Karen C. Bowland (Hawks), Class of '65

Karen Bowland, 1965 and 1998 
 


I participated in as many sports as 'girls' were allowed to do at the time. I was Pres. once of BETA-TRI-Hi-Y, really liked ROTC as a sponsor to Bill Turman. Co-sponsored the rifle & drill teams. I have really enjoyed attending the 20 year, 30 and 35 year reunions!

After graduating we moved home to California. I attended Pasadena City College for one year. Out of 400+ girls, I made the semi-final list of 25 for the 1966 Rose Queen Contest. My second year of college was spent out in the desert at Victor Valley Jr. College. I then went to Continental Airlines for almost a year as a Flight Attendant based out of Dallas at the old 'Love Field'. In the spring of 1969 I returned to Cal. to get married to an Assistant Golf Pro. We were married for 6.5 yrs. During that time I went to work for a commerical grading construction company as a secretary. Our bosses retired and left the business to the V.P. and me in 1975. He and I got married in 1976 and ran the business until we closed out in 1988. We moved from S.Cal. in 1980 to the 'gold country' of northern Cal. to a ranch and continued to run the grading business by long distance. We began raising cattle at that time. In 1983 we switched from commercial grade beef to breeding and showing purebred Brangus. In the next nine yrs. we won almost every top honor in the state. In 1992 we moved to Chewelah, WA., an hour north of Spokane. My 'Ex' was 'called upon' to accept a new responsibility in caring for the younger lady and her children who had moved with us. They have since married and moved back to Canada where he was from originally. I was 'moved' to gracefully back out and get on with my life. I have since set an all time record for being in one house more than 4.5 yrs., and a record for being in one town more than 7 yrs. I played golf from Apr. to Oct. and bowedl in 5 leagues (Sec/Tr. of ALL of them plus sec. of one men's L.) from Sept. to Apr. In 2002 I was made the Local Asso. Sec/Tr. as I had computer availability. I printed out the weekly church bulletins for a Lutheran Church (for 9 yrs.) and attended the SDA Church for 3 yrs. I learned to snow mobile, and do quilting and knitting in my spare time. When I turned 50, I returned to my maiden name and got a neat tatoo of a butterfly on my ankle. I have had the pleasure of having many wonderful animals in my life. My beautiful 13.5 yr. old dog, Butch, had to be put down on 7/10/02 because he started having seisures much too frequently; he was an Aussie-healer-border collie-mix. "Peek-a-boo", my cat died in 2008. Brother, Warren,retired in '98 and doing well. His wife, Carla, is retiring this summer/2011 as a 2 Star General, who has been in charge of Walter Reed AMH and the Eastern Regional States. I got re-married in Sept. of 2003 to a wonderful man (Gene Hawks); together we love hunting, fishing and Square & Round Dancing. We live in MT in the summer and ARIZ. in the winter. Dad died from ALHZ complications in 2006, and Mom just passed away Sept. of 2012. I play tennis most of the winter while Gene works as a carpenter/remodel specialist in our RV park, and do as little as possible in the summers in Montana (yea).

September, 2012

Karen's e-mail address: tennisbumkc at gmail dot com    Contact information for Karen Baker Lions only

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