Susan Brightwell Williams

In my mid twenties I lived out of state for eight years, in Tennessee, Florida, and Missouri. After returning to Virginia I wanted my children to go to the same schools I did and I'm so glad I made that decision.
Kathy, our oldest daughter, was an honor student and cheered for Hermitage for three years in the eighties and was a Homecoming Princess. She opened a store 5 years ago in Gold’s Gym Shopping Center called LaBelle & Co., and has been highly successful in that location. Their daughter, Lauren Clayton, who graduated from Hermitage, attended James Madison University and graduated from JMU last year. She is working on her Master’s degree. They have 2 boys that also attended Herm and Gabriel, the oldest one graduated in 2021. The youngest, Jacob, will graduate in 2024.
Our second oldest daughter, Michelle attended East Carolina University where she met her husband Brian. They adopted a beautiful baby girl from China, named Lyla. Lyla is now 14 and they live in Toano, Virginia, where they recently opened a franchise with Burn Boot Camp.
Marty, the oldest of the guys, attended James Madison University, and had been in the Army thirteen years when he returned from his fourth tour of duty, two in Iraq, one in Kuwait and the last one in Afghanistan.
Allison, our youngest daughter, was also in the military for five years and spent one tour of duty in Iraq. Her son, my grandson, Alex, was born on Christmas Eve, 2010, in Hawaii, Allison's home base. She and her family have a home 5 miles from us and I occasionally meet the school bus for her two children Alex and Mady.
Akeem, our second oldest of the guys, just had his home built three miles from our home in King William and works in Fredericksburg. He’s been an officer with the volunteer Fire Department in our county since he began as a junior in high school. Otto and I are retired from the Fire Department as Lifetime Members, as well. All of our children were volunteers at some point, as they were growing up.
Otto, II, youngest of the guys, and his wife, Ashley, now have three boys ages 2, 4, and 6. We are at all of their T-ball games.
My husband, Otto, had his own business and was on the Board of Supervisors for 12 years and he and I are now enjoying retirement with our big active family! That means T-ball, basketball, ballet recitals, martial arts and more!

It was wonderful to see Barbara Copple at the 50th reunion. We reminisced of the time that she and Nancy Hedgepeth and I had formed a trio and sung on the stage of the Thalhimer's auditorium. I'm remembering now the stage runway which we stood on in the midst of the audience. The lights were down except the ones on us! It was a talent contest and we placed 3rd and won (Barb, correct me if I'm wrong) twelve whole dollars. I have no idea how many entrants there were, but we were thrilled that we placed!