I grew up in Harbert, Michigan. Graduated from St. Joseph High School. BA and MA at Michigan State University; PhD from Michigan Tech in Rhetoric and Technical Communication. Career as College Professor, and now Dean for Academic Programs at King University in Bristol, TN. Mother of 3 sons; grandmother of 10, reader, quilter, researcher and author of 2 books.

John Natsis purchased this house in 1941

Stollaway was built in 1941by my aunt, at the time a teacher in Evanston, IL. My mother and aunt came to Harbor Country from the Chicago area as small children and continued their love affair with Harbert when they became adults buying Lot 48 in Birchwood and a lakefront lot in Harbert Woods. I inherited Stollaway in 1999. In 2007, I completely re-modeled the original structure and doubled the size of the house. Stollaway is the place of my first memories and has always been 'home' for me even though I have lived and worked in New Jersey, Georgia, and Tennessee. The beauty of the woods, dunes, creek, and beach are important to me. Harbert, home to Carl Sandburg for 20 years and more recently to Roger Ebert, is unique among the communities of Harbor Country.

Stollaway sits at the back of a half-acre lot, away from the road, surrounded by majestic hardwoods. The house is intentionally designed for large families, with two separated living spaces, a multi-purpose game/craft room, the loft for children's play out from under foot, and the kitchen/dining area at the center. Front entrance porch has benches to sit on while you brush off the beach sand. When I remodeled, I included all the features that were missing when I was growing up in order to accommodate my children and their families.

Stollaway renews my energy and sparks my creativity; my heart rests in Harbert. Both my mother and aunt chose to have intimate home weddings in front of the living room fireplace, and Carl Sandburg would sit in one of the comfortable wing chairs to read his work when he dropped by on late afternoon walks.

Peaceful and shady in summer, lit by the brilliance of fall colors in autumn, blanketed with snow in winter, and graced with the pastels of blossoms in spring, the yard and house provide a refuge from the fast pace of busy workplaces. The view of the ravine comes into the living space through the tall windows; deer, racoons, opossums, ground hogs, squirrels, foxes, and many birds entertain patient watchers. Built-in desks suggest that people write in this house. Books on the shelves beckon casual or serious readers. The piano invites sing-alongs or Chopsticks. The beach, only a few minutes' walk away, boasts 'singing sand,' clear Lake water, glorious sunsets, majestic mounded ice, and star-studded night skies. The Birchwood Creek provides endless hours of entertainment for those who build drip castles, make sand cakes and pies, or engineer elaborate dams. To coin a phrase...'pure Michigan!' Make YOUR Stollaway memories!