MY LIFE AFTER KENYON
I had come to Kenyon and majored in history with the expectation of continuing my studies at The General Theological Seminary in New York City and becoming an Episcopal priest. This was accomplished with my graduation from GTS in 1966 with a M.Div. and my ordination to the Diaconate in 1966 and the Priesthood in 1967. Along the way, in 1965, I married Ullrike Baudisch from the Sudetenland, Czechoslovakia, by way of Germany. Our two sons, Stephen and Eric, were born in 1967 and 1970.
In 1970, while serving as vicar of Church of the Redeemer, Addison, New York, an additional avenue opened when the Diocese of Rochester awarded me a full grant to study for a Masters in Library Science. In 1973, I graduated from Queens College CUNY with an M.L.S. Instead of an either/or life, it afforded me a both/and life with work in both church and library. From 1973 to 1976, I was the librarian at Martin Luther High School, Maspeth, Queens, and the assistant at St. George’s Episcopal Church, Flushing, Queens, New York.
Saying goodbye to “the City,” our family headed west to Rice Lake, Wisconsin, where I was rector of Grace Church, Rice Lake. Being in the small Diocese of Eau Claire, I was able to do a variety of other things, e.g. editor of the diocesan newspaper, dean of the Star Prairie Deanery, president of the Standing Committee of the diocese and, twice deputy to the General Convention of the Episcopal Church. While in Rice Lake, my library work continued on the City Library Board and as president of the Friends of the Library. During our nearly eight years in Rice Lake, the family was very active in 4-H, and I was general leader of the Knapp Street Hustlers 4-H Club.
From Wisconsin, we continued our westward journey, moving from Danville, Illinois, to Tempe and finally Chandler, Arizona. While in Danville, Stephen entered the Army and Eric was a Rotary Exchange Student for a year in Randers, Denmark. After completing his four years in the Army and receiving a certificate in Arabic from Defense Language Institute, Monterey, California, Stephen entered the University of Arizona, where he received his B.A. in Oriental Studies, an M.A. in Near Eastern Studies and, last year, a Masters in Public Health. Eric also went to the University of Arizona, where he received his B.S. in engineering-physics. He obtained a M.S. in electrical engineering at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and later a Ph.D. in electrical engineering from Arizona State University.
Arizona has been our home for the last twenty-five years, While Ullrike (aka Rikke) worked in the Kinesiology Department at ASU, I was a reference librarian at Glendale Public, Chandler Public, and Phoenix College. Before retiring in 2007, I worked for the Arizona Department of Libraries, Archives and Public Records at the State Capitol. My final ten years there were as the Arizona History Librarian.
And so from a history major at Kenyon, I retired as the Arizona History Librarian. My church work continues. I just completed fifteen years as the Sunday celebrant for the Church of Reconciliation, Sun Lakes. Rikke is also retired; Stephen is a Major in the USAF at Davis-Monthan AFB in Tucson, while he looks to put his public health degree to use: and, Eric is an electrical engineer with Sandia Laboratories in Albuquerque, New Mexico. I would discuss my grandchildren if I had any, but, alas, as I tell people when asked, I am daughter-in-law challenged!
Don Langlois