exciting time. And as we worked together as a class to raise money for our senior trip, we had some good times. So many experiences that I’m sure shaped each one of us. After graduation, I attended Tabor College for two years. My intended major was accounting, which I was not able to receive there. I would have had to transfer to another college. I was undecided where I wanted to attend so I decided to work for a year. During Chapel one day before the end of my sophomore year, the Mennonite Board of Missions and Services presented a program about Christina Service. I felt led to apply for this program and was accepted. So, in September of 1971, I moved to Phoenix and began a one-year term. After applying for jobs at several places, I was hired by St. Josephs Hospital as a File Clerk in the Financial Counseling Department. After five months, I received a promotion and became Receptionist for the department. In December of ’71, I met Jamie and we started dating. We got engaged in April ’72 and got married in December of ’72. I quit my job at the hospital shortly before we got married and didn’t start working again until October of ’73. I then started working at The Salvation Army Broadway Center as Receptionist / Bookkeeper / Secretary. The Broadway Center was located in the heart of South Phoenix, which was predominately black. That was a big learning experience for me. It was a new experience to be in the minority not the majority as far as race was concerned. Our daughter, Janie, was born in October of ’74. I had planned on going back to work on a part time basis after she was born but quickly changed my mind. Motherhood became my full time job. In April of ’75, we left Arizona and moved to Oklahoma (back home for me). It was really good to leave the big city and come back to “Rural America”. It is a much better place to raise a family (at least I think so). In February of ’76, our son Jaylon was born. Now I really had my hands full. In 1983, after my kids were both in school, I started working part time at the Adams Post Office as the PMR (Postmaster Relief). In the fall of ’92, as changes were being made, I was appointed OIC (Officer in Charge) for the Adams Office for 13 months. After that time, I went back to PMR. My kids attended Adams School for grades K-8, and then they transferred to Hooker for their high school years. I was privileged to serve on the Adams School Board for 5 years during part of that time. It was a learning experience for me. The last year I was on the board, Adams School was annexed to Hooker. It was a school fight that will always be remembered and one that should not have occurred. There was no reason for us to lose our school. Two of the busiest years when my kids were in school were when Janie started high school and Jaylon was still in grade school. Keeping up with all the activities of two schools could be a challenge. Then add church activities to that. Our community started an Awana program in ’81 and I was involved in that for about nine years. For our area, we had a good-sized program and we participated in the Awana Olympics one year. Also, the leaders participated in a memorization contest, which was a highlight. In 1994, I started filling in at the Tyrone Post Office to help the Postmaster out when she did not have a PMR to fall back on. Then in ’96, I became PMR for that office. In January of ’97, I was appointed OIC for seven months. Tyrone is a much bigger office than Adams and, at least at first, was a much greater challenge (sometimes still is). Having to work 44 hours during the time when I was OIC was hectic. And I had no relief to fall back on. Thankfully, I never got sick during this time. After the seven months, I was back to PMR and I still hold that position. About nine years ago, I started attending Union Center Methodist Church, which is East of Adams. It is a small country church but it has been such a blessing for me. The fellowship has been wonderful and I have been strengthened in so many ways. I am involved with a number of committee’s and help teach the adult Sunday school class on a rotating basis. I am also the pianist for the church. I am much more involved than I ever was at the Mennonite Church. Another thing that requires my time is helping my mother at this stage of her life. I haven’t let her drive for about a year and a half. So, I take her when she needs to shop or go to the doctor. I think it is important for her to be able to remain in her own home for as long as possible. Those days may be limited, though My daughter didn’t go to college after she finished high school but worked instead. She got married in 1996 and they live about 25 miles from Adams. In the fall of 2002, her husband Shane went back to college and Janie started college in the fall of 2003. So, right now, they are busy getting their education so grandchildren are not in their immediate future. Jaylon graduated form OSU in 1998 with a degree in Computer Science and is working in the hospital in Liberal as a Support Specialist. He traveled to Boston recently for additional training for his job. Some of the hobbies I have enjoyed over the years are reading, embroidery, cross-stitch and my latest is piecing and quilting. It had been rewarding to be able to send articles that I have made to the CBA Auction to help the school in even a small way so that other students can have some of the opportunities I had. Judy "Weins" Patterson Back to Biography List