Beth (Elizabeth) Anania McCraley

We moved from Detroit to Shady Knolls (1103 Evelyn) in 1953 and I went to Woodruff, George, St John's and Ypsi high. My younger sisters also attended Erickson and East Jr High. Parents divorced in 1958, Mom married Ed Allen and we moved to California in 1960. I guess I was "coming home" in a way because I was born in El Centro, CA when Dad was stationed there as a Marine in WWII .Three days after graduation I was on a train back to Michigan, got a job in Ann Arbor but returned to California six months later to care for Mom after her surgery. One month later I met my husband at church, we were married for 14 years but divorced after the death of our oldest daughter who was 12 at the time. Worked retail then worked for the California Department of Corrections as an Analyst for Personnel and retired after 22 years. I am living
with Polycystic Kidney Disease, a hereditary disease that will requires me to go dialysis 3 days a week I've been lucky enough to travel and managed a trip to England in 2004 and a cruise to Alaska in 2014. Made lots of trips around the US and La Riebera, Baja sur, CA.

I remember so much of Ypsi and the friends I had growing up. My childhood & early teen memories are all of Ypsi and I treasure them. I still miss the change of seasons and even the snow...yeah I know. Funny thing...my teen age grandchildren listen to the same music we did and get a kick out of the fact that I already know the words to "their" songs. Taught them how to do the "hand jive" and they used it during a flag routine, they had to teach their parents, I got a kick out of watching.