Nina Wood Payne

The summer after I graduated I worked as a secretary in the Department of Business Management at BYU and continued to work there through my freshman year. Married Richard Payne in July 1961. When he graduated from BYU in 1965 he signed a contract to teach at Porterville Union High school in Porterville, CA. We moved with our two little boys for a new adventure with the idea that perhaps after two years we would return to Utah. We loved the area and decided it was a great place to raise our family. We had many wonderful opportunities and experiences while there and are grateful to have raised our family in the "mission field." A daughter and another son were born to us while there.

By 1991 our three oldest children were married and living in Utah. Our youngest had graduated from high school and planned to go away to college. We decided it was time for us to make a change. Dick took an early retirement, I quit my job with the schools, we sold our home and made the big move to Orem, Ut. We had bought a home there for our three oldest to live in while they attended BYU. We sold that home after ten months and built our home here in Lindon.

Dick loved teaching and really didn't get to be in the classroom for long during his career because he ended up in school administration and was the Principal for several years. In 1994 he came out of retirement and taught history classes at UVU for eight years. He also worked at BYU for a year as a student teacher advisor. During this time I had lots of fun with our grandchildren (thirteen of them) and enjoyed my new life here. We both fully enjoy our retirement and appreciate each new day.

High school years were carefree, full of fun activities, good times, great friends and outstanding teachers. Mr. Whitney and Mrs. Taylor were two of my favorite teachers and I learned a lot from them. My closest friend was Mara Dee Hall. Sad to say I kind of lost track of her after I moved to California.

I am looking forward to the reunion in July and the opportunity to renew friendships with my fellow classmates. There is a lot of catching up to do after fifty years!