where her husband grew up. With two older siblings, one younger, and a single mom putting herself through six years of college, life was never dull. Especially with her maternal grandmother living with them.
With all that chaos, Stacy spent lots of time in her room writing stories and dreaming of being a writer like Grace Livingston Hill or Catherine Marshall. She went to Augsburg College to major in English but changed to Social Work (which was what her mother was going to school for).
Stacy and her physical education husband of 30 years, Mike, have two adult kids (both elementary teachers) and a son-in-law. Her mother died in June 2011 after a seven-year battle with Alzheimer's, followed by her mother-in-law to the same disease in October 2012.
"Dealing with a family member's Alzheimer's is one of the most grueling things a person can go through," Stacy said. "My mom's journey was completely different from my mother-in-law's but both were equally heart-breaking."
Stacy has found being part of MASWA (a member for several years and on the board this past year) to be a great way to meet others with a heart for seniors, as well as give back by writing the monthly newsletter and keeping the membership informed of events and pertinent information.
"MASWA is a fabulous organization with committed, caring professionals whose focus is making the latter years of life some of the best for their clients. It's an amazing group," she said.
In the past handful of years, Stacy has revived her passion for writing. Her articles have appeared in national and local publications covering topics such as healthy aging, communication, obesity and family dynamics. She has two fiction books completed, and two in the development stage.
As her kids were growing up, the family enjoyed numerous road trips to both coasts. Lake Tahoe is the all-time family favorite. They've ridden horses, hiked, rafted the river, boated, and watched fireworks over the lake.
"I actually talked them into parasailing," Stacy said, then added, "but I was the one who ended up the most terrified. I figured if I was going to die up there, it couldn't be in a more beautiful spot!"
