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Like many of you, I began my years at Macalester in the fall of 1954. Different from most of you, I spent two years at Mac, leaving in the spring of 1956 to pursue a working career to make some money before Andy Benjamin ’57 and my wedding in June 1957. I had been dating him and that seemed to be the wise thing to do.

Andy and I were married – we celebrated our 50th Anniversary in June 2007 — and then spent the next two years in Uncle Sam’s Army, during which time I worked near the base. Returning to St. Paul I again worked until the birth of our first child. With yet another child, I worked as a youth director and became active in United Methodist Women (UMW), serving four years as the district president.

I entered United Theological Seminary of the Twin Cities in 1970, completing a nine-credit course in Christian Education in 1973. We adopted two more children from Viet Nam, and I worked as a Christian education director at our church.

In 1977, I again entered Macalester through their Adult Scholar Program. For the next four years, I was wife, mother of four, college student, employed youth director and now a leader in the Conference UMW. I graduated from Macalester in 1981, with a BA in Religious Studies. I again entered United Theological Seminary of the Twin Cities, and graduated with a Master of Divinity Degree in 1984.

I was ordained in the UMC at this time and appointed to Normandale Hylands UMC in Bloomington, Minn., where I had been serving as a ministerial intern. In 1990 I was appointed to Dodge Center UMC, and in 1995 to First UMC in South St. Paul, where I retired from in 2001.

Through the generous gift provided in a will of a South St. Paul member, Andy and I were able to travel quite a bit. We walked the paths of Jesus on a Holy Land tour and then journeyed with Paul on trips to Greece, Turkey and the Greek islands. We learned of John Wesley’s England and visited the locales of the Seven Churches of the Revelation. Each trip expanded our knowledge of our biblical heritage and we now appreciate even more our Christian roots.

In retirement, we spend most of our time (May-October) at our cabin on Woman Lake. Time with our four children and eight grandchildren is our favorite past time! I do substitute preaching and am a mentor for candidates going through the ordination process. I volunteer at a diabetes clinic and Minnesota Historical Society. I work as a spiritual director with Walk to Emmaus and am active in PEO (philanthropic educational organization).

In the winter, we live in St. Paul and look forward to a few getaway trips. We enjoy Cozumel and I can’t resist visiting family in Palm Springs or Myrtle Beach!

My Macalester education has given me the opportunity to develop and use the gifts and talents given to me. I had a wonderfully fulfilling career in ministry and am truly grateful for the people I met and served through this calling! These are wonderful people with whom I accomplished great goals working together and in some cases goals no one would ever have thought possible. Thanks, Mac – I finally made it!