I currently live in Naperville, Illinois.  I am sorry I will not be able to attend the reunion.  Please pass on my thanks to the Reunion Committee for all their work.  It is especially appreciated by those of us who are unable to attend.  I don’t even know how many reunions our class has had.  I was able to go to the 10^th but missed the 31^st.  Don’t know if there was another after that one.  Recently I found the record “I Want to Harmonize” done by the Y’s Guys and the Teddy Notes.  It sounded so great.  My husband, Ronald,  has made a CD of it, scratches and all.

I know everyone will have a wonderful time at the reunion.  Maybe everyone will have such a good time that a decision will be made to have a 55^th reunion and that one I should be able to attend.

As always,

Kay (Schwartz) Van Buskirk

Four years after graduating from Waukesha High, I was graduated from UW at Whitewater.  With the exception of one year, 1966-67, I taught elementary school for the Cajon Valley Union School District in El Cajon, California, near San Diego.  In 1995 after 33 years, I retired.  During our marriage, John and I have been fortunate enough to travel to most of the places we wanted to see.  Presently, John and I are busy with our home, business interests, and a few cats.  I have many plans and aspirations that I would like to accomplish, but won’t go into detail at this time.

How do you condense fifty years into a couple of paragraphs? I guess you don't, so here I go.
After graduation I attended UW-Madison for two years, and then married Jon Walters in 1961. We moved to Philadelphia where he had taken an engineering position. A year later we were transferred back to WI. Our daughter Katy was born in 1963 while we were living in Milwaukee. We moved out to Hartland the following year as we both were avid sailors and wanted to live on the lake.  Our son Mark was born in 1965. Katy and her husband live near Watertown, and she works in Madison for DOC. Mark lives in Madison with his fiancé and he is director of classified personnel for UW -Madison.

We purchased our first dog in 1965, an Irish Setter, joining the kids and a Siamese cat. I am including this fact as it will influence the rest of my life. Having the dog and two little kids chasing each other around the house created a zoo like atmosphere, so  the dog went to obedience classes. From that time forward training and showing dogs has been a major part of my life.  Jon joined in the sport and we traveled much of the Midwest and eastern US showing dogs.  The next few years were spent raising kids doing what most young couples do.

In 1975 I started my own business in Hartland. The Silver Leash is a pet grooming and retail pet supply store. In the beginning we also did dog training classes. The business became very successful and still is. Its now owned by one of my closest friends.

In 1979 Jon and I divorced. We are still good friends both being remarried and living only 90 miles apart here in the south. 

In 1980 I visited a long time friend in San Antonio TX for Christmas, and after being delayed in my return to WI because of a major snow storm I decided to move south for the first time, the destination was San Antonio. I  lived there for almost 3 years working for one of the first computer companies in customer service. The singles scene was very active and I had an interesting social life.  During this time  I had maintained a long time friendship with my present husband Don Williquette, and I moved back to Waukesha in 1984.

During my time in Wisconsin I worked as a travel agent, and  was sailing again this time on Lake Winnebago.  I met the owners of the marina who also had a sailboat business on South Miami Beach FL. I was offered a position there as the director of their sailing school which I accepted .  I purchased a 37" sailboat and lived aboard in Miami for two years. Then wanting to see the Caribbean I took the boat the Abaco Islands in the Bahamas, living there for six months. What a life sailing and partying.  

When I returned to FL it was to the west coast, Where Don and I finally married with a ceremony on the deck at the marina in 1994.  We build a home at the marina the following year. With our own home I decided I wanted another dog to train and show. I purchased breed that is  fairly rare here in the states, a Petit Basset Griffon Vendeen (PBGV). I still train and show the breed.  Don had been involved in Golden Retrievers for many years, and we acquired a Golden girl.  Shortly, we had another PBGV and kept a puppy out of the Golden's second litter. This necessitated a move out of the gated community. Moving to a community next door we stayed in FL until 2005 when Hurricane Charlie blew us to the South Carolina Upstate, where we are now located. The area is very similar to the WI Kettle Moraine with out the horrible winters. I spend my time showing & training dogs, judging dog shows, boating and gardening.

We celebrated our third childhood last fall buying a Miata to drive on the mountain roads. All in All life is a ball.