Sharon Ann Keniston Sutton

I married after High School Graduation (too young!) in Anchorage, Alaska where my 1st son was born. After the Good Friday Earthquake in 1964 we moved down to Wichita Falls, Texas & our 2nd child was born there, I divorced in 1967 - worked for KFDX TV station & then went to England with my Mother, brothers & children after my dad died in 1969 & ended up staying. Mother & I were both born in Peterborough, England where we settled near family. I went to college, held several jobs in Newspaper & Magazine Advertising, as a Christine Dior Consultant, Accounts Manager & Co. Secretary. I had breast Cancer in 1988 and thus far I am one of the lucky survivors, thank God. I married again in 1991 to Graham & we worked together as Public House Training Managers, whilst running several Pubs & Restaurants over the years as well. We retired in 2003, but Graham still works part time as a hotel chef & I run our small Guest House in an area known as The Norfolk Broads, a nature conservation area of lakes & rivers. Our home is located in a village very near the river. I love tending my garden in summer & spend as much time as possible working or 'pottering' there (British weather permitting). We spend winters at our apartment in Fuerteventura in The Canary Islands, as UK winters can be quite harsh & I really dislike the cold. We come back for Christmas with the family & then return to the island in Jan. coming back to England just before Easter. We have spent 14, 3 week vacations in Kenya over the years, indulging our love of wildlife. It is rather ironic that Kenya attained independence the same year as we graduated. Amazing country! With 4 sons between us & 7 grandchildren we have a very busy life. Our social life revolves around various Masonic functions, our children & grandchildren, with a different circle of friends in Fuerteventura, several of whom are Spanish Nationals, even though my Spanish is still terrible! Unfortunately my Father & lovely Mother have both passed away & are sorely missed, as are my husband's parents but he still has an 89 year old Aunt Daisy, a 'larger than life' character who keeps us on our toes! I have been back to the US for vacations several times, but am quite settled here in England. Most of my American relations have passed away but I still visit a cousin, an Aunt & best friend Sue Gentry. My eldest son was in the USAF, as was my youngest brother, both of whom I also visited whilst they were stationed in America. Although my younger son lives here in England, the elder son is back in the U.S. working for the military in a civilian capacity so now we fit in a vacation in Texas so that I can spend time with him and my four year old grandson at least once or twice a year. I attended our 2003 LHS Reunion during a visit to Sue Gentry in Atlanta that same year. I can honestly say I do not know where the years since graduation have gone. I don't feel any older & I don't expect many of you do either. I have packed a lot of living into my 68 years, but I very much hope I'm not done yet! Cheers!

Unfortunately, my father was transferred to Anchorage, Alaska half way through my senior year - Thank you so much USAF! I was, of course, heartbroken because I loved LHS & can honestly say I spent "the best years of my life", as they are called, there. I remember how nervous we all were on that first day. Seniors trying to sell elevator passes to some of the unfortunates, being yelled at for stepping on the LHS emblem on the front steps, trying to find our classrooms in that huge unknown building. Very small fish in a big pond! After Junior High where girls used to fast dance together, our most embarassing moment as a first day Soph. had to be in the Lounge (as I think it was called) when one of our favorite tunes came on the juke box & two of us girls got up to dance, whereby almost at once we were pelted with pennys! Someone then informed us that girls didn't dance together in High School - Oh the humiliation! My life was over! I recovered & later was so proud to be singled out as a hostess for the Thanksgiving Ball - followed by the absolute necessity of a new Ball Gown, matching shoes, purse & gloves - fathers had no idea how important it all was! Tears, tantrums & cajoling finally resulted in success and I DID go to the ball with my handsome prince & was presented with an orchid corsage - the ultimate corsage! Bliss! The highlight of Junior year has to be Joy Night! As a member of Junior Girls Glee we performed songs from the shows. In class, dancers were asked for to do a tapdance to 'Night & Day'. I had 3 tap classes when I was 8 or 9 so I stuck my hand up and was chosen, along with several others who actually had been to dance classes! Never mind, I soon picked it up and away we went. We performed for Joy Night & then toured schools with our song & dance troop. Oh - Fame as last! There was one girl in the class, Ludmilla Dubovsky, who really did have the most fantastic voice & was so nice with it. When we sang "Bell of the Ball" she said it always reminded her of me. I never forgot that. I thought it was such a lovely thing to say. I wonder if she remembers? Of course there were the boyfriends - no names - but one did involve another embarrassing moment when we were caught kissing in the hall - cringe! Another boy I nearly dated, but knew absolutely that my father would not approve because his sideburns that were not 'regulation' length - even if he was on the gymnastics team, so unfortunately a non-starter - tragic! After that, I went for 'Older Men' - One year older to be precise and the two, sort of, alternated for the remainder of my LHS time until I left half way through my Senior year. We left for Alaska just after Chrismas so the months leading up to that painful departure are a bit of a blurr because most of my world was glimps through my teen aged tears. There was the Thanksgiving Ball, football games, Peppers, Pep Rallys & dances but what was the point in joining anything when I knew I would be leaving? Although I was not at LHS for graduation and went through all the important 'Senior Moments' at Anchorage High - Senior Picnic, Senior Prom, Graduation Day - I even earned a scholarship! - I am proud to say my Diploma was still from my beloved LHS. There is some justice!

sharon.as@hotmail.co.uk