Claire (Grant) Machinist

(Editor's Note - The following was received from Claire on 05/05/07)
I have been living in Graylake Ill with Miss Ophelia (the cat) for three year. I have been single for 8 years, and retired from nursing after twelve years (2002) having thoroughly loved my career.
Two of our daughters (Karen and Katherine) live in the area and my former husband (Joe) and I thoroughly enjoy our five grandchildren (ages5-11). Our daughter Debra is single and lives in Indianapolis, IN. 
I still enjoy quilting, but since my retirement have been able to travel. In April of this year I visited the Netherlands and look forward to a trip to Italy just before coming to the reunion. May of last year found me on an Elderhostel for two weeks to Japan. I have enjoyed barge cruising down the Danube, and Elderhostels in Oregon, Vermont, and this month in Santa Fe ( In the late 60's Joe and I lived in Los Alamos, NM while he was on a post doc. It is a favorite part of the country for me.) I am able to attend quilt expositions yearly in Paducah, KY and Houston TX.
 I wonder why I bought a house....I'm hardly home! My life is good and for that I am very grateful. From the pictures I checked out of the web site, everyone looks pretty good. I am really looking forward this the reunion. Good grief, is it really 50 years??!!

1997 recap. Claire married Joseph Machinist and has 3 children, Karen Schmidt, Katherine Dierckens, & Debra. After graduate school she worked as a lab technician and then stayed home.  She owned a yarn shop for 13 years, closed it and went back to school to earn RN and then work as an office nurse in a pediatric office.  Her interests include quilting, (When she closed the yarn shop in 1990 she started quilting and hasn't stopped.)