After our graduation from Roy-Hart, I attended the School of Pharmacy at the University of Buffalo. On the way to graduation from UB, I decided to marry the love of my life (Sally Clayton, RH Class of ’67). We tested the adage “Two can live as cheaply as one,” as we lived in Buffalo’s “low-income” housing. It was quite an experience as well as quite a bargain—our rent was $50/month which included all our utilities except our telephone.

Upon graduation from UB, we moved to Medina where I began my career as a pharmacist at Goodwin’s Pharmacy. In 1982, Don Goodwin (my boss) and I formed a partnership and started The Medicine Shoppe (an apothecary type of pharmacy). The Lord really blessed the business beyond our most ambitious dreams. Don retired in 1989, and I became the sole proprietor in 1993. I have found being a business owner and a professional pharmacist both challenging and rewarding.

Sally and I have been blessed with two wonderful children. Elisabeth (Beth) was born in 1973. We learned to love gymnastics, piano and French horn renditions, jazz band, marching band, volleyball, and many other “girl things” along the way. She was chosen as Orleans County Jr. Miss during her Senior year of high school. She graduated from Ithaca College with a bachelors degree in Music Education. After teaching for a few years, she married a wonderful man from Niagara Falls, and began to attend UB working on her Masters. She remains at UB now working on her Ph. D. in early childhood education. They have been blessed by the birth of their son, Gianni Paul. He is our pride and joy, needless to say. Don’t ask us about him unless you want to spend a couple hours listening!

Our son, Stephen, was born in 1975. Along the way we learned to love junior mini-league baseball to varsity ball, football, soccer, marching band, jazz band, and many other “boy things”! He graduated as valedictorian from Medina HS Class of ’93. (He must have gotten his brains from his mother who was valedictorian of her class!) Steve went to the Naval Academy in Annapolis. While there, he rowed all four years with the heavyweight crew—their team winning the national championship one of those years. After graduating in ’97, he served in the Marine Corps. He married a beautiful girl who captivated his heart and filled his home with four dogs. He has since left the service, and is currently a contractor/finish carpenter in the beautiful off-road area of the Outer Banks of North Carolina. We love to go visit them and have HAD to buy an H-3 just to go see them!

My outside interests are many and varied. My faith is very important to me. I currently serve as an Elder (yes, I guess I AM getting older) at Hartland Bible Church and teach Adult Sunday School. Once a week I also teach a class at Somerset House, which is a home for recovering alcoholics and drug addicts. In July, Sally and I will be going to Romania on a short term missions project to a mission center under construction which will minister to many orphans.

Since 9/11, I have become involved in emergency preparedness and bioterrorism. As a member of the SMART team (Strategic Medical Assistance Response Team) of WNY, we have been trained to respond to acts of bioterrorism in the eight counties of WNY. Since I received this training, I have become the president of the Orleans County Public Board of Health.

Well, guess that’s enough about me. I have enjoyed reading the biographies of many of our classmates. I hope to see many of you at the reunion and wish all my classmates the best life has to offer.

Growing older is mandatory—maturation is optional!
Laughing at yourself is therapeutic!
God bless you all.