Missing Class of 1969

Today's Featured Biography

 
Ellen Beatty Jervis

What have I been up to you may be asking yourselves? Life has been very interesting for me.

Work History:
After college [BS in Art from UW] I spent some time doing a lot of things other than applying my degree. As I recall my father used to remind me about that quite a bit. Looking back on it however I think that was a good choice. Every job was interesting and I honed skills that otherwise would have gone unrealized. In one way or another since then I have used all of them and nothing learned has been wasted. I like to believe my resume is nothing if not interesting.

Over an eighteen-year period my long list of jobs have included country mail carrier, illustrator, graphic artist, clerking and scan coordinating in a grocery store. As well as acting. All these jobs strangely enough came in handy in surviving my few years as a substitute teacher and three years as the art education director for adolescents and children living in a mental hospital. Those are children I will never forget. Afterwards I returned to substitute teaching while trying to land a job with the school district. However it was clear after a few years that working in the public system was not going to be a good fit. I decided working for myself was the best choice and started my own eBay business specializing in hard to find board games and a unique selection of oddball collectibles. For a period of time I also taught some eBay classes for the Federal Small Business Administration.

Marriage:
In 1990, at age 39, I finally fell in love and had the most remarkable marriage. Marriage by my estimation is the best job anyone two people can share. Dane and I had a marriage that was truly a heavenly designed partnership. However, it was a shorter life together than I had hoped for. After waiting all that time for my first love I finally began to have dreams of growing old with someone - dreams that I had abandoned after years of singleness. God had other ideas. Dane died in 2002.

Despite our short time together I feel incredibly blessed as Dane left me something unexpected. He left in me a legacy of discovery. Our life together so profoundly changed me that I am still uncovering the depths of it’s treasure. Today I pursue life with a remarkable clarity illustrated from time to time with a need to find my compassion towards others. Whenever I run into folks who may be indifferent towards me I find myself praying for them and looking for the hope they can find their own capacity for charity.

All these life lessons are now being poured into my passion that I began to pursue when I married Dane. With his encouragement I fell in love with the theatre again. Something I adored as a child but was too timid to explore. Dane and five remarkable women who where part of my church drama team helped me find my voice. To this day I still hope to do something very special there.

That brings things up to date. Except to say that while I look for some new theatre projects and a new church home, I am also getting ready to return to my once thriving eBay business. In addition I am looking forward to my new role as the caretaker for my 88-year-old mother, who is now living with me and my cat. I adore my mother and I am very grateful to have a comfortable home I can share with her.

Life can be amazing. So far mine has taken me down some bumpy and twisty roads as well as sunny paths. I am blessed to have survived my dark valleys long enough to enjoy the mountain tops highs and hope to do so time and again for many years to come. All and all I think my life is just getting started.

~ Ellen

VIEW ALL BIOGRAPHIES