Welcome,

Events:

Rehearsal Dinner Where: Spaghetti at our house. 4479 Trafalgar Ave. View map.
When: Friday, August 9, 2002
Sometime in the evening.
Who: Wedding party, family, out of town guests
Wedding and Reception Where: Glacier Gardens Rainforest Adventure
7600 Glacier Highway
Juneau, Alaska
When: Saturday, August 10, 2002
4:00-6:30 - Photos
6:00-6:30 - Guests are seated
6:30-7:00 - Ceremony (following the jet scheduled to take off at 6:33)
7:00-7:30 - Bridal party receives guests; drinks are poured, folks are mingling
7:30-8:30 - Buffet
8:30-9:00 - Dancing begins
9:00-9:30 - Cutting of the cake, followed by more dancing
9:30-10:00 Throw bouquet, garter, farewells (& if folks are so inclined, party moves downtown).
Who: Friends and Family. Please RSVP. (We are having a hard time guessing how many friends will show up!) Yes, you may bring your spouse and/or friends and well-behaved and well-supervised children, but please RSVP!!!!! And we know we said to RSVP by July 20th, and that date has passed, but we are no longer going with the very delicious but very expensive caterer who needed a final count by then, so we aren't held to their deadlines (the food will still be great). Come anyway - just RSVP now. (Thanks!)

Please indicate name, number attending, and any special requests you might have by e-mailing Sheryl at halls@jsd.k12.ak.us OR sheryllynnhall@yahoo.com.
Notes: Parking is somewhat limited, so you might want to consider carpooling. The wedding and reception will be in the greenhouse; if the weather is inclement, the temperature in the greenhouse may be in the 60's. Glacier Gardens limits the serving of alcohol to just a toast for the bride and groom. Please plan accordingly (wink).
Sunday Picnic Where: Large Covered Picnic Area at Auke Rec,
Mile15 Glacier Highway.
When: Sunday, August 11, 2002
11:00 AM - 2:00 PM
Who: Wedding party, family, out of town guests who didn't have to leave at 6:00 AM, folks who couldn't make it to the wedding, or just want more of a good thing.
Notes: We will be featuring regular picnic fare (hamburgers, etc.), and any leftovers from the reception.
Honeymoon Where: Cancun, Mexico. We will be staying at a beachfront villa at the Royal Mayan.
When: Tuesday, 13 August 2002:
Alaska Airlines flight 172. Departs Juneau @ 1:45 AM, arrives Seattle @ 4:57 AM
Alaska Airlines flight 476. Departs Seattle @ 6:10 AM. arrives LAX @ 8:54 AM
Alaska Airlines flight 84. Departs LA @ 3:00 PM. arrives Cancun @ 10:06 PM

Thursday, 22 August 2002:
Alaska Airlines flight 225. Departs Cancun @ 10:25 AM, arrives LAX @ 2:10 PM
Alaska Airlines flight 471. Departs LAX @ 5:07 PM, arrives Seattle @ 7:35 PM
Alaska Airlines flight 171. Departs Seattle @ 11:32 PM, arrives Juneau @ 12:55 AM (on Friday, 23 August)
Who: Michael & Sheryl (& Dorothy, Bob and Kathy) (Anyone else want to come????)

Travel Information:

Travel options to Juneau Airplane: Alaska Airlines is the only major airline that flies into Juneau. If the airfare is overwhelming, you might want to consider using an airline mileage program. Alaska Airlines partners are: American Airlines, British Airways, Continental Airlines, Hawaiian Airlines, Horizon Air, KLM, Lan Chile, Northwest Airlines, and Qantas, so if you have miles with any of these airlines, you might be able to get a ticket that way. There are about ten flights a day from Seattle to Juneau, and about five flights daily from Anchorage.

Ferry: Another way to travel to Juneau is on the state ferry, the Alaska Marine Highway. The nearest port with a highway to the rest of the world is Haines, 4.5 hours away by ferry. Skagway is an hour beyond that. Both ports are to the north. The M/V Malaspina runs daily between these three communities. From the south, your options are Prince Rupert, British Columbia (at least 23 hours of sailing time, plus time in 3 or 4 ports enroute), or Bellingham, WA, 31 hours south of Prince Rupert. at the AMH website, you can get prices for cars, passengers, and berths, as well as sailing times. If you are driving the Alaska Highway, we would recommend this travel guide: The Alaska Milepost 2002.

Cruise Ship: There will be four cruise ships in Juneau on August 10th. Princess, Royal Caribbean, Holland America, Norwegian, Celebrity are some of the major cruise companies that stop in Juneau. There are also smaller tour ships that stop in Juneau. This website has some good information about cruise ships traveling through the Inside Passage.

Who's Coming When: For the benefit of out-of-town friends and family trying to figure out when to come, here are itineraries we know about.

