1999

l to r: Bette, Paula & Steven Smith, Clarice (in front), Katya & Brian Nelson

Paul & Granddaughter Clarice

Born in Deadwood in 1940 and lived in Central except for 3 years during the war, when we moved to Butte.. My father died in 1956 and after my brother finished high school my mother, younger sister and I moved to California. Until this point I loved school! Never wanted to miss a day! However, that changed almost as soon as I started school in San Diego. My graduating class there was over 1,000 students. And this was after a new school had opened up and quite a lot of kids transferred to that one! No way was I going to change again - I had just started finding my way around the monster I attended. I finished school in San Diego and went to work immediately for the Telephone company. I worked there about two years and married Paul Nelson, from Minnesota/North Dakota (born in MN, lived in ND) in 1959 in San Diego. After he was discharged from the US Navy we moved to Los Angeles and lived there a couple of years. From there he took a job which involved traveling around the midwest. So we lived out of suitcases and motels for a time. After I became pregnant with Brian I told him we had to stop moving around and settle down. I really did. Brian was born in Salt Lake City, UT (no longer the midwest). When Paul was going to be gone for several months traveling we decided I'd go to his parents home and stay with them. So took Brian on the train to Devils Lake, ND. After Paul came to get us we went back to Salt Lake, then to Moab, UT and then to MA. After he finished a technical school out here, we were sent to TX. Remember now - I had told him we had to settle down. We were in TX for 2-3 years then were shipped to Louisana where Paula was born. We were there about another year and then moved to Cedar Rapids, IA for 3 months. Then Paul quit that job and we moved to St. Paul, MN. After about 9 months he took another job that required him to return to MA for more schooling. I told him I'd take the kids and stay with his parents again. When he was finished with the school we went back to TX again. Stayed about 7 years and then he took a differnt job with the same company here in MA. So this time the dog, the kids & I flew to MA. We actually stayed in Chelmsford for about 13 years - a record in our marriage. I went to work soon after we moved to MA - the taxes alone were more than double what we had paid in TX. Plus we all needed winter clothes, the house was new so it needed lots of things too. I started out working as a temporary employee of Digital Equipment Corporation and after a year or so I decided it was time to go permanent. I worked in the Personnel department in several different types of jobs while there. I loved the company, the jobs and the people. I enjoyed going to work and earning a nice paycheck.

Then he decided he had to take a job in Rochester, NY. The kids were both grown and out of the house so we again moved! We lived there for 2 years - or also known as my two years in "hell". Then about 12 or 13 years ago we moved back to MA - this time to this house. We now have 2 beautiful granddaughters, and one beautiful creative daughter-in-law! Paula has divorced Clarice's father and is doing a good job raising Clarice. Paul is talking every day about retiring - and is hoping the company will lay him off to start the process. As of now, he's still working.

Now Massachusetts is our home. I have very fond memories of my school days in Lead. Even Miss Nation who terrified me for so long!

Today I am an avid collector of dead people! Some may think of it as an amateur genealogist! I started this "hobby" (more of a passion than hobby) soon after leaving my job with Digital Equipment Corporation. (Digital is no longer - it was bought out by Compac) It's like a huge puzzle - and never an end in sight - there is always one more generation yet to be found.