Wagner Memories - Sue Corey '78

I got to know Sue as we sweated & groaned our way up and down the hills Faith Academy, along the seemingly endless flightline at Subic, and around the dusty track of the Bamboo Bowl during our cross country & track days. And despite the fact that we ran against each other, she was one of those people you could always count on to talk you through that last mile. She and my sister, Elin, were best buds, but all of us on the cross country team were truly sisters. We'd cheer each other on and literally drag each other up that last hill - our friendships more important than who won the race.

I knew that she would go on to bigger and better things and she did, excelling in track in college and obtaining her law degree. She is now a public defender in Phoenix and will be spending time traveling to Colorado this fall to see her son, Ray Polk, play football with the University of Colorado Buffaloes. Ray had more than 20 offers, including Michigan, Arizona State and Nebraska, but his former high school defensive coordinator, Mark Nolan, convinced him to go to Colorado. Keep your eye on this fine young man - I'm sure he'll be as successful as his mother. Read on for Sue's Wagner memories....

What was your first impression of Clark and Wagner? Really beautiful.

What surprised you the most about the Philippines? What did you like best about living there? I loved it. Though I really loved the Philippines-the ocean (how I miss the ocean!), the jungle, the food, the lifestyle-what I appreciated the most and miss the most-still-is all of my friends. It was my classmates that really made the difference for me. It was sort of the island of misfit toys-and I don't mean that in a bad way. We were all just so used to moving somewhere new and dealing with being the outsider and adapting to all of that. But in the P.I. everyone was an outsider; everyone had been the new kid. So the reception was warm and welcoming. A bunch of people, just like me. All raised multiculturally; all interested and involved in the world; all with pretty solid ambitions and dreams. It felt like coming home.

Did you really miss anything from the States and if so, what? Yep. McDonald's. And I never touch the place now.

Who were your good buddies? Elin Pierce, Paula Tsatsos, Heidi Young, Tish Lujan, Clyde Reyes, Charlie and Richard Lopez, Julia Sutherland, Ron Souther, (I know I am leaving people out here but I'm at work and getting ready to do an interview on an aggravated assault case so I'm hurrying) all the cross country and track people.

Where did you hang out? I didn't really hang out anywhere. I just went where my friends were. Though the Vertigo was a big favorite.

Who was your favorite teacher/class? Mr. Carmone, Mr. Cutler, Mr. Edgerly. And of course, Mr. Taft, who didn't even yell at me when I fell off the hood of the car going around the corner at 20 miles an hour. Wow, did we get some fabulous teachers.

Did you have a part time job? Nope.

Did you have a crush on anyone? I had a crush on the same guys everyone else had a crush on: Dake and Larry Jones.

Have you become closer to a Wagnerite that you didn't know well in high school because of a reunion? I'm really good friends with Myrna now and we didn't know each other that well at Clark.

Do you think your experience living overseas made you a better person? Absolutely. It changed my view of the world. I really wanted to move to Italy with my son, to give him an opportunity to experience that, but I didn't want to take him away from his dad.

Comments: I'm trying mostly death penalty cases now in a new office for, thankfully, more money. My brother just remarried and my mom and dad are doing well. Ray is graduating from the local Jesuit high school this year. He is off to Colorado on a football scholarship. Rivals has him ranked as the number 11 running back in the country. I will be going up for all the home games, hopefully. I'm sure he's thrilled about that; doesn't every boy want his mom to show up to his college two weekends a month? And since it is going to kill me when he leaves, I am currently in the process of cranking up my social life again. I am, um, a little rusty, but I am hoping it will all come back to me.

And I think I am going to start running with my running group, though I am not wild about racing again. Having Ray leave is really hard for me; it's just been us two for the last thirteen years, and we are very close. I know the moms will understand this-after you have a baby, that first year is so hard because you have to change your life completely. It's not all about you; the baby has to come first. All the time. And that's the new reality. Well, as it turns out, it's tough going back the other way too. But I have to learn to let my son live his own life and I have to go live mine. And it is terribly difficult. But it is the way it's supposed to be. So I am getting through it but I'm going to need some distractions. I'm planning on enjoying the distractions very much.

Pictures: #1 - Sue's Senior Picture  #2 Hanging in the hallways in '78.. Standing: Heidi Young, Paula Tsatsos, Doug MacIver. Seated: Terryl Jones, Sue & Sven Aunapu. #3 Running against International School in a cross country race in '77 (look for the blonde hair!) #4 - Meeting up with Chrys Atwater at Dana William's house last year. #5 - Sue with her son, Ray. To read Sue's After Wagner story, click here. To read a previous post on Ray's athletic abilities, click here.

Comments

[Elin Pierce]

Sue,
...going to be needing some "distractions," eh? Well, I'm pretty good at that - I can think of some good ones! Sounds like I'd have to get you to squeeze them in between your biweekly commute to UC! Ray has made some awsome achievements, but I must say Sue, you have also made some awesome sacrifices for his fantastic upbringing, and his achievements really are a reflection on your great parenting. Amazing really, considering your juggling a full-time job with being a single parent of a young boy. I am so glad that he does you proud.

We've greatly enjoyed your WHS memories! Anyway, if you need a distraction give me a call. I might just put you on a plane to SD to see -- the ocean! (don't mind the sharks...)
Cheers, Elin

[Myrna Nickelsen]

Susan and I have been such good friends for so long now that I often forget that we, in fact, were merely "friendly" with each other at Clark!

I'm waiting for two things: 1) a championship game with Ray being the runningback - Susan assures me that watching a game where I actually know a player is infinitely more exciting, and b) that Susan gets to argue a case before the U.S. Supreme Court justices before she retires -- I'll definitely be there, along with a few other Wagnerites who also think that that would be too cool!

[Mark Anderson]

Sue, we've always thought highly of you and heard great things about you through the years. I know you are unbelievably proud of your son and when he leaves it will be hard (as many of us know, right guys?) However, I swear to you it will go by so fast. We had the longest, saddest 3-hour drive home after leaving Jessica for the first time at Wm & Mary. Now, this week we are celebrating her graduation...and we have no idea where the four years went. IT FLEW BY! So, I promise you this, the time will fly for you too, and that handsome lad will make you even prouder than you are today. You'll agree with me when we reconnect in DC, 2011.