WISCONSIN HIGH 50th REUNION
I left Madison after my sophomore year at the "U" and moved to Korea, which is where I met Fran, a nurse from Jersey. We were married in 62'. I finished up my undergrad work in geophysics and then a grad degree in social work before becoming a city planner in Honolulu. My Dad was recruited to Hawaii to start a geophysics institute. He died in harness in 82'. My mother hung on until she was 88 yrs old.
We moved to the Big Island in 74' after a stint in Bangladesh and Vietnam. I founded an adoption agency, Fran started a home health care agency and we farmed and built our own home from soup to nuts. Our five kids have now scattered, a nurse in Canada, an businessman /owner of assisted living facilities in Oregon, a food stylist in San Fran, an internet sales person in Ohio, and a chef in Hawaii. There are five grand kids all just finishing high school.
We live modestly by the Little Applegate river in southern Oregon, where between hospital visits I build fancy shrines, garden and write unreadable spy books of smuggling, nuclear waste, and imaginary heroes with futuristic toys.
Pete Wolfe is about the only classmate I have been in regular touch with. Pete, Steve Plater, Tom Stafford and I used to hunt together.
Editors note: In a separate e-mail, Monroe shared that he is dealing with several health issues, but says he will recover and gives much credit to his wife to whom “I owe my life several times over.” He also said: “My joy has been the adoption business and I have placed over five thousand kids from around the world. Along the way, I have been a city planner, contractor, naval architect and farmer with a touch of geophysics thrown in.”