I am very proud of the various members of my family.  I am lucky enough to have parents who always supported us in our life choices, who love us all unconditionally, and who taught us that a) no one owes you anything and b) you have a responsibility to care for your fellow human beings. Unfortunately, they did not have the financial resources to send us to college, but, given state support for higher education at the time, those of us who wanted to go were able to find a way via loans, scholarships, etc.

My siblings and I are all first-generation college students: dad never finished undergraduate school, and mom never went at all, though the two of them together have since attended courses at U W Milwaukee, soon to be gutted by the horrible Scott Walker.  My immediate family:

Richard Krone, my husband, a PSU graduate who put himself through school.  Ricky’s family has always been loving and generous to me.

Salvatore/Ted Champagne, opera singer and professor at Oberlin College

Christopher Champagne, salesman for an electrical wholesale warehouse and parent, as my father was

Maria Champagne, MSW, social worker, parent, spouse, cancer survivor

Jacquelyn Champagne, lawyer and parent

Rosanne Champagne, nurse practioner, parent, spouse