Name: Mara French

Childhood name, if different: same

Exact birthdate: May 15, 1943

Birthplace: Minot, N. Dakota

Approximate year you moved to Berkeley: August 1952

Year and grade you began Oxford: H3, 1952

Grades attended at Oxford: H3 - H6

Other grade schools attended (including grades): Morris E. Dailey, Fresno, K-3

Jr. high school attended and years: Garfield, 1956-1959

High school attended and years: BHS, 1959-1961

Later education: San Jose State Univ., BS
                 DeAnza College, AA
                 University of Madrid
                 University of Salzburg
                 Cal Poly, Pomona
                 University of Maryland Extension, overseas

Street address of your home while at Oxford, with nearest cross-street:
                 2210 Los Angeles Ave. at Spruce

If your parents are still living, where do they live now:
                 My father died in 1986. My mother has lived in the
                 same house in Berkeley since 1952 (she's 92,  2001)

Your present residence (with dates):
                 521 River View Drive, San Jose, CA  95111  (since 1973)
                 130 Frakes St., P.O. Box 1109, Sutter Creek, CA 95685
                       (since 1991)

Year you left Berkeley: 1964 after my divorce.  Moved to Pomona, CA

Last time you visited Berkeley: I visit my mother every weekend.

Last time you saw the Oxford campus: Every weekend.

Last time you saw a former Oxford classmate: Many recently

Other cities in which you've lived (with approx. years): Fresno to 1952
    Pomona 1964-66, Madrid 1966-67, Salzburg 1967, Heidelberg 1968-1973,
    Geneva 1974, San Jose 1974 to present

Current occupation (last occupation, if retired):
    Technical Writer for CAD/CAM and EDA software, 15 years

Marital status/spouse's name:
    Divorced in 1963, never remarried

Children (names with years of birth):
    Randy, 1962, lives in Germany

email address:
    marafrench@mindspring.com

Personal web site, if any:
   http://www.frenchfamilyassoc.com/FFA    (under construction)

Please add anything about yourself that you'd like your former classmates to
know.

I started a brief career in the Roller Derby at age 17-18, but getting married and having a child stopped that. At age 20 I became very interested in genealogy, self-published two books, and started the French Family Association of America in 1984 with over 900 members receiving quarterly newsletters which I researched, wrote, and designed. I've always been interested in music, art, and photography. I play ragtime piano when I get a chance, as well as go up to my home in the Sierra Foothills.  My Oxford days and thereafter have all been good to me. I've also been quite lucky in life -- being at the right place at the right time.