Susane Brown (Tanner)

THEN:			NOW:
		"Beanie" Always drumming up something. Honor Society 2, 3, 4 Letter Club 3, 4 Basketball 1, 2, 3,4 Band 1, 2, 3, 4 Chorus 1, 2, 3, 4 Girls Glee Club 1, 2 Newspaper Staff 1, 2, 3 Goal: To find happiness.

2007 - 45th Reunion:

FAMILY INFORMATION:

Mother, Jean, just turned 80, is still very active playing golf & tennis. And running around to her "rubber-stamp art" classes. She lives in Naples, FLA (winter) and in Brevard, NC (summers).

My sister Mary, 44 (married, no children), lives in Naples, FLA. She is employed as the financial analyst for a private investment trust. Mary has been a private pilot for 5 years. She recently bought property for a 2nd home in Panama.

A big event for me in 2006 was visiting a 2nd cousin who told me about my maternal great-great grandparents and showed me their burial plots in Kentucky. I love it knowing my family roots are in Kentucky and Virginia (horse country!). My remaining relatives (cousins and one uncle) still live in the Muscatine, IA, area.

My husband Melvin also just turned 80, but you'd never know it. He plays tennis 3-5 times a week. He also does the financial management of our dog/cat boarding kennel business and our rental properties. And he finds time to go with me to equestrian competitions.



WHATEVER YOU WANT TO SHARE ABOUT WHAT’S HAPPENING IN YOUR LIFE:

Not much has changed with me, my main obsession is still horses and competing in Eventing. My biggest goal at the moment is getting below 30 in my Dressage tests (riding classical schooling patterns). Since the last reunion I have moved up a level in Eventing (bigger jumps, more speed). I'll probably not make Rolex Kentucky or the Olympics, but it keeps me young just trying. And taking care of my horses keeps me sane and happy.

I still work selling real estate with the RE/MAX office here. I cover five counties. It pays my horse bills!!

I took a "flyer" last spring and organized a civilized rebellion in our town when the political powers in office thought they could just ignore our zoning laws and let developers build 8 story buildings and wreck our small-town-historical Main Street. For 3 months I and several others walked door-door gathering signatures on a referendum petition to oppose City Council and to gain the right to recall elected councilmen. We succeeded in stopping the development, but haven't succeeded yet with the "re-call referendum". I don't think the South's bureaucrats are ready yet for the populace to stand up to them and say no. I doubt I will ever do anything like that again; it took a heck of a lot of time and energy!!



WAS THERE SOMETHING AT JOHNSTON THAT INSPIRED YOU OR CHANGED YOU AND THUS BECAME PART OF YOUR DAILY LIFE?

Looking back I think I had an idyllic, very sheltered life there. I had to "smarten up" a fair amount to get along well in the real-world outside of Johnston and Iowa. Fortunately, all our teachers really made us work hard academically and that was a real plus. I am grateful I could grow up there.

Thanks to everyone who is helping plan this reunion. I really appreciate all the effort you have put into this fun event.

Susane Tanner

2002 - 40th Reunion:

Family Information

Married to Melvin Brown. No kids, 3 cats, 2 dogs, 3 horses. My mother Jean Tanner and my sister Mary, both live in Naples, FL, for the past 20 years. Melvin and I moved from Sonoma, CA, in 1995 to be closer to my family who come up here to the mountains for the summer each year.

Work/Retirement History

I am a Realtor at RE/MAX. Have been in the real estate business for 25 years. I really like it.

Life’s Highlights

After graduating Iowa State U, I worked in pediatric immunology cellular research at Univ. Minnesota, then lived in Hawaii for a year; came back to San Francisco and worked at Univ. Calif. in same research until 1975. Then ‘retired’ for a year to go to acting school full-time; was fun but not a great way to earn a living then. I then started working for real estate developers working my way up until in 1985 I went into business myself building apartments and remodeling homes. Kept moving north – San Francisco – Marin County – finally Sonoma wine country.

It was a real attitude adjustment for us to move from there to Hendersonville, North Carolina, the ‘south’. But now we really love it here in this small town that is close to other big towns. There is much more equestrian sports and competition here, so I have gotten back into that 100%. Having to work kind of interferes though! I enjoy three phase Eventing… dressage, cross country jumping, stadium jumping; and training young horses.

I am also active in community endeavors… such as getting more sidewalks, more bike lanes, more public transportation; and helping a friend win a seat on the county Board of Commissioners this year.

My husband loves to cook, so he is IT in our household! And we enjoy taking trips, usually fitted around seeing a big equestrian competition.

I am really looking forward to our reunion! Coming to Des Moines by myself this time for a week, to check out my ‘roots’!! I think about all of you quite frequently and remember the good times we had and the camaraderie! I really look forward to re-establishing connections with all of you!



What ever happened to? Mr Lancaster, Mr Krell & Mr/Mrs Varner

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