Let's see: I get in by ferry on Thursday, 8/1 at 2:45 and I leave at
11:00 pm on Monday, 8/12.
Can't wait. Should be tons of fun. T
Name Thur. Fri. Sat. Sun. Mon. Tue. Wed. Thur. Fri. Sat. Sun. Mon. Tue.
July
31		 Aug. 1 Aug. 2 Aug. 3 Aug. 4 Aug. 5 Aug. 6 Aug. 7 Aug. 8 Aug. 9 Aug. 10 Aug. 11 Aug. 12 Aug. 13
Sheryl
Sitka, AK		 4:30 PM
Ferry		 1:45 AM
AS 172
Sheryl's Friend
Teri Robbins
Ketchikan, AK (1)		 12:45 PM
Ferry		 11:00
PM
Ferry
Sheryl's Aunt
Cindy & 3 cousins
Los Angeles, CA (4)		 4:48
PM
AS71		 1:49
PM
AS76
Michael's dad
Bob & Kathy
Motorhome (2)		 4:15
AM
Ferry		 1:45
AM
AS 172
Sheryl's folks:
Helen & Bert
Wasilla, AK (2)		 9:32 AM
AS 62
 8:12
AM
AS 73
Sheryl's brother
Rob & Family
Wasilla, AK (4)		 8:47
PM
AS 70		 8:47
PM
AS 67
Sheryl's friend
Nette & Family
New York, NY (3)		 AS AS
Sheryl's brother
Dave & Family
Tallmadge, OH (6)		 2:08 PM
AS		 6:33
PM
AS
Sheryl's Aunt Jeanne & Uncle Paul
Bellingham, WA (2)		 8:25
AM
AS 76		 8:25
AM
AS 76
Sheryl's brother
Mark
Anchorage, AK (1)		 9:32 AM
AS 62
 8:47 PM
AS 67
Sheryl's friends
Karin & Doug
Buffalo, NY (2)		 4:48
PM
AS 71		 3:03
PM
AS 63
Sheryl's cousin
Long Island,NY
Margaret & Steve (2)		 8:17
PM
AS		 8:12 A
AS 73
Sheryl's
Uncle Dick
Connecticut (1)		 12:55
AM
AS 171		 8:12 AM
AS 73

Housing in Juneau Hotel: New Lower Prices!! We have blocked out rooms at the Aspen Hotel in Juneau. The Aspen Hotel is Juneau's newest & finest hotel (but still "reasonably priced" for the peak of tourist season). Single or double rooms are now $99 per night, plus 12% tax (7% bed tax and 5% sales tax = $110.88). To reserve a room at this rate, call their 800 number (1-888-559-9846) or e-mail the manager, Terri Russi, and mention that you are with the Hall-Wittig wedding party. Upgraded rooms are at rack rate, third persons in a room are $40 more, and children under 17 are free. Unreserved rooms will be released to the public July 10th (but you may still try to get the $99 rate - just ask!!!).

The Aspen Hotel features 94 deluxe rooms and suites, indoor swimming pool, spa, and small exercise room, complimentary deluxe continental breakfast, complimentary shuttle service to the airport, ferry terminal, and sometimes downtown, refrigerator, microwave, TV, VCR and coffee maker in every room. It is located about 100 yards from the Juneau International Airport. Located right behind the Aspen Hotel are a grocery store, restaurant, bar, used book store, and quilting store. Other restaurants, the Nugget Mall, banks, an art gallery, etc. are located nearby.

If you would prefer to stay downtown, the Westmark Baranof Hotel is a full-service hotel, and the Alaskan Hotel & Bar is full of character and has a happening bar downstairs. Parking downtown can be a challenge.

B&B: We are looking into this. There are a few out in the valley, including a friend who says she'll give a special rate for the wedding. Check back soon.

Campgrounds: In addition, there are several lovely and very reasonably priced (about $10 per night) U.S. Forest Service campgrounds. The largest is the 68 campsite Mendenhall Lake Campground just a couple miles from our home, and near the trailhead to the West Glacier Trail which takes you right up to the glacier - 4.5 hours roundtrip. Within walking distance to the site of Sunday's picnic is the Auke Village Campground is located near a scenic beach, once a village site for the Auk Tlingit Natives. It has 12 camping sites.

Housing with Friends: If you would prefer to stay with friends in Juneau, please e-mail us and we will see if there is anything available. If you live in Juneau and are willing to house out some really nice people, we would be indebted to you forever.
What to do while in Juneau Hiking in the temperate rainforest, up to the Mendenhall Glacier, or along beaches is an exciting adventure. Glacier flightseeing is a pricey but amazing option. Charter boat fishing for king salmon, coho salmon, or halibut (Say you are a friend of Sheryl for a better deal - Captain Todd may also be able to get you decent last minute airfare on Alaska Airlines if you book a charter with him). Playing tourist in the quaint downtown area should not be missed. The wedding and reception will take place at Glacier Gardens, but if you want to fully explore the grounds, come a couple hours early. If it's not too cloudy, a trip up the Mount Roberts Tram is spectacular. The City Museum and the State Museum are also worth visiting. There are also tour boats that take folks to Tracy Arm Fjord, Glacier Bay, and whale watching. There's also a great tour of the A.J. Gold Mine that's available.

For travel planning in the Juneau area, you might want to check out these sites: Juneau Convention & Visitor's Bureau, Juneau.com, Juneauphotos.com.

