Subject: Pelini Bio
Date: Mon, 19 Aug 2002 18:41:43 EDT
From: Marich6105@aol.com
To:ALL

P.S. I'm sorry this came out so lengthy.

Here goes...I was set to go to Western Illinois on a state scholarship, but when my stepfather died a month after graduation the plans changed. It sounds unselfish to say I stayed home and went to work because I couldn't see myself going off to college and leaving my mom home with four kids (one of which was 8 mo. old). However, I think it was almost a relief for me. The scholarship covered books and tuition, but not room & board, and I really didn't know how I was going to pay for it. I didn't have a plan! Not mature enough to formulate one, I guess. Also, I wasn't looking forward to leaving Rich behind at Bradley. Aside from a few classes taken at ICC as an adult, I never pursued a degree. (That's one reason I so admire Laraine for graduating at 50!)

I worked as a secretary at Commercial Bank for two years (while enjoying the fringes of college life through Rich). A friend who was going to Europe with two sorority sisters the summer of '64 invited me to join them. Quit my job and spent two months going through Europe on a Eurail Pass. Came back to Peoria and went to work for Caterpillar, as a secretary once again. Absence must have made the heart grow fonder, because Rich finally proposed. We were married when he had just one semester left of graduate school. I stayed at Cat full time until our daughter Lori was born in 1967, and then worked part-time until '69 when our son Joe was born. Four years later along came Doug. (Two children--a girl and a boy-- seemed just too perfect.) When Doug was a year and a half old, we moved to Joliet for Cat for 18 months. There certainly were more glamorous spots, but I've always been happy we had the opportunity to understand how it feels to live in a city where you are completely disoriented. It's such a change from knowing where you are at all times, and never worrying about car trouble, because I probably knew someone's home within walking distance. It was an enlightening experience.

A transfer came sooner than expected, but we were happy to return to Peoria. I continued to stay at home with the children until the youngest was in 7th grade.

At that time a job as secretary to the president of an HMO just kind of presented itself. After two years I was asked to take over responsibilities for human resources. It was an exciting challenge, requiring some professional training. The company went from 25 employees to 75 employees and then went down to 0 after Caterpillar pulled their account. It was traumatic for all of us. During this four year period, I did serve as president of the local chapter of a national human resources professional association. I was surprised and honored to be asked to do it.

After closing the doors on the HMO, I took a 50% pay cut to work as secretary to the vice president of marketing at Proctor Hospital to get my foot in the door (remember, no college degree). Two years later, a different position; and then three years after that I became director of the hospital's senior program. This was primarily a public relations/business development position. After reading all the accolades heaped upon the PHS English Department by you who have much better means of comparison and assessment, I have come to appreciate that Mrs. Herke, Miss Peterson, and Miss Rice (why can't I recall the junior teacher?) probably contributed a great deal to my business success(?).

After five more years, I took early retirement. This allows flexibility to travel with Rich, visit precious grandchildren (two in Chicago area and two in Indianapolis area), and give more attention to my wonderful mother-in-law, who is 88. It's been almost two years now, and it's gone by so quickly. Besides the routine chores of life, days are filled with some volunteer responsibilities; two bridge clubs; CBS (Community Bible Study); walking; golf; reading; TLC (favorite TV channel); and of course, email! Our three children are doing well, though I truely believe that they will probably not live as long as we (class of '62) because of the frenetic pace of life these days. They began it much earlier than we did, don't you think?

I am very blessed! I am close with all my sisters; have wonderful friends; and a husband who is a good man that any woman would be proud of. That brings my life up the minute. The latest highlight was our reunion weekend. I'm not the female writer that is being sought for the "book" project, so I can't express very well how nice it was to touch base with and be touched by all of you from the past who have participated in some way in this event.

Marilynn Pelini Hermann