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Today's Featured Biography

 
Sheila Clark Lappin

I joined several of our classmates @ Barnes Hospital School of Nursing after graduation. HOWEVER, I was swept of my feet by a dashing rogue whom I'd met in Decatur just prior to leaving for St. Louis, so I quit and got married instead!

Never regretting my decision, Bob and I were still madly in love when he died of complications of cancer in 2007. We have 3 wonderful children: Michelle, a grad of Millikin who is self-employed; Matthew, graduate of FL. State, a social worker; and Brian, an alumni of U of So.FL., our anal CPA.
We have 8 grandchildren ranging from 18 to 2 years of age.

We lived 5 years in St. Louis, loving it immensely, before returning to Decatur to be close to family. Our long term plan was to get the heck out of Decatur though, after getting the kids out of HS. We moved to Knoxville, TN, in 2001, and I can see the Smoky Mtns from here. We love the Southern lifestyle and friendliness and amenities afforded to us by living in E. TN: weekly visits to Gatlinburg, Pigeon Forge, the Smokies, etc. Speaking of the Smokies...the Chicago Cubs AA baseball franchise is here, with Ryne Sandberg as manager! That's always a fun evening. We have the Tennessee River and riverboats. Lots of fun -- and often free -- things to do! We have the Univeristy of TN (Go Vols!) -- which includes 8-time NCAA women's basketball champs!! (Just a minute...I have to fan myself and get my composure back...ok, I'm better now.)

I finally got back to nursing in the late 70's and worked as an OB nurse at DMH until I had the last baby. I spent several years as Executive Director of New Life Pregnancy Center before opening a gift boutique on Merchant St (Loving Gestures). After the big tornado on the west side of town in 1996, that took our home on Ravina Pk Rd, we closed the store, moved to Country Club Rd (where we became neighbors of Chris Mauterer!) and began making final plans to move to TN. Those "final plans" still required getting the last kid out of EHS, and finding just the right spot here.

Our daughter Michelle and her family lives here too, so we've had a wonderful time with them so close. And we're not far from Brian and his family near Cincinnati, and Matthew and his brood in Tallahassee. I worked for awhile as a medical coder before being "down-sized", then for a few months in an oncology office before leaving to care for my dying husband.

Since that time I've chosen not to work for awhile. Now I'm ready to get back to work -- if I can find a job! Wow! It's rough out there! I plan to reinstate my nursing license by the end of the year and get back out there. In the meantime, I'm enjoying my family and my friends (I belong to 2 Red Hat groups), and my volunteer activities. My church family is also very dear to me, and I thank God everyday for them and for His loving care for me.

I haven't received an invitation to the reunion, but I appreciate Gerry tracking me down and leaving that phone message last weekend. I have no idea if I can swing a trip to Decatur at this late date, but I think of several of you fairly regularly. I'm so glad to discover this site. I hope to hear from some of you, either here or on Facebook (yes, this Granny has joined the 21st century).

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