Bridal Party:

Bride Sheryl Lynn Hall
Groom Michael Lee Wittig
Matron of Honor Sue Wilson
Best Man David Hall
Bride's Maid Dorothy Wittig
Groomsman Mark Hall
Usher Robert Hall, Jr.
Flower Girls Robyn Hall, Alora Pilgrim, Svea Hall
Ring Bearer Kevin Hall

Wedding Details:

Flowers Carrs
Wedding Dress Sheryl has a lovely wedding dress, graciously given to her by old roommate, Tracy Foster. Chapel train, V-neck, cap sleeve. But the question remains: Will she have alterations finished in time?
Wedding Cake Carrs. "Forever Roses"
Food & Beverage Carrs, Costco, and probably somethings grilled (Anyone have fish to donate??)
Music Michael is hard at work compiling recorded music.. but you can count on plenty of Wittigs singing.
Bridal Registry The best gift we could receive is your presence at our wedding. But if you feel compelled to give a gift, eventually, we will be registered online. (Is there a local registry for power tools?) Our house is yellow, with blue accents. Our address is 4479 Trafalgar Ave. Juneau, AK 99801
Colors Emerald and Pearl (Sheryl & Michael's birthstones). The bridesmaids are in sage. But in reality our colors are yellow, pink, blue and green.
Photographer Don Douglas Photography
Officiant Rev. Robert Hall (Sheryl's dad).
Name Because we like the idea of everyone in the family having the same last name, and because we are planning on having children right away , Sheryl will be changing her name. Her new name will be Sheryl (first name) Hall (middle name) Wittig (last name).
Engagement Announcement Sheryl Hall and Michael Wittig will marry at 6:30 PM, Saturday, August 10. Friends of the couple are invited to the wedding and reception at Glacier Gardens.

Sheryl is the daughter of Robert and Helen Hall of Wasilla. She is a 1979 Dimond High School graduate and earned a bachelor's degree in music and politics from Mount Holyoke College in South Hadley, Massachusetts, and a Master of Arts in Teaching degree from Alaska Pacific University. Sheryl is employed as a music and gifted & talented teacher at Riverbend Elementary School.

Michael is the son of Susan Wittig-Albert of Bertram, Texas, and Bob Wittig. The groom-elect is a 1979 graduate of Skyline High School in Oakland, CA and earned a bachelor's degree in agricultural and industrial mechanics from University of Nevada, Reno. He has one daughter, Dorothy Wittig. Michael is employed as a technology assistant at Harborview Elementary School.

Sheryl and Michael met while performing together in King Island Christmas. The couple will honeymoon in Cancun, Mexico and make their home in Juneau. For more information, please visit their wedding website: http://web.acsalaska.net/~sheryl.hall/
Wedding Invitation
Robert and Helen Hall
request the pleasure of your company
at the marriage of their daughter

Sheryl Lynn Hall

to

Michael Lee Wittig

son of
Susan Wittig-Albert and Bill Albert
Bob Wittig and Kathy Tucker

on Saturday, August 10th, 2002
at half past six o'clock in the evening
Glacier Gardens
7600 Glacier Highway, Juneau, Alaska
Reception following ceremony

Kindly respond via post or at our wedding website
http://web.acsalaska.net/~sheryl.hall/
by July 20th, 2002
Name ___________________
____ Number attending ____ Regrets

Sheryl Hall
http://web.acsalaska.net/~sheryl.hall/
4479 Trafalgar
Juneau, Alaska 99801

How You Can Help:

Juneau Friends
  • House out-of-town guests & make new friends at the same time! This would be the most generous gift we could receive.
  • Suggestions of great local vendors.
  • Prepare or pick-up food & decorations for the reception - See Sheryl if interested.
  • Donate halibut or salmon, or a grill to cook them on.
Everyone
  • Help pick-up, set-up, take down, & return wedding items.
  • Prompt return of Reply Card information, either by post or by e-mail.

Who We Are:

