Janice Fortier

Janice Fortier

After graduation, I attended Imperial Valley jr. college.... only because I didn't know what else to do with my life. If any of you remember, I was not a student. In my second year at I.V.C., my boyfriend broke up with me so I decided to take the opportunity to move to New York State where my mom, stepdad and 2 little sisters were living. I lasted about a year.... one evening after work as I was waiting for my bus, the 17 degree temp was blowing off the Hudson river and up my skirt (no slacks for women in those days!), I decided it was time to move back to sunny CA. After my return to CA, I met and married Bob Fifield, class of '59. We moved to Tucson, AZ for Bob to finish up his senior year at U of A. Our first son, Rob was born 3/12/65. Bob graduated and took a job with ENCO (EXXON) and we moved to Anaheim, CA (3 months), Ontario, CA (2 years) where our second son, Wes was born 5/31/66. We moved to Agoura, CA (5 years), Mission Viejo, CA (3 years), and we settled in Hemet in January of 1975.

I have stayed busy...in Agoura I was a charter member of Oak Valley Junior Women's club (dusting off my brain is a good thing??), I was involved in P.T.A. before our kids were in school, taught sewing and papier-mache to grade schoolers and was involved in our Homeowners Association. Bob was Scoutmaster. In Mission Viejo, I got involved in P.T.A. again and the boys and Bob in y-Indian Guides and soccer. There was no soccer when we moved to Hemet. The boys played baseball and were not happy so in '78, Bob and I looked into the A.Y.S.O. Organization...we received a box in the mail and a $50 bill for the contents. We took a deep breath and put an ad in the paper.... hoping to sign up 100 kids. We signed up 330 within about 2 hours. Bob took on regional commissioner responsibilities and I took the treasurer position.... we women like money!!! Bob and I ran A.Y.S.O. for 2 years - I refereed for 3 years. Bob is an Eagle scout and got both boys involved in scouting. Bob took on scout master responsibilities again. Bob and the boys did a lot of backpacking. In '77 and '78, I (me) backpacked the Grand Canyon, no mules here. I was never bright and you'd have thunk I’d have learned the first time but... in '77, Bob, the boys and I hiked the canyon as a family, then in '78, I hiked the canyon with Bob, the boys and our scout troop. In '80, the Fifields were honored with scouting Family of the Year award.

The boys were involved in band in grade school and continued into high school. They both were involved in track. If only I had a nickel for every time I ran back and forth across the town of Hemet. I began playing bridge when we moved to Hemet, joined Jr. Women's club and Parent's club. One of the strangest things I did was teach 2 blind ladies to macramé: they were a hoot. Wes got his Eagle in '82 and rob in '83...there was a short time that I could honestly say that I was living with 3 Eagle scouts. In '84, Bob was elected president of the morning Rotary Club...the convention was to be...in England!!! Bob and I added 13 days to our trip, rented a car, and toured. Old Fifield can't walk and chew gum at the same time but I was so proud of him.... he drove very well, never got us lost and we returned home without a scratch!!

Rob graduated high school in '83 and Wes in '84. Rob stayed home to attend our local jr. college after graduation. The next year when Wes left for U.S.C.D., Rob left for Cal Poly Pomona.... talk about empty nest syndrome!!!! .... It lasted about a week. After Wes graduated from U.S.C.D. in '88, he left to bum Europe for a year. In April of '89, Rob and I met Wes in London and toured Europe for a month. We traveled through England, Belgium, France, Germany, etc., on our own, in a tin can...Rob has a lead foot...we made it back from that trip too!! Whew!!!

Despite all the yelling, screaming, poking, hair pulling, threatening, etc. both boys turned out really well!! Rob is a C.P.A. working and living in Charleston, SC - married, divorced, no children, remarrying in June. Wes is married with our two grandchildren. redheaded Miranda, 5 and Nicholas, 4. Our daughter-in-law, Stacey, is Beth Loeffel's niece...yes!! Beth and I schemed to match make and it worked!! Wes is in commercial real estate and living in Upland, CA.

Now, I play bridge, play with my computer, at present, aid Diane in finding wayward classmates, decorate my house (I just ripped apart our bedrooms and bathrooms to re-wallpaper, paint, etc..... playing on the computer is much more fun!!) we have a 5 year-old Rottweiler, named Stella, I walk over 2 miles up the back side of the Ramona bowl 4-5 mornings a week, I volunteer as an usher at the Ramona pageant (18 years now), I tole paint, work one day a week with Bob in HIS (there is a story there!!) business, I am president of our chapter of P.E.O., get together with our 2 grandkids as much as possible. This last summer I took a trip with our church: we cruised 3 Greek isles and Kusidasi, Turkey, and toured the romantic highway in Germany through Innsbruck and Salzburg and ended the tour with the Passion Play in Oberammergau.

I belong to a very unique group of 'girls' in Hemet. There are about 15-20 of us, all ages and religions, who came together over 25 years ago because of bridge but have stayed friends. We still play bridge, we took a trip to San Francisco, we make yearly trips to Algodones (Diane got us going to Algodones), we shop, we have lunch. Two are my walking partners, etc. etc. and we also keep track of one another.

Over the years I have always stayed in touch with Corky Magness and his wife Eva. Corky and I lived across the street from one another beginning in second grade - I think we raised one another. Diane has been the best friend.... she has always kept in touch with me.... and several other classmates have the same blessing!! Diane introduced me to Algodones, Mexico - I introduced my Hemet friends, we always include Diane in our trips to Mexico. I have stayed in touch with Marcia Pelletier and Judy Petree also.

Life didn't start out so well for me but has gotten better. I like to think this is the best time of my life...and it is getting better by the day!!