Nancy Gayle Howard Draper
13678 W. Monte Vista Road
Goodyear, Arizona 85338
623/535-5191 FAX: 623/535-7018
email: azgolferngd@earthlink.net
Publisher/Editor: Arizona Golfer
It has been an interesting and adventuresome forty years.
From my first marriage of seventeen years, I have two beautiful children
or rather wonderful adult offspring. Michael Bradley Dowell, who just turned 33
years old, runs his own audit for a post auditing firm called PRG in Houston.
He travels extensively from Houston to Phoenix so I get to see a lot of
him and that's wonderful. Heather DeAnn Dowell turned 30 this year and
owns her own landscaping firm; Blades, Lawn and Landscape. She also works
with the Parks & Recreation Department in Arlington, Texas. I am so
very fortunate to have two intelligent and precious people in my life. We
have begun the transition of being parent and child to becoming very good
friends and I really like that. Neither has chosen to marry thus far which I
believe to be very wise on their part.
I raised my family in Arlington, Texas while owning an advertising
agency for seventeen years. I served as president of the Advertising Club
of Fort Worth, chaired the 10th District American Advertising Federation
Convention, and served as chairman and co-chairman of the Addy Awards for the
Advertising Club of Fort Worth. After my children took off to college, I
decided to move to the Valley of the Sun in the sunshine state...Phoenix,
Arizona, where I slowed down my pace of life and began my career over in the
publishing business. As publisher/editor of Arizona Golfer, which is a
statewide newsprint tabloid going into its tenth year, I thoroughly enjoy the
fruits of my labor by playing as much golf as possible between selling
advertising and producing the monthly issue. It has opened many avenues
of travel to most of the west coast states and Baja, Mexico at some of the
finest golf resorts.
I've never been happier, as I always enjoyed working and playing
hard most of my school days and that's exactly what my lifestyle is today.
Being in our 50's seems to be a wonderful age group in my eyes, although
not completely thrilled with the wrinkles that seem to keep appearing more
frequently and remaining longterm.
My new life in Arizona is being semi married, as I occupy a home in
Goodyear, which is in the west Valley of Phoenix, and my husband lives at
Tucson National Resort and Spa in Tucson, Arizona. We travel back and
forth during the month and have the flexibility to enjoy our own space and
activities apart as well as together.
What I have learned through the years is that my Father was much
smarter than I could have ever imagined as everything he taught me came to
fruition. His philosophy was, "The only good thing in life you have
to leave your children is a good name." That is proving truer with
every day that passes. Good business ethics, active living, enjoying the
free things in life; family, good friends and laughter truly are the most
important. As we reach the autumn years, through so many experiences, we
find that everything we indeed needed to learn in life Was Taught in
Kindergarten.
I regret that I will not be able to attend our 40th Reunion due to
travel plans to Portugal for a golf tour. It's my first trip across the
big pond and I'm thoroughly looking forward to it so timing doesn't permit me
to reacquaint myself with classmates this year.
However, I wish everyone the best and I'll do everything I can to make the next
reunion. In the meantime, I hope that I will hear from a lot of you to
catch up on your lives.