The Holden-Corbett family was established in 1973 with the marriage of Bill Corbett and Debbie Holden. Vows were said on the black basalt outcroppings of Lake Superior, so you might say that their thirty-year marriage started on the rocks.
In 1974, after Debbie received her R.N. designation from St. Luke's Hospital in Marquette, the newlyweds moved to Suttons Bay, Michigan. Bill had lived in the area in 1970-71 while working as a journalist. Debbie took a job with the Public Health Department and Bill sold real estate while writing freelance articles.
In 1976, after returning from a two-month trip to West Africa, the couple moved to Traverse City. Debbie worked as a nurse in the intensive care unit of the local hospital. Bill continued writing and actually sold several freelance articles to magazines.
Charlie was born in 1978.
A year later Bill realized he had a family to support. So he took a job in the financial industry as a temporary measure until his first novel sold and royalties could support them in a grand lifestyle. Bill is still employed in the financial industry. He did have one non-fiction book published in 1989, but the royalties amounted to about two dollars an hour.
Leah was born on January 1, 1982 as the second baby of the year. Not only did Bill lose a tax deduction for 1981, but they family missed out on the prize awarded to the first baby born in the new year. No matter. The birth of Leah was prize enough.
Steve was born in the summer of 1984, arriving a bit earlier than expected. Nora arrived the day after Christmas, 1986.
We have lived in our current home, which we designed ourselves, since 1981. All the kids attended Willow Hill Elementary School, though Nora transferred to the Talented and Gifted Program in sixth grade. All attended Traverse City West Junior High School, and graduated from Traverse City high schools.
Music was an important part of the kids' education, and Traverse City public schools excel in that area. Charlie played percussion under John Campbell and traveled with the band to St. Petersburg, FL for a national competition, which they took first and second in various categories. Leah, who played oboe but switched to percussion for the marching band, was a section leader. She was recognized for her work in making that section exceptional. Steve, who played alto saxophone, became drum major in his senior year (after his interest switched to vocal performance), and Nora continues to play French Horn, and is a section leader.
Steve and Nora participated in various musicals. Leah had wanted to, but traveling overseas prohibited her from doing anything other than support work: sewing costumes, etc. Steve had parts in Ruddigore, Music Man, and Les Miserables. Nora played horn in the pit for Les Miserables, and West Side Story.
On to college: Even after four trips to Bill's alma mater, the University of Michigan, Charlie chose the University of Notre Dame. He majored in English and Film Production, then participated in the ACE program (Alliance for Catholic Education). For his two year service in Brownsville, TX and summer study, he received a Master’s in Education from ND. So he’s a "double domer." He’s now in Burbank, California.
Leah attended Saint Mary's College, at Notre Dame, Indiana, graduating with honors 2004. A biology major, she is now attending that college’s accelerated nursing program, living in Mishawauka.
Steve just finished his freshman year at DePaul University in Chicago, as a vocal performance major. As a freshman, he was able to land a part in Carmen, (as Morales), which was performed in March 2004 in a theatre on Balbo Street near Grant Park. He is currently waiting tables in Traverse City and helping his folks with deferred home maintenance and improvement projects.
Nora is entering her senior year at T.C. West Senior High School. She works at the Dairy Lodge, but is on sabbatical while attending a three-week engineering camp at the University of Notre Dame.
In 1974, after Debbie received her R.N. designation from St. Luke's Hospital in Marquette, the newlyweds moved to Suttons Bay, Michigan. Bill had lived in the area in 1970-71 while working as a journalist. Debbie took a job with the Public Health Department and Bill sold real estate while writing freelance articles.
In 1976, after returning from a two-month trip to West Africa, the couple moved to Traverse City. Debbie worked as a nurse in the intensive care unit of the local hospital. Bill continued writing and actually sold several freelance articles to magazines.
Charlie was born in 1978.
A year later Bill realized he had a family to support. So he took a job in the financial industry as a temporary measure until his first novel sold and royalties could support them in a grand lifestyle. Bill is still employed in the financial industry. He did have one non-fiction book published in 1989, but the royalties amounted to about two dollars an hour.
Leah was born on January 1, 1982 as the second baby of the year. Not only did Bill lose a tax deduction for 1981, but they family missed out on the prize awarded to the first baby born in the new year. No matter. The birth of Leah was prize enough.
Steve was born in the summer of 1984, arriving a bit earlier than expected. Nora arrived the day after Christmas, 1986.
We have lived in our current home, which we designed ourselves, since 1981. All the kids attended Willow Hill Elementary School, though Nora transferred to the Talented and Gifted Program in sixth grade. All attended Traverse City West Junior High School, and graduated from Traverse City high schools.
Music was an important part of the kids' education, and Traverse City public schools excel in that area. Charlie played percussion under John Campbell and traveled with the band to St. Petersburg, FL for a national competition, which they took first and second in various categories. Leah, who played oboe but switched to percussion for the marching band, was a section leader. She was recognized for her work in making that section exceptional. Steve, who played alto saxophone, became drum major in his senior year (after his interest switched to vocal performance), and Nora continues to play French Horn, and is a section leader.
Steve and Nora participated in various musicals. Leah had wanted to, but traveling overseas prohibited her from doing anything other than support work: sewing costumes, etc. Steve had parts in Ruddigore, Music Man, and Les Miserables. Nora played horn in the pit for Les Miserables, and West Side Story.
On to college: Even after four trips to Bill's alma mater, the University of Michigan, Charlie chose the University of Notre Dame. He majored in English and Film Production, then participated in the ACE program (Alliance for Catholic Education). For his two year service in Brownsville, TX and summer study, he received a Master’s in Education from ND. So he’s a "double domer." He’s now in Burbank, California.
Leah attended Saint Mary's College, at Notre Dame, Indiana, graduating with honors 2004. A biology major, she is now attending that college’s accelerated nursing program, living in Mishawauka.
Steve just finished his freshman year at DePaul University in Chicago, as a vocal performance major. As a freshman, he was able to land a part in Carmen, (as Morales), which was performed in March 2004 in a theatre on Balbo Street near Grant Park. He is currently waiting tables in Traverse City and helping his folks with deferred home maintenance and improvement projects.
Nora is entering her senior year at T.C. West Senior High School. She works at the Dairy Lodge, but is on sabbatical while attending a three-week engineering camp at the University of Notre Dame.
