Nancy (Ellis) White - 2010

Nancy and Bob White

50 years ago my mother insisted that I go to the MGHS All-School Alumni Banquet in the old high school gym. As I sat at the table for the 1960 graduates…I think there were three of us there… I looked across the room at the table for the 50th Alumni Class….which was filled….and thought, man, I doubt if I'll ever make it to that table. Well, I'm going to be sitting there this year and it doesn't seem like it has taken very long to get there. It's been an interesting ride.

After graduation I attended the University of Missouri and graduated with a degree in …Recreation? Well, I had good intentions…I intended to get my Masters in Recreational Therapy working with the physically handicapped. Instead, I got married.

While attending the University I did have some interesting experiences. I got to march in the Orange Bowl with the Marching Mizzou the year we beat Navy, Yea!! I was fortunate enough to go on the very first People to People Student Exchange Program to Europe for 14 weeks. And…I learned I would never be very good at math…no matter where I took it.

After working for a year as a Recreation Director in a year-round resort in New York, I came home and married the MGHS football coach, Bob White. We stayed in Mountain Grove for another year…he continued to coach and I worked for the Wright County Welfare Department. I don't think it's "politically correct" to call it that now.

After a brief stopover in Cairo, IL, Bob and I moved to Washington D.C. where he began training for his new job as a Special Agent of the FBI. Our first "office" after he completed his training was Portland, Oregon. We were there for nine months in 1969….just long enough for our first child to be born, Robin…our only daughter. Our second "office" was Detroit, Michigan. We were there just long enough for my dad to refinish my kitchen cabinets. We were transferred to Battle Creek, Michigan, before Dad got back to Mountain Grove after finishing the job. I was afraid to tell him we were moving.

We lived in Battle Creek for seven years…where our two sons were born. Randy, in 1970 and Rick in 1971. With three children under the age of three…needless to say, I was a stay at home mom. In December of 1976 we were transferred back to Washington D.C. We bought a home in Manassas, VA and lived there for the next 15 years…although during that time, Bob received seven transfers that didn't require us to move.

In 1990…and with three kids in college…Bob decided to retire and we moved to the lake…Table Rock Lake, that is. We were moving back home. Within two years, Robin had graduated from Virginia Tech and moved back to Missouri to join us and both boys had transferred to SMS as it was called then. We were all together again.

Since then, our daughter married and she and her husband, Steve, have given us four grandchildren…to include a set of boy/girl twins. She teaches the gifted program for the Reeds Spring School District and her husband is Director of Operations in the same school system.

Randy, our oldest son, lives in Tulsa and produces fishing and other sporting programs for a company called Winnercom which are seen on ESPN. He and his wife, Kendra have given us a granddaughter.

Rick, our baby, finally got married last year at the young age of 37. He and his wife, Jamme, are giving us a grandson in July this year. He gets to come to MGHS quite often as he is the Josten's rep for this area. They live in Springfield.

It's hard to believe we have been back in Missouri for 20 years. Bob became a Real Estate Appraiser and continued to work until last year when he decided to retire to the golf course. I was fortunate to fall into a great job as Executive Assistant to one of the owners of the Herschend Family Entertainment Corp….better known in this area as Silver Dollar City…their first property. I'm still working and still enjoying it.

Bob and I celebrated our 44th wedding anniversary this year. As we look back over the years, we feel we have received many blessings for which we are so thankful …to include having our family close by, two trips to Israel, being a 15 year cancer survivor and still going strong, and a host of friends who have also become family to us, especially through our church.

It's been a "fast" 50 years…and… for the most part, a "fun" 50 years.

And I thank God for making it all possible.

Nancy (Ellis) White

Grandson, Garrett; Youngest son, Rick; Oldest son, Randy; Son-in-law, Steve; Daughter, Robin; Bob & Nancy; Granddaughter, Ellise; Daughter-in-law, Kendra; Granddaughter, Lexie; Grandson, Hunter; Granddaugher, Kaileigh (the last two are twins...can't you tell...joking...but it's true.) Unfortunately, our newest daughter-in-law is missing from this picture. She joined the family shortly after it was taken.