Michael Lee Wittig Sheryl Lynn Hall
Family
Robert (Bob) Wittig
Retired Pressman, Travels around the country in a motorhome with long-time companion, Kathy.		 Father Robert A. Hall, Sr. (Bert)
Wasilla Citizen of the Year, Rotarian,
retired minister & public health administrator.
Susan Wittig Albert,
Retired English professor and university administrator. Author of the China Bayles and Victorian Mysteries Series.		 Mother Helen Hall
Retired secretary, church lady, grandma, Zen shopper.
Robert (Bob) Wittig
Owns Summit Home Repair. Raising three kids -- Steven (14), Angel (13) Cody (11) -- on his own in Reno, Nevada.
 Oldest Brother Robert (Bob) Hall, Jr.
and his wife, Amy, own Gorilla Fireworks in Houston, Alaska. They have two children, Robyn (fourth grade) and Kevin (kindergarten).
Robin Wittig
Lives in Colorado with her husband, Jeff. Both work with the Boy Scouts. Two grown children, Jason and Amy.
One grandson.		 Second Oldest Sibling Mark Hall
Surveyor. Spends summers in S.W. (extremely rural) Alaska, winters off Klatt Road in Anchorage. Loves NASCAR & being an uncle. Would make a great dad & fine husband.
That's us! Third Oldest That's us!
Younger Brother David Hall,
wife Joan, and two year old daughter Svea moved from Colorado to Ohio in December. Daughter Brigetta days later. Trained as an artist, fireman, and elementary school teacher, David is selling Ford automobiles. Joan is an architech.
Dad's side: Robert Wittig (granddad) in Danville;
Aunt Alice and Uncle Gary in Arizona.
Mom's side: Uncle John and Aunt Jean in Florida		 Older Relatives Mom's side: Aunt Jeannie & Uncle Paul in Bellingham, WA. Aunt Susan & Uncle Larry in North Carolina. Aunt Cathy in Iowa. Aunt Cindy in LA.
Dad's side: Uncle Dick & Aunt Jane.
Dorothy Freeman-Wittig. Just graduated from Juneau Douglas High School. Great singer. Dramatic. Game Player. Tall. Will attend UA Fairbanks in the fall. Planning to study music performance and music education. Daughter
Chronology
Born June 22,1961, Danville, Illinois.
1961-1962
(0)
Born May 15, 1961, Cordova, Alaska
Moved to Champaign, Illinois.
1962-1963
(1)
Cordova, Alaska
Still in Champaign, Illinois.
1963-1964
(2)
Cordova, Alaska. Good Friday Earthquake!
Brother Bob starts kindergarten. Champaign, Illinois.
1964-1965
(3)
Cordova, Alaska
Sister Robin starts kindergarten. Champaign, Illinois.
1965-1966
(4)
Younger brother David born in Cordova.
Went to Garden Hills Elementary in Champaign, Illinois.
1966-1967
(5)
Kindergarten
Moved to Spenard (Anchorage), summer kindergarten, North Star Elementary School, '67
Moved to Albany, California (next to Berkeley). MacGregor Elementary School
1967-1968
(6)
First Grade
Moved to Connor's Lake (Anchorage)
Sand Lake Elementary School, Anchorage, Alaska
Living in [university] student housing in Albany, California. Dad buys a sailboat, we go sailing in the ocean!
1968-1969
(7)
Second Grade
Sand Lake Elementary School, Anchorage, Alaska. Blue Bird.
Parents divorced; lived with.
Last year at MacGregor Albany, California.
1969-1970
(8)
Third Grade
Moved to Juneau, Alaska for Dad's job. Capital Elementary School. Brownie.
Changed schools, but still living in Albany, California. Started riding bicycle a lot.
1970-1971
(9)
Fourth Grade
Junior Girl Scout in Juneau. Moved back to Anchorage half way through fourth grade. Woodland Park Elementary School. Parents divorce: David and Sheryl lived with their mother, Helen. Brothers Mark & Rob lived with Dad in Anchorage.
Moved to El Cerrito, California. Changed schools again. Many, many games of Monopoly with my friend Marcel.
1971-1972
(10)
Fifth Grade
Assorted fourplex apartment living in the same school boundary in Anchorage. Highlight of the year was Camp Fire Girls & summer camp @ Kenai Lake. Played the flute in band.
Mom moved to Austin, Texas.
Moved in with Dad in Oakland, California.
Lost front left tooth falling down on playground.
1972-1973
(11)
Sixth Grade
Active in Camp Fire. Switched to clarinet. Rode bike around our Spenard neighborhood in Anchorage.
Began playing clarinet.
Went to King Jr. High School, Oakland, California until February of '74, then moved to Austin, Texas; Completed seventh grade in O'Henry Jr. High School, Austin, Texas.
1973-1974
(12)
Seventh Grade
Parents remarried. Live in the 'burbs of Anchorage. Attended. Jane Mears Junior High. Switched to bassoon. Lived for summer camp. Lost front left tooth playing doubles badminton in PE class.
Eighth grade in O'Henry in Austin, Texas.
Continuing to play the clarinet. Began learning to sail.
1974-1975
(13)
Eighth Grade
Family drove to East Coast in motorhome. Was active in student council and band at Mears in Anchorage.
Freshman at Stephen F. Austin High School. Played clarinet with the high school marching band and orchestra. Started exploring caves. Spent summer with Dad, traveled to National Parks in Arizona and Utah.
1975-1976
(14)
High School
Freshman
A.J. Dimond High School, in Anchorage. Played bassoon in band (with my brother, Bob, a senior). Ran for class president (lost). Ran & skied X-C
Went to Mexico with the University of Texas Spieliological Society (cave club). Played clarinet with marching band, then switched to oboe for orchestra. Austin, Texas.
1976-1977
(15)
High School
Sophomore
Groundskeeper, Elmendorf AFB Hospital (summer job). Sophomore class president. Ran & skied X-C. Still playing bassoon in the band.
Moved to California to live with Dad. Skyline High School, Oakland, California. Got a driver's license, then learned to drive Dad's Honda 160 motorcycle! Lots of bicycling. Summer vacation with Dad, the grandparents, and brother traveling from Illinois to Washington in three Volkswagen vans.
