Dodie Cook

Evora Alemendes Mesolithic Site with Jerry and Dodie

While I won’t be able to attend the 50th reunion, I want to send greetings. It is hard to blieve it has been 50 years since we graduated from high school. I'ts all rather surreal, because I don't feel that old!

This summer Jerry and I will celebrate our 46th anniversary. We have lived in Green Bluff, north of Spokane, for the past 38 years. I continue as the Director of Educational Services for Providence, but my role has expanded to include all of Providence Health Care serving Spokane and Stevens County. While I enjoy my work, I plan to retire in about two years. I also serve on the Board of Trustees for Group Health Cooperative based out of Seattle, and that keeps me busy with frequent trips to the west side. Jerry maintains our place and never runs out of things to do.

In 2007, I was diagnosed with a rare autoimmune blood clotting disorder after a small stroke (luckily with no disability or after effects). Fortunately, a brilliant Spokane vascular neurologist diagnosed it before a major stroke occurred, and I am now forever on anticoagulant meds. My way of coping has been to learn as much I can about the disease from a scientific perspective. In my case, it is related to a mild asymptomatic case of systemic lupus diagnosed in 2001. (With increasing age, everyone seems to talk more and more about their health issues - some friends of ours call this "Florida talk!")

Here's the Family!

We still travel internationally, although not as frequently as before. The long haul flights are more and more exhausting the older we get. Last year, we were in the eastern Mediterranean and Adriatic, Latvia and Lithuania (where Jerry has relatives).

Our oldest son, Geoff, teaches at WSU in Pullman. Tim, our youngest, and his wife, Tiffany, live in the Seattle area and both work at Costco headquarters in Issaquah in the IT department. Alas, no grandchildren!

Best wishes to you all as you celebrate this incredible milestone!