Lynnice McDonald Randolph

Group Photo - October 2001
Standing, Center (from left) Annelle & Grover McDonald, Joyce Hillstrom, Lynnice Randolph, and (just below Grover) Joyce's daughter Emma Curry

Lynnice's Grandkids and One Daughter
Amber Hepler, Michae Butler, Orion Williams, Annaliese Hepler, Andrea Jacobson holding Alex Jacobson
Feb 2002, Buck Row Beach, Hampton, VA

Most memorable times in recent years:


September 11th (also the anniversary of my father’s death in ’49)

3-month visit from Lynnika & Alex when they came to the States early in 2002

Rescuing a pathetic, injured dog by the roadside who now is a beautiful, healthy, happy member of Lynnika & Alex’s household in Tucson (my granddog Gumby)

April 2002: sitting in on a trial that ended in the wrongful conviction of an innocent man & his later sentencing to 65 years:  UPDATE: April 2011, when he was released & verdict vacated!

Impressive meteor shows in November of 2001 & 2002


What I’m most grateful for:

  


Family:


Husband:

Tom Randolph (met at the University of Arkansas): celebrating our 35th wedding anniversary Jan. 2013!


Daughters:

Lynnika Butler (Eureka, CA, married, working on PhD)

Sarah White (Ivor, VA, married, in grad school; has 3 daughters)

Andrea Jacobson (Puyallup, WA, teaching school, married & raising 3 kids)

Allison Ofenstein (Alpine, TX, married, with 2 young children, a drive engineer)


Sons-in-Law:

Alex Navas (Lynnika’s husband, originally from El Salvador)

Eric Jacobson (Army doctor)

Tommy White (civilian working on Navy ships, usually in port)

Mark Ofenstein (currently Mr. Mom)


Grandchildren:

Michae (Micah) Butler, in college,

Her younger sisters, Amber & Annaliese Hepler

Orion Williams,

His little brother & sister, Alex and Gabi Jacobson

Amelia Ofenstein & her little brother, Marshall


Family of Origin:

Brother, Ed McDonald, a retired physicist in northern Virginia, married with two married daughters & 4 grandchildren.

Sister, Joyce Hillstrom, a retired nurse in Charlottesville, VA, with a son out of college and a daughter in grad school.

Our mother, Eloise McDonald Graham, died of breast cancer in 1992.


Occupations I’ve held:

Museum Cashier (PT, current)

Technical Editor (retired)

Secretary (mostly)

Artists’ model

Assistant manager (Kinko’s)

Bookkeeper

Sign maker


Occupation I’d most enjoy:

Working with animals


Places I’ve lived since Mississippi:

Missouri

Arkansas

Texas

Virginia


Interesting things I’ve done:

Attended a question & answer session & a concert by musicians Yo-Yo Ma & Emanuel Ax

Occasionally drove a forklift for the State Parks

Worked with my husband as extras for the movie "Jackal"-within an arm’s length of Sidney Poitier (sp?) & saw Bruce Willis a half-block away (but he didn’t notice); disappointed not to see Richard Geer; likewise disappointed not to see myself or Tom in the final movie!

Worked as an extra in Spielberg's "Lincoln" but nowhere to be seen in my first two screenings

Gave birth to our two Randolph daughters at home

Witnessed the births of our first two grandchildren (not at home); only missed the fourth by 30 minutes

Lived in the woods with my first husband & our two children (3 years old & an infant), while he built a cabin essentially around us. There was frost every night of our first month there; the first rain, even after he built the roof, drenched us; I washed dishes by wheeling them down to the pond in a wheel barrow. (Though interesting in retrospect, that’s where I prefer to keep it.)


Education:

Only 1 full year of formal higher ed, but many years enjoying the "University experience," having worked in various departments at both U of A and the University of Richmond.


Biggest adventures:

A 20-hour trek deep into the backwoods of Arkansas alone & unprovisioned

Para-sailing

Swimming with dolphins

Snorkeling in the Caribbean (Each of the above happened only once; as a rule, I’m not very adventuresome.)

Christmas Eve 2011:

Randolph extended family, L>R

Back/top row:  Eric; Amelia

Standing:  Tommy, Alex & Lynnika, Jack (Butler), Sarah, Orion, nephew Chris, Mark & Allison, Lynnice

Kneeling:  Michae, Tom, Annaliese, Alexcito, bro-in-law Bob

Seated:  Andrea, Gabi, niece Amanda


  

Christmas 2011:

Randolph family, top > bottom, L>R

Right of banister:

Tom, Gabi, Lynnice; Sarah, Annaliese, Lynnika; Jack (Butler), Alex; Allison, Amelia & Mark

Left of banister:

Eric; Tommy, Orion; Andrea, Michae; Alexcito

Allison with newest grandchild Marshall (born 2-15-2012)