1977-1978
(16)
High School
Junior
Youth Conservation Corps near Fairbanks (summer job). Family drove a motorhome from Washington to California and Arizona in the summer. Was active in student council (Commissioner of Rules), principal bassoon in Anchorage Youth Symphony, All State Orchestra. & skied X-C.
First job as an electronic assembler. Graduated from Skyline High School in Oakland, skipped graduation ceremony to drive with Dad to Austin, Texas, then drove with Mom to New Orleans, LA.
1978-1979
(17)
High School
Senior
Clerical work for BLM (summer job).
Ran for student body president (lost). Ran X-C. Sang in The Music Man. Student rep. to school board. Prom princess.
Freshman at Tulane University in New Orleans. Active in the Tulane Orienteering Club. Exploring New Orleans and the surrounding country. Lots of bicycling.
1979-1980
(18)
College
Freshman
Cleaned salmon for a summer job.
Enrolled in Mount Holyoke College, South Hadley, MA. Freshman class president. Freshmen Singers. WorkStudy: Dining room server. Academic probation.
Departed Tulane University after fall semester. Worked for New Orleans Lamp in their warehouse to earn money. Took a train to Oakland in August, camped with my Dad, then moved to Reno, NV to attend college.
1980-81
(19)
College
Sophomore
Customer Service Rep. for Princess Tours (summer). Designed MHC's Brigham Hall tee shirt. WorkStudy: Dorm receptionist. Month long winter Outward Bound trip. Declared music & politics my majors. Parents divorced again.
Attended University of Nevada - Reno, studying renewable natural resources. Met and married Mary-Jane Freeman in June.
1981-82
(20)
College
Junior
Customer Service Rep. for Princess Tours (summer). Spent Junior year skiing & studying music at University of Colorado, Boulder. Worked at a flower shop. Mom married Larry.
Changed major to Agricultural and Industrial Mechanics. Visited Juneau, Alaska for first time in December. Began working for Inland Chemical as a chemical mixer in the Reno area.
1982-1983
(21)
College
Senior
Tour bus driver, Westours in Valdez, Alaska (summer). WorkStudy: Library Attendant. Finished college coursework at Mount Holyoke in December. First trip to Hawaii. Internship with Hilton Hotel in Anchorage.
Became Production Manager for Inland Chemical and Supply Company. Graduated from UNReno with a bachelor's degree in Agricultural and Industrial Mechanics, Industrial Mechanics option, May, 1984.
1983-1984
(22)
Commissary & office clerk for Universal Services, catering contractor at a 600 bed construction camp in Kuparuk, Alaska (North Slope Oil Field). Worked 12 hours/day, 7 days/week, two weeks on / two weeks off. Bought first car, '84 Honda Civic Wagon & attend brother Bob's wedding to Amy in Klamath Falls, OR on March 17th.
Took a job with Rmax, Inc., in the Reno area, as their Quality Control Manager on October 1. Dorothy born on October 25.
1984-1985
(23)
Continued working in Kuparuk, Alaska, and traveling during R&R.
An uneventful year in Reno, in hindsight.
1985-1986
(24)
Went to Hawaii with mom in March following her divorce from Larry. Continued working in Kuparuk, Alaska.
Divorced M-J. Took a second job with Hertz Rent-a-Car in the Reno area.
1986-1987
(25)
Moved to ARCO Main Construction Camp in Prudhoe Bay, Alaska (40 miles east of Kuparuk). Parents married for the third time on May 24, 1987.
Moved to Fernley, Nevada, then to Silver Springs, Nevada. Bought property in Silver Springs. Quit working for Hertz. Began playing music for money in clubs around the Reno area. Met Jean at Fernley's Fourth-of-July Picnic.
1987-1988
(26)
Began Master of Arts in Teaching program at Alaska Pacific University, Anchorage. Did clerical work for BP. Traveled through Great Britain with brother David at Christmas. Dated Steve for the next couple years.
Married Jean in September. Continued playing music with Ray and Annie in towns surrounding Reno. Earned first amateur radio license.
1988-1989
(27)
Did student teaching in sixth grade class at Susitna Elementary School. Finished certificate @ APU. Subbed in Anchorage long enough to know I didn't want to do that! Applied for positions throughout the state.
Brother Bob moved to Reno, rented out my Reno house to him. Divorced Jean in the Spring of '90. Upgraded amateur radio license to advanced level, call sign N7QIK
1989-1990
(28)
Attended ten year high school reunion. Hired by Southeast Islands School District to teach grades 6, 7 & 8 in Coffman Cove (logging camp on Prince of Wales Island). Finished two-year MAT program and participated in first college graduation ceremony in May 1990. Finished first quilt.
Moved in with brother in Reno for some months, then moved back to Silver Springs.
1990-1991
(29)
Participated in the Writing Consortium in Anchorage. Transferred by SISD to the logging camp at Hobart Bay to teach grades 3, 4 & 5. Met & worked with best friends, Cliff & Sue Wilson (worked together six years). Son Ryan was in Sheryl's third grade class. Spent field trip money on cross country skis. Turned 30.
Decided to move to Alaska to be closer to Dorothy. Sold Reno house. Quit working for Rmax. Rented out Silver Springs property. Arrived in Juneau March '92. Began working for Greens Creek Mine on Admiralty Island in April. Suffered a slipped disc in back; not debilitating, but a nuisance.
1991-1992
(30)
Transferred by SISD to Thorne Bay (logging community on Prince of Wales Island). Taught middle school. Coached cross country running. Student council advisor.
Greens Creek closed down in April. Worked for the summer as a movie theater manager in Juneau.
