AC_1965_Web

119 AN T I OC H CO L L E G E C L A S S O F 19 6 5 5 0 t h A N N I V E R S A R Y B O O K August 1973, Nick, Sam and Susan visiting parents in Toledo, Ohio. M U S K A A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z Nick and I decided in 1974 that we could survive three short years in Toledo, but then it would most likely be back to the west coast, San Francisco or one of the other “hot” poetry scenes. And here we are, more than 40 years later, still in Toledo, still travel- ing, still in love with nature, beauty, learning, life, France (and French wines), and each other, looking for- ward to celebrating our 50th wed- ding anniversary in France with best man Ray Vogel (‘66), and now with friends here in Yellow Springs. Shortly after law school I helped start a landlord-tenant legal services program in Toledo and then was its executive director until federal funding for legal services programs was excised in 1981. As director, I was adjunct professor in the clinical program at UT law and mentored dozens of law students in landlord- tenant law, some of whom later be- came magistrates and judges. I went into private practice, handling land- lord-tenant, consumer and creditor rights cases. In 1987, I applied for a new part-time position in Toledo Municipal Court and became the Housing Court magistrate (“your majesty” to you), retiring from the bench in March 2005 after 18 years. Throughout this time I maintained my own law practice where I was a fierce advocate for my clients’ rights, except between 1:30 and 4:00 when I was fiercely neutral on the bench. I love practicing in my home town, where many of my col- leagues are people I grew up with. I’m proud of my involvement with my community. I had a hand in saving from the wrecking ball the Gardner Building (a replica of the Pitti Palace), now mostly law of- fices with street-level shops and restaurants, and Lasalle & Koch de- partment store, now renovated into urban apartments. I was the attor- ney for Friends of the Valentine, the initial group to save that beautiful theater from being torn down, now home of the opera, ballet, live the- ater and much more. Twenty-five years ago I was the attorney who incorporated a fledg- ling preservationist group, theToledo Warehouse District Association. I am proud to have moved my office to theWarehouse District six years ago, to the “happening-est” part of town. I’m in the heart of art galleries, in- teresting restaurants, diverse people, music and entertainment, and across the street from what has been voted the best minor league ballpark in the country, home of the Toledo Mud Hens. Nick and I have been season ticket-holders since the ball park opened 14 seasons ago. I’ve been cheering for the Mud Hens, off and on, since 1948! We live in the Old West End, one of the largest areas of restored Victorian, Edwardian and other in- teresting eclectic homes. We gar- den in the summer, raising about 30 varieties of heirloom tomatoes from seed, six to eight varieties of eggplants, interesting and colorful peppers, cucumbers, beans, peas, carrots, radishes, beets, leeks, garlic, herbs, lettuces, spinach, etc., inter- mingled with flowers, peach trees, rose bushes, and other edibles and beautifiers. In the fall we preserve our bounty and share with friends, neighbors and the local soup kitchen. For 30 years plus we have va- cationed in Jamaica almost every February; we try to get to France in May every few years, and we return to Antioch almost every summer for Reunion, if not for work project. I’m the last of all my cousins, on both sides of my very large family, still living in Toledo, and while I miss them, I am here to stay.We love vis- iting with them for family events in Tampa and Sarasota; Los Angeles and San Diego; Scottsdale, Jackson Hole, Chicago, andWashington, D.C. I reconnected with Antioch when we attended Al Guskin’s in- stallation (coronation?) and soon