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Kathy Branaman Arnold

Profile Updated: September 3, 2021
Kathy Branaman
Yes! Attending Reunion
What was one (or some) of your favorite classes in high school, and why?

Concert Choir.
History classes.
French with Joanne Hash.
Speech class with Leila Pate.

Who were some of your favorite high school teachers, and why?

Leila Pate.
So appreciative for how hard she drilled us on grammar and punctuation in English classes.
Kitty Lawson and Dan McDaniel.
Dave Kinman.

Are you married and how many kids, grand kids, and great grand kids do you have?

Married to Denny Arnold.
3 kids...Melissa, Kristen, Kevin.
4 grandkids...Jack, Luke, Nate, Matilda.

Where do you live now, and where all have you lived for more than a year since you left high school?

Terre Haute IN
Ft. Lauderdale FL
Okeechobee, FL
Evansville IN
Newburgh IN, since 1990.

What is your occupation, and if retired, when did you retire?

Retired in 2015 from the Evansville-Vanderburgh School Corporation (EVSC) as a Speech Language Pathologist.

You likely have thousands of stories, but tell us a story (or two) from our high school days.

Drivers Ed with Peggy Bryant and myself. I really didn't think Mr. Branam would survive our contrasting "driving" skills, lol.

Who were some of your best friends from high school?

Vicki Collison, Becky Pegler, Peggy Bryant, Jeanie Loudon. Had some great times with lots of others throughout the years, as well.

Which grade school did you attend?

North and South Side Elementary School

After high school, if you completed additional schooling, please indicate what you studied and what degree/certification/award you earned.

Masters Degree in Speech Pathology from Indiana State/TH.

On the political front, would you consider yourself a Republican, Democrat, Independent or you don't pay attention to politics?

Moderate Independent

In a paragraph or two, tell us your life story since leaving high school. Spend some time on this as it will be one of the most interesting bits of info about you for your classmates who many have not seen you for 50 years!

I student taught in Broward County FL and lived and taught and traveled to every corner of Florida for 3 ½ years. Another therapist and I started the Speech Therapy program in Okeechobee, serving kids of cattle and dairy ranchers, Natives from the nearby reservation, and southern transplants and lived with young teachers primarily from NY and NYC. Lots of life lessons and cultural knowledge gained during those years. Moved back to Indiana and taught in Vincennes a year. Then moved to Evansville and began Speech Therapy programs for the EVSC in East Side non public schls. I retired in 2015 after working primarily in EVSC middle schools, which was my favorite level. Many of my students throughout the years were special needs students. I taught preschool through high school. Since retirement, I have been able to do what I love the most: seeing the US by car. Coordinating a lot of pleasure trips with Denny's business trips, we like to drive the back roads and learn about the towns we land in, finding hidden jewels. Our highlights have been our trip 2 years ago traveling the entire Blue Ridge Parkway and Skyline Drive in the Fall and our recent month long drive to the west and northwest. Our trips to Portland OR, Cary (Raleigh) NC, and Atlanta to see our kids and grandkids give us even more opportunity to drive and see the country. Soon we will be able to add DC to that list, as our daughter is relocating there. I've also become interested in our genealogy, finding a lot of hidden secrets, lol.
Love living so close to the Ohio River. Who else remembers the song and dance about the Ohio River in Mrs. Shipman's class 4th grade class at Southside, lol?

What is your most vivid, happy memory of high school?

Concert Choir performances and contests, Madrigals, plays and musicals.
Early years with pom poms and majorettes.

All things considered now that we are looking back almost 50 years, what did you think of our high school education?

Excellent

Kathy's Latest Interactions

Kathy Branaman Arnold
Kathy Branaman Arnold posted a message.
Sep 30, 2021 at 1:00 PM

I'd like to acknowledge and give a deep thanks of appreciation to everyone involved with our reunion organization. I know it involved a lot of hard work over a lengthy period of time. The extras were above and beyond, including the updated website, the billboard, the tours, the newspaper and radio involvement, the legacy gift, our emcee and the slide show/presentations/music, and the outstanding details of the decor/theme and food, down to the delicious 1971/Hatchet cookies. I regret not being able to talk to everyone at length (the time went by so quickly), but perhaps some of these conversations can be continued at a 50+1 relaxed get-together next year...maybe around the same time as the reunion of the class of '72, lol. It was also wonderful seeing and talking to some of our teachers. How do they stay so young! And finally, to our gracious hosts, Vicki and Alan: without their offer to step in and provide their home, all of this may not have been possible. Blessings and good health to all of my classmates...till we meet again.

Kathy Branaman Arnold
Kathy Branaman Arnold updated her profile. View.
Sep 03, 2021 at 1:51 AM