1992-1993
(31)
Continued teaching middle school in Thorne Bay.
Drove a school bus until April. Enjoyed the kids. Met and married Wanda. Performed in first opera, "Carmen". Began working for Lewis Motors as a service advisor in Juneau.
1993-1994
(32)
Continued teaching middle (& high school social studies) school in Thorne Bay.
Performed in "H.M.S. Pinafore" in Juneau.
1994-1995
(33)
Helen and Sheryl went to Europe. Taught grades 5-6 in Thorne Bay.
Played Professor Harold Hill in "The Music Man" in Juneau.
1995-1996
(34)
Participated in the Alaska Science Consortium in Fairbanks, Alaska. Transferred by SISD to itinerant kindergarten teacher, based out of Ketchikan. Lived in Ketchikan on weekends. Flew in small float plane to 12 remote school sites. Overnighted in schools. Started singing in church choir.
Ruptured my appendix in September, spent two weeks in hospital! Lost gall bladder in March. Played Dr. Blind in "Die Fledermaus" in Juneau.
1996-1997
(35)
Began work on Masters of Education, major in Educational Technology. AV/Multimedia workshop in Juneau. Attended brother David's wedding in Ohio. Continued as itinerant kindergarten teacher based out of Ketchikan. Served as president of TEASE, the local affiliate of NEA. Novelty wore off. Completed application packet for JSD. Traveled to Juneau to play bassoon with the Juneau Symphony, as well as Juneau Lyric Opera's production of "Die Fledermaus".
First performance with "King Island Christmas", which was my first paying acting job. Played the Herald in "Cinderella" in Juneau. Divorced Wanda. Bought current automobile (a '98 Metro).
1997-1998
(36)
Attended NECC, took some tech & GT courses, packed and moved during the summer.
Employed by Juneau School District to teach gifted and talented students at brand new Riverbend Elementary School. Shared a snug condo with Tracy in the Mendenhall Valley. Continued playing with the Juneau Symphony. Sang in church choir & with Mid-Winter Vocal Festival.
Performed a second year of "King Island Christmas". Gained admittance to the Master of Arts in Teaching program at the University of Alaska, Southeast, in Juneau. 1998-1999
(37)
Drove & gave tours for Princess Tours in the summer. Continued teaching GT at Riverbend in Juneau, singing and playing bassoon.
Attended the MAT program at UAS. Worked in a first grade and a fifth grade classroom at Mendenhall River Community School in Juneau. 1999-2000
(38)
First summer serving as tech. support for ANSWER Camp (math & science camp for rural native middle schoolers) in Galena and Palmer, Alaska. Bought her first house! President-Elect of JEA. Continue teaching GT and playing in symphony in Juneau until she left for Delaware, Ohio in January for a 19 week paid Ed. Tech. training program
Took a trip to Europe in July of 2000. Returned and started job as Service Manager for Lewis Motors, later sold and renamed Capital Chevrolet in Juneau. Performed as Ellard in "The Foreigner", my first non-singing, comic role. 2000-2001
(39)
Second summer working at ANSWER Camp. Served as president of the Juneau Education Association, a local affiliate of NEA. Dropped most music activities to make time for JEA. Taught out of the microscopic library office at Riverbend.
Quit Capital Chevrolet in September. Substitute taught for a few weeks, then accepted a position as Harborview Elementary School Technology Assistant, Juneau School District. Sang in the choir for "King Island Christmas", where I met Sheryl. Daughter Dorothy graduates from JDHS in May 2002. 2001-2002
(40)
Spent third summer working at ANSWER Camp, adding Sitka to the itinerary. Taught music half-time and GT half-time at Riverbend Elementary in Juneau. Sang in Handel's Messiah, played bassoon in symphony & the musical "King Island Christmas".
Who knows? 2002-2003
(41)
Finished sixth year of teaching in Juneau.(Seven years until TRS retirement!) Marry Michael on August 10, 2002.
Avocations / Interesting Facts
Licensed Radio Amateur (HAM), call letters: AL7OF. Strategy Games (like Risk on the computer) Photography, Digital Photo Editing,
 Hobbies Quilting (or, more accurately, collecting fabric and quilt books), messing around with technology, games, reading,
Canoeing, Sailing, Hiking, Swimming (if the water is warm,), Camping, Hot Springs, Bicycling, Motorcycling Outdoor Activities Walking and hiking, camping, cross-country skiing, picnicking,
Plays the guitar and sings, yodels, & croons (whatever the situation might merit, frequently western ballads). Sings Baritone or Tenor with the Juneau Lyric Opera. Listens to almost everything, including classical, rag time, big band & swing, Music Plays the bassoon in the Juneau Symphony. Occasionally sings in things like Messiah. Sings all day on Mondays and Tuesdays (the days she teaches music).
Canada, Mexico, Britain, Romania, Modova, Czech Republic, Germany, Netherlands. Travel Canada, Mexico, England, Scotland, Wales, Ireland, France, Germany, Belgium, Italy, Austria, Switzerland, St. Lucia.
Robert (dad), Robert (brother)
Robin (sister), Susan (mom)
Jean (Ex. #2), Amy (niece)		 Relatives with Same Names Robert (dad), Robert (brother)
Robyn (niece), Susan (aunt)
Jean (aunt), Amy (sister-in-law)
Michael's first website has some nice pictures. Creating & Not Maintaining Websites Sheryl's old personal site has a lot of great photos as well as plenty of broken links. She also tends to the JEA website and occasionally has nifty stuff up on the Riverbend website. Her summer job includes teaching middle schoolers how to create simple webpages, which she links together to create the ANSWER Camp website.

