Linda Deuble and I chose the secure path, blazed earlier by our sisters, Nancy and Diane, to Ohio Wesleyan. There, I fell in love with most of the Beta pledge class, who mysteriously disappeared by the first semester of our sophomore year. (Later f learned they had all flunked out, and I hoped I hadn't played a role in their fate.) More profitably, I fell in love with American and English literature and that love would lead to a career in teaching. I also fell out of love with the sorority system, removing the Pi Phi arrow above my left breast and de-activating when an Asian pre-med student friend was deemed unworthy. Other revolutionary activities included founding the campus SNCC chapter, leading a silent protest demonstration after the Birmingham bombings that killed three little girls, wearing long hair and black turtle necks and hunching over steaming java in coffee houses.

My freshman year was grounded by regular Sunday morning breakfasts with Roger Isackes, reminiscing about our high school classmates and planning our futures.

Immediately after graduating, I married Fred Shults, who had become a professor and coach at Oberlin College. He was eleven years older and had, been our 6th grade gym teacher at Prospect. Fred offered me security, continuity with Oberlin, and a three month camping road trip across the U.S. and Canada. Throughout our marriage we shared a love of the outdoors and sports, leftist politics and most importantly, the birth and growth of two great children, Jennifer Marie and Jeffrey Fairchild Shults. He also taught me to play squash, and I became good enough to triumph over the local men and to become the Women's State Champion.

Our marriage ended after twelve years amid the usual anguish, which felt unbearable for everyone at the time. Fortunately, we all seem to have survived. Jenny and Jeff are strong and centered, and Fred and I can enjoy friendly conversations about their lives and loves. Jenny is a chiropractor living with her boyfriend Sundance in Oakland, California, and Jeff is a consultant doing creativity training with executives in Silicone Valley. I treasure our phone conversations and e-mails.

In 1986 I married Bob Soucy, an Oberlin professor who taught French History, European Intellectual History, and a seminar on Paris in the 1920s. He has published four books, and his studies have given me the adventure of extended trips to Paris. We have also traveled to London, Wimbledon and the Lake District, the French Riviera and Monaco, and Venice and Florence. I never thought I'd get out of Ohio ! This past year we spent a week at Robert Redford's Sundance Institute in Utah, and I realized the dream of learning to fly fish. Bob is the center and sparkle of my life. We love independent and foreign films, reading, the antics of grandchildren, and we just whipped two young, athletic tennis champs to win a mixed doubles tennis tournament.

I have a fabulous job teaching adults and co-ordinating a countywide literacy program. I am currently excited by classes we are developing in the county jail where we have found many bright, eager to learn young men. I have gotten involved in local government as a member of the Human Relations Commission and recently was selected to participate in a yearlong program called "Leadership Lorain County". I am toying with running for local office after I retire. Life is now good.

The 40^th reunion was magic. Thanks to all the efforts by so many. I especially enjoyed the slumber party at my mom's with Linda Deuble and Susie Vance. Even better was golf with Linda, Barb Bukovac Landsman and Rick Laurence, and winning 20 cents from Bob Singleton with a par three on the 18^th hole at Fox Creek. … Love to all, Sharon

---

Go back to our Oberlin High School 1960 web site.