Diana (Miller) Anderson

Hi! Boy, it doesn't seem possible that 25 years have passed already! I got married in 1978 (enough about that!) and became the mother of four boys, who are now ages 21, 18, 17 and 14. The two oldest live in South Carolina with their father for the past year, and the two youngest live with me.  Mike and Dane, the two oldest, are working construction, and Phil, 17, is looking forward to joining the Marines when he graduates next year.  Heath is just entering high school, and is already a great wrestler, with an undefeated season this year, all pins! 

I worked for an electronics firm where we built guidance systems for the SLAM and Tomahawk missiles, as well as for military planes and ships, as the lead person in customer returned goods. I  did this for 9 years, until I couldn't stand the fact that I was making a contribution to the nuclear arms race, which I totally didn't believe in, so I quit.  This was after my divorce, and I was left with four very rambunctious boys to raise on my own.  I decided to go back to school, and I graduated from the University of Iowa with a BA in Social Work on May 12, 2001.  In August, I will begin the MSW program.  Obviously, I'm not out for big bucks (social work doesn't exactly lead the field in salary), but it's a field that I love and believe in.   I guess I find being broke all the time a challenge, but I'm having fun doing it!  I am planning on doing community social work, which I am already involved in in many ways, serving on community boards and groups, and lobbying for welfare reform and homeless issues, plus mental health issues.  I do alot of public speaking, and I really love it.  I am very involved in my church, where I am known as the "resident activist" and have been to Washington on several occasions to lobby for this and that, and hope to make a career of it.  I can't believe this is my life - I was always so shy and such a shadow in high school, I never pictured myself speaking out loud in front of more than two people at a time!  I feel so fortunate.

I am looking forward to seeing everyone at the reunion - I live in Cedar Rapids, Iowa for the past 16 years, and it's only a couple of hours away, so I'll be there.  Hope to visit with everyone and catch up on what everyone's been up to!  See you all soon.

You can email me at [email protected].