How We Met:

It's a simple story, really. We were both involved in "King Island Christmas", Michael singing with the chorus and Sheryl playing bassoon with the symphony. We sat across from each other in one of the local restaurants one night after rehearsals but did not get very far with idle conversation. We talked a little more after a performance of "Messiah" (to be continued...see the Christmas letter below!).

Christmas Letter 2002:
December 2002

Seasons Greetings!

Here it is, coming on to Christmas again. What a good year it’s been for Sheryl and me, with lots of good things going on!

This is the first of what we expect to be many Christmas letters chronicling our yearly activities. This continues my own irregular tradition of sending out Christmas letters, and Sheryl has also made a fairly regular practice of sending out holiday letters as well. Now, we’re combining our collective efforts at letter writing, or at least she’s reading and agreeing with what I write… well, we’ll see what comes of it.

Last year at this time (I’m writing this in the middle of December), Sheryl and I were acquainted, but nothing more. I had just started working at Harborview Elementary School as their technology assistant, and was participating in "King Island Christmas" for the third time. Sheryl was continuing with her job as Riverbend Elementary School’s extended learning and music teacher, and had likewise been talked into playing her bassoon with the small orchestra assembled for King Island. We were introduced to each other at one of several parties revolving around the production through a mutual friend, Geoffrey Wyatt (my mentor teacher from the MAT program a couple of years ago), while we were sitting at a table together with George and Jean Rogers (Jean wrote the children’s book which inspired the musical version of King Island). At the time, George and Jean (who have been married for very many years) were commenting on the joys of marriage and seemed somewhat surprised that Geoffrey and Sheryl weren’t a couple; I was a little surprised by this too. According to Sheryl, my most memorable contribution to the conversation was the statement that I had been married three times. After I left the group, Sheryl asked Geoffrey something to the effect of "Who was that guy?" So much for first introductions.

Our next conversation was in very similar circumstances, again at a party revolving around the King Island production. This time Sheryl and I were in different company and had more of an occasion to talk. (Sheryl’s version: "I remember how gracious he was, and what nice manners he used.") Another week or so later, I wrote an email to her (having correctly guessed her email address), and began a brief correspondence with her while she went north for the Christmas holiday. We wrote each other several letters coarsely detailing our respective lives and circumstances, and we decided on getting together for New Year’s Eve. The rest, to use a well-worn phrase, is history.

We started talking about children on our first date, and because of this we started talking about everything that revolves around life with children, including marriage. I think we were both mostly serious, though I think we were also both waiting for some dread revelation to either return us to our senses or otherwise convince us that we were just being silly. No such revelation came to pass, however, and as the days turned to weeks, and then to months, our lives continued to intertwine. We were a good match.

Winter gave way to spring, and spring to summer. Plans for the wedding were rolling along; the date was set, our friends and families getting their travel plans together. Sheryl was out of town for the two months prior to the wedding. For the fourth and probably final summer, she worked as a technology support specialist for a math and science camp for rural, native middle school students in Galena and Sitka. I stayed in Juneau and worked on finishing my requirements for my MAT (which still isn’t done), and patched the deck and other "Honey Do’s" on a list that Sheryl has been waiting years for a husband type to tend to. Sheryl arrived in Juneau a week before the wedding, and we set about with the final preparations. We still both marvel at how well it all came together.

The wedding was filled with good music, good food, good surroundings, and lots of people (about 120 showed up, including a couple dozen friends and relatives from out of town). We held the ceremony and reception in Glacier Gardens, a large touristy garden with a good sized greenhouse that easily held the crowd that gathered for our event (living in Juneau makes it impractical to plan anything outdoors that doesn’t involve getting wet). Our wedding was self-planned and largely self-executed, right down to the musical selections and the table accessories that would go with dinner. The wedding feast came from several of the local grocery stores in the form of potato and macaroni salads, vegetable, cheese, and shrimp trays, and barbecued chicken and pork cooked on the spot by a friend of mine who volunteered for the feat; there was plenty for everybody, and leftovers afterwards.

The biggest drawback to planning our own wedding became apparent as the wedding day arrived: we had no wedding coordinator to direct transportation, setup, or clean up! Most of my day (until almost time for the service) was spent packing things at the house and getting it all to the greenhouse. Sheryl, besides getting her hair done, went around the stores to find the elusive potato salad, a task made more difficult by a power failure (the second in two days) that shut down the stores for a while. Fortunately, a few of the folks who showed at the wedding are really good last minute organizers (and we knew this), and these people were immediately put to work on the final setup while Sheryl and I posed for the photographer.

The ceremony came off with only one hitch: us. Music played, people took their places, words were spoken (by Sheryl’s dad, a retired minister), we kissed, and we walked down the aisle as husband and wife. After that came the receiving line to greet us, followed by dinner (which neither Sheryl nor I had much opportunity to eat), speeches, dancing, cutting the cake, throwing the bouquet and the garter, and finally the cleanup. Oddly enough, Sheryl and I drove home in separate vehicles, and Sheryl didn’t come straight home at all, going instead to her parents’ hotel room because her dad failed to get Sheryl’s signature on the wedding license!

After the wedding came the Cancun vacation, which was a lot like a honeymoon except that my dad, Kathy (his longtime companion), and my daughter all came along for the trip. We stayed in a two-bedroom condo on the beach, played in the ocean, played in the pool, took in some of the local tourist attractions, and had several adventures, all over the course of a ten day stay. The weather was mostly sunny and very warm, with just a couple of rain showers while we were there, which is unlike the usual summertime pattern of frequent afternoon rains. We climbed to the top of Mayan pyramids and swam over coral reefs, and all of us had a great time.

