Jo Champness

I'm happy to be able to post this update from Jo, who wrote to me today (27.4.03). Jo is the latest applicant for the coveted post of 'Least Successful Bedalian of All Time', so there will be three of us participating in that duel!

Jo has just (3.6.03) sent me this photo, taken on the occasion of her silver wedding in 2001. She says it shows her in typical pose! There's a 1966 school picture on the 'Nostalgia' page.

"A brief resume of my life since Bedales follows:

You may remember that I wanted to join the WRAF (most unBedalian!) & failed the first time. I tried again after leaving school & failed once more. Needing to do something during the 2 years it took before applying for the third time, I joined BEA as a stewardess. I didn't get around to trying again for the WRAF and in fact stayed with BEA & then BA for 14 years, flying on the European & domestic routes. I married a captain (very predictable!) and in 1982 we both left the company. Paul took a job flying Tristars for Saudi Arabian Airlines & I became a lady of leisure at the tender age of 31. We stayed in Jeddah for 8 years and after a shaky start (one minute a working woman the next a "nothing", not allowed even to drive a car or sit with the men on a bus!) I loved it.

Since Paul's retirement we have divided our time between our flat on the south coast near Lymington, a flat in North Cyprus and our boat in Turkey. I haven't achieved a thing, career-wise, but I have had a wonderful and interesting life & am very happy.

I chose not to have children (no maternal instinct at all) but have 3 adult stepchildren & 3 teenage grand-children.

So there it is. I read of other OB's great successes & think that I should have done more with regard to a career but in fact - as I said above - I've had a super life."