Kelly Oliver
Howdy All! I hope that this finds you happy and well. I have enjoyed the last 20 years and am glad to share my times with you.
Unlike many others, I did not go directly to a 4-year university after graduation. I attended Santa Fe Community College (my family lived in Santa Fe which was helpful), and I enjoyed it very much. In comparison to later schooling at a university, SFCC was superior in regards to instruction and smaller class size. I had to work quite a bit (taking time off from school as needed) and lived in Albuquerque for awhile as well.
After a long road, I entered the Natural Resource program at the University of Nevada-Reno in 1993. My time at UNR gave me some great gifts—
1. A degree in Conservation Biology (fisheries) (a field I’m passionate about);
2. A Co-op position with the Bureau of Land Management that lead to a permanent job in Elko, NV (which is incredibly beautiful area), and
3. Most important: my husband Will, who was at UNR at the same time, studying wildlife biology.
Will and I were married in January 1996. After college, I got a job with Fish and Wildlife Service in Sacramento, CA. After a few months there, the same office hired Will too. I discovered quickly that California was not a good place for me to live. Having grown up in New Mexico with winter sun, real seasons, and space between the towns, I had a hard time with Sacramento. How I managed to get Cecilia Brown to move there, I’m not sure. I’ll just say I warned her, but I think she did forgive me.
I stuck it out in Sacramento for 3 years until Will and I were fortunate enough to both land jobs with the Forest Service back in Elko, Nevada (I was their Fisheries Biologist and Will was the Wildlife Biologist). Elko is probably one of my favorite places on Earth, outside of New Mexico. I love the smell of sage after a desert thunderstorm, and I love the rugged, remote mountains of the Great Basin. I had great adventures on the job, and even conned Cecilia to come help me survey streams in the Ruby Mountains. We packed in with horses and one feisty mule, and had a long and successful week surveys. Thanks again, Cecilia!
While in Elko, we welcomed 2 new additions to our family: Gwendolyn Marie in March of 2000 and Grace Joanna in April of 2004. Gwen is now 8, very lively, and loves horses. Did I mention she loves horses? Will thinks horses will be a good way to keep her away from boys in the future (I am not sure, but am hopeful). Grace is 4 and likes girly things, which is a bit new for me since I played with Tonka trucks as a kid.
Eventually Will started looking for a position that would allow me to stay home with the kids, and in the summer of 2004, we moved to Bartow, West Virginia for another Forest Service job. That is when I discovered that a town can be too small, even for me. It was a full hour to the nearest Wal-mart, and Gwen discovered the twisty roads in WV can cause car sickness. Ugh. I truly enjoyed the people there and the lovely area. We stayed 2 years until Will found a job in Austin, Texas. My sister had lived there for several years, and my parents moved there after my dad retired from the Nevada Nuclear Test Site. We are now settled in the town of Round Rock and live near my parents and sister. Austin is still too much of a city for me, but I love being near my family. It is so important for Gwen and Grace to have their grandparents and Auntie Sheril.
This spring, I embarked on a new career path…I am going back to middle school! I’m finishing up my teacher’s certification and have started student teaching in middle school science. My past career of 10 years in fisheries will make science fun for my new students. Getting my teaching certification makes me appreciate our teachers from long ago. I can tell which ones loved their jobs, didn't love their jobs, or were just burned out. It is a hard, but rewarding profession.
That is about all from my world. Let me know how you are by dropping me a note. Sure would love to hear from you: kellyoliveramy@hotmail.com
Take care and God bless, Kelly