Married life with Sheryl has been just as good, if not better, than our life before marriage. We haven’t had a serious argument yet. Our differences of opinion have been minor to the degree that I can’t honestly say that we’ve expressed a difference of opinion on anything of consequence. Sheryl likes my cooking as much as I like hers. We haven’t delegated chores, mostly because there hasn’t been a need to. I’ve been tending to the finances and have been trying to establish a budget, but we haven’t quarreled about money yet; it seems that we already have between us most of the material things we want, and we’re both well aware of the debts that our past habits have created for us. Our evenings at home are spent together, quietly, without cable television (which neither of us watch due to a realization we each came to before we met that cable turns us into zombies), reading, talking, watching movies, or playing games together.

We’re both thrilled, and anxious, about Sheryl’s pregnancy. Sheryl and I began talking about marriage largely because we started talking about wanting children, or more children in my case (Dorothy is now in her first year of college at the University of Alaska in Fairbanks). Since we are both a product of 1961, the gap between raising children to maturity and retirement is closing rapidly, not to mention the uncertainties of biological clocks. So far we’ve been greeted by a murky ultrasound picture with a distinct torso and limbs, and a healthy heartbeat of 170; further tests are due to be conducted later this month with results due early January. Sheryl is amazed by the amount of sleep she has needed and has been getting this fall.

Assuming all that checks out okay (which is most likely the case, statistically speaking), we’ll be breathing easier come January, and getting our lives ready for the addition of our new family member towards the beginning of June. We’ve already given away our guest bed to make room for a crib in what will soon be the baby’s room. I think we’ve decided on names, but I’ll refrain from announcing them until the birth just in case we have a change of heart. One child won’t crowd us out of the house any time soon, and we figure that even two children could fit in here for a while if we decide to have a second (it kind of depends on how things go with the first).

A good portion of this letter was written on the return trip from Thanksgiving north of Anchorage with Sheryl’s folks, Bert and Helen, in Wasilla. We flew up on Thursday morning, arriving there a few minutes after Dorothy’s flight arrived from Fairbanks; she met us at the gate. We were in turn met by Sheryl’s brother Mark, and the four of us plus our luggage (including two full-sized guitar cases) glided over the icy roads to Wasilla. We were joined for Thanksgiving by Sheryl’s other brother and his wife, Rob and Amy, and their children, Robin and Kevin. We all had a very good time. We also did some shopping, saw "The Nutcracker", and replaced the wiper blades on Mark’s Honda, which he graciously let us borrow during our stay.

On Sunday morning we departed very early for the airport, and around eight AM said our good-bye’s to Dorothy and boarded our plane bound… for Sitka! It seems the weather in Juneau decided to close in and fog enshrouded the airport area. Sitka was sunny and beautiful, but we wasted much of the midday in the airplane, waiting for word as to whether the Juneau airport would open. Finally, our leg of the flight was cancelled, and we were deposited in Sitka while the jet proceeded to Seattle. Sheryl and I made the best of it though, renting a hotel room, going for a hike with friends also stranded by the weather (we knew a great number of the likewise stranded people there between us), having dinner in a local restaurant, and a night of watching cable TV (a special treat which reminded us why we don’t have cable at home). Very early the next morning (Monday morning), we again went to the airport to wait on a flight that was again cancelled due to fog in Juneau three hours later. As an alternative, one of the marine services offered a six-hour ferry to Juneau, and we enjoyed the sunshine of the day and the beautiful scenery on a fast boat (as opposed to the state ferry, which takes twelve hours to make the run), not encountering any fog until we were almost at Auke Bay only a few miles from the Juneau airport.

During Christmas break Sheryl and I will again be traveling (if the planes are flying), this time to Reno and to Bertram, Texas; in Reno to celebrate Christmas and to visit with my brother Bob and his kids, Steven, Angel, and Cody, and in Texas to greet the new year with my mother (Susan) and her husband, Bill. It will be the first time I’ve been to Texas since I moved to Alaska in ’92, and Sheryl’s first opportunity to meet this part of my family. But that will be a tale to tell another day, when we have a tale to tell.

Dorothy, my daughter, graduated from Juneau-Douglas High School in June, and seems to be adapting well to college life away from home. Academically, she’s heavily involved in her music major, singing and playing her instruments – violin, guitar, and piano – and learning all the theory that goes into the art of making music. Socially, Dorothy’s made some new friends in Fairbanks, in addition to several people she knows there from Juneau, and when we’ve talked she tells me about playing Dungeons and Dragons and other stuff that she’s been doing with them. She’s also been writing fiction and doing some illustrations, pretty good stuff.

We blush when we realize how far behind we are at sending out thank you notes for the lovely wedding gifts we received, as well as the website we haven’t touched since the wedding. We are in the process of getting caught up on both of these, and promise to post wedding pictures on our website by the end of 2002. (http://web.acsalaska.net/~sheryl.hall/)

So that’s our year in a four-page nutshell. We’re looking forward to this holiday season, our first Christmas together, and all that the new year brings. We hope everybody finds good tidings in the year ahead.

Michael and Sheryl Wittig

This page was last updated at 6:59 AM on Tuesday, January 7, 2003.