After graduation from UNM in ’55 and 2 years of teaching in Albuquerque, I moved to Greenwich Village in NYC.  Talk about a culture shock!  Luckily, Fr. Townsend at Newman Club gave me some advice...  “Keep your sense of humor and don’t judge others.”  That’s been part of my credo ever since.

 

I married Mike Smerechniak in ’59.  (That name means “forest of spruce trees” in Ukrainian and it puts me in the position of being on a first name basis with the whole world!)  Mike lives in NYC.

 

I moved back to NM in ’91 after contracting Lyme Disease.  (I was a Science Coordinator for the NYC Bd. of Ed. and a consultant for the National Audubon Society so I spent 50% of my life outdoors educating educators on the environment and field ecology.)

 

Elena and Elisa, my two daughters, their spouses and 5 grandchildren live near me in Corrales.  My son Michael, his wife and 3 little girls live in NYC and Paul, a bachelor, lives in Ft. Lauderdale.  I came back to an “immediate family” of one in NM and now we’re an immediate family of fifteen: My sister, Marguerite, her husband, Emil Smerechniak (two sisters married two brothers), a cousin, and two in-laws.  Only one grandchild and I are not New Yorkers!)

Michael Gregory, Marie Jo, and Paul Raymond

Elena Marie, Marie Jo, and Elisa Jo

Grandchildren Sydney Rae, Samantha Grace, and Allyson Marie

Emily Marguerite

Richard

Stephanie Marie

Sean Paul

Lauren Elizabeth

 

I've become a very happy vagabond, spending lots of time in Corrales, Ft. Lauderdale, and New York City. 

Marie Jo's first day of school - Sep 1939

Marie Jo at First Communion

 

 

What a GREAT life!  I thank God every single day for my blessings. Life, how beautiful the dance.

 

I can be reached on the Internet at quidditymj@att.net.