Both native Californians from Healdsburg, Don and Shirley married in 1953 during their senior year at U.C. Berkeley. They accepted teaching positions in Marin County before Don became a school principal for three years in Corcoran and later for twelve in Davis. During these years the couple bore and raised three girls. When the youngest started school, Shirley became a kindergarten teacher.

After Don finished a Ph.D. at the University of Michigan, the couple moved to Mendocino where Don was School Superintendent for fourteen years. Shirley continued her teaching career as a primary teacher at the Dhahran Academy.

After retiring in 1989, Don & Shirley were able to follow a longtime goal of working overseas. Don became Superintendent of a school district with ten schools sprinkled throughout Saudi Arabia. Shirley continued to teach.

Saudi Sojourn, A Dangerous Journey is the story of their experiences in Saudi Arabia during the first Gulf War. In their presentation Don and Shirley will discuss the process they went through to publish a book about their adventures in Saudi Arabia some twenty years earlier. Don has also published a book of poetry entitled Rant & Whimsey.