Carolyn Biles (York) - Class of 1958

I was born in 1940 in Healdsburg, California, to Doris (Gillmore) and Taylor York. Brother Chuck followed the next year, and brother Jim in 1949. Our family lived in Healdsburg until 1944, then moved to Point Arena to be near my grandparents while Dad spent two years in the army. When he returned we moved back to Healdsburg and I started first grade. The following year we moved to Dry Creek Valley just outside of Healdsburg where Chuck and I attended Manzanita School, a small country school with all eight grades in one room with one teacher. In 1951 we moved back to Point Arena where we attended elementary and high schools.

After graduating from PAUHS in 1958, I attended Humboldt State College in Arcata and received a bachelor of science degree with a major in nursing. In 1962 Bob Lopez and I were married. We lived in Eureka for a year while he received his teaching credential, then moved to Pittsburg, California. I worked at the local hospital until daughter Elise came along. When she was two years old we moved back to Eureka where Bob taught art in the local high school and I worked part time at one of the local hospitals. Daughter Michelle came along in 1967, and daughter Diana in 1969. Life changed for me in 1976 when I became a single parent and took training to work as an intensive care nurse at General Hospital in Eureka. The girls grew into young women – Elise became a college student, Diana became a working girl and Michelle became a wife. In 1988 I married Charlie Biles and life changed again. We bought a new house and began to learn about gardening (we are still learning) and being a married team once again. Bob lives in Eureka with his wife, Janet, and is retired. We are good friends and share family and grandchildren.

A big change for us has been becoming grandparents, which is such a joy! Diana and husband Derrick have two children – Taylor, sixteen years old (boy) and Devin, almost thirteen (girl). They live in Eureka and we see them often. Elise and husband Ted live in Redding, and have two children – Teddy, six years old, and Annalise two years old. We see them often also, since the drive is only 3 hours from Eureka to Redding. We have a grandson, Nigel, who lives in southern California. His father is Charlie’s son. We don’t see him as often as he is so many miles away. Daughter Michelle passed away in 2002 after a long illness and I chose not to return to work after her death. Charlie retired in 2005. He was a mathematics professor at Humboldt State University.

Since retiring I have become an active quilter. Charlie is studying American history. We have done some traveling, including three trips to Europe and one to Costa Rica and Guatemala. This fall we will journey by car to the east to visit historical sites. We will meet brother Chuck and his wife, Mickie, in Williamsburg and explore together. Life is good!