In 1984 I started out an EE major at UMC in Air Force ROTC.  After engineering and I decided we were a poor match, I married a McD's fry guy when I was 19 and left the academic world and Columbia for St. Louis, using my computer skills to get by.  While working as an A/S 400 Systems Administrator, I graduated from SLMCC with an Associates in Communications/Literature and helped put my ex through Nursing school.  After almost ten years being married, my ex was about to graduate.  We suddenly parted ways as my ex believed "romantic love is only in the movies" and friendship alone wasn't enough to sustain a marriage.

At that time I discovered the fascinating world of the Internet.  My current husband and I met on the Internet in a chat room called "Resort" as PaganWolf and SchminkPi, respectively.  After being die-hard penpals and sharing all the frustration and grief about our divorces, and all our hopes for the future, Andy (who lived in Colorado) drove across the country to "meet me in St. Louis" in a snowstorm for the first time around Christmas '95 (Our song is "Let it Snow, Let It Snow, Let It Snow!").

We were married in July '96 and moved to Colorado to be closer to his kids.  We have taken a lot of kidding about our names!  Today, I have four children... Alex (5) Andre (3) and my stepkids Aly (11) and Bruce (8).  I telecommute as a Sr. Service Desk Specialist for Corporate Express (the world's largest supplier of Office Products).  In my spare time I am a serious photographer and do volunteer writing for the "Coffee Cup Companion" (a metaphysical newspaper) and volunteer for W.O.L.F. (Wolves Offered Life and Friendship), a rescue for wolf/dog hybrids. Andy (a former semi-pro lineman & MVP) is a Deputy District Attorney in Colorado.  In his spare time he collects dragons, reads & writes fantasy-adventure fiction, and is a dungeon-master extraordinaire.  Our favorite family event is to dress in costume for our local Renaissance Festival.

I would love to hear from all of you.  Please drop me an email.

Mary Barnes November 2, 2002

Many of you might have thought I'd be in law or politics by now...however, after 7 years of working as a legal assistant in Washington, DC, I had a huge shift toward the healing arts.  I'm now a "freelance ambassador" for Spas & Ayurveda (India's system of herbal medicine).  Instead of heading to law school after graduating from Georgetown University, I did consulting to the Center for Mind-Body Medicine, and ran an alternative health quarterly in Washington, DC. Then I started my master's in Vedic Studies (studying the Vedas, the ancient texts from India, from where Ayurveda is recorded) and have since studied many forms of healing around the world.  I've been overseas in Asia and India half-time since 1996, and keep a penthouse studio in Bangalore, India.  When in the US, I've based between San Francisco and Hawaii, and travel to conferences across the country.

I have attended I/SPA  (International Spa Association) conferences since 1992 and conduct spa trainings around the world. My company, Healing Choices Spa Consultants, specializes in on-site trainings in unique Asian and Western styles including Thai Massage, Ayurvedic Treatments, Indian Head Massage, Watsu-style watertherapies, and classical European Hydrotherapy, Thalassotherapy, and Aroma/Reflex Therapies.  I've trained the staff of some of the world's best spas including the Four Seasons-Jimbaran and other spas
in Bali, Singapore, India, Japan and the Philippines (which is a far more colorful gig than sitting at a desk in a law firm)!

I now have a string of letters I could print after my name, (which I rarely do): Bachelor's of Science in Foreign Service (B.S.F.S.) in International Economics from Georgetown University in Washington, DC; C.M.T. (Certified
Massage Therapist) and L.M.T., (Licensed Massage Therapist); and I completed the A.S.T.E.C.C. Spa Therapies training (American Spa Therapy Education and Certification Council).   So I could print my name with BSFS, CMT, LMT, ASTECC....an alphabet soup I'd rather not see cluttering up my cards!

I've spent several years around the world studying indigenous therapies like Ayurveda.  I studied Ayurveda at Maharishi International University, at the Ayurvedic Institute in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and in India at the Ayurveda College in Coimbatore. I'm actively involved in promoting Ayurveda in the USA with N.A.M.A., the National Ayurvedic Medical Association.

I write for spa industry trade magazines and am the Indian Editor for a new magazine called Spa Odyssey, published in Bangkok. I'm organizing tours to India for people who want to learn more about Ayurveda and Jyotish.  So, basically, I read, write, study, teach, travel and network wherever I am on the planet!

I'm always available by email, no matter where in the world I am, so please write about what's going on in your life!

I married a terrific woman from the Lawrence, KS area.  Yes she grew up a Jayhawk fan, but she has been rescued from the “dark side” and now is a tried & true Tiger Fan.  We have two sons, Cameron age 10 and Drew age 3.  Cameron definitely took after his mother and is quite the athlete.  I spend a great deal of time hauling him to baseball, soccer and basketball practices.  Drew should be a true sportsman as one of his first words was “ballgame”.

I see many classmates around town and those of you of town, shoot me an email to catch up.

Julie worked at the Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra for 10 years before "retiring" to stay home with the children.  I have worked at Edward Jones for almost 14 years, all but one of these years have been as a bond trader.  Coach Travis trained me well for this kind of job!

I am currently Treasurer of the Mizzou Tiger Club and remain a very active alum here in St. Louis.  Go Mizzou!!

Coaching Little League baseball (and the other sports) are as rewarding as it gets.

My future plans are to maybe join the Peace Corps or Cirque du Soleil.

Ray Odor June 19, 2003

I've taught computer graphics seminars in Beijing and Shanghai China, Art Directed in the video games industry and worked at the LucasFilm special effects company Industrial Light & Magic.  Currently I'm Lead Animator at Big Ape Productions in Marin County, California.

---

Andrew Ruffolo November 12, 2002

Still single. Love the independence and not hearing the "Yes, Dear!"

I still have family here in town and am in process of taking care of them.

If you didn't go to the 20th Reunion, shame on you! Come to the 25th! It's fun and you get to see how much people change over the last 25 yrs! (Yes, I have changed...got a pot belly, lol)