Mary Lee McPhetridge Durham – About Me

I was born in a small northern Arizona town named Winslow. The area is a high desert with red clay and tumble weeds. Although it is not a scenic area by many standards, I learned so many lessons of life and it was my home. My father was an engineer on the Sante Fe Railroad and my mother was a homemaker who believed in the importance of focusing her energy in helping her family and friends as well as raising my sister, Pam, and me.

I graduated from Winslow High School and attended Northern Arizona University for one year before marrying my husband Steve. He retired from the Phoenix Police Department after 20 years and embarked on other careers until we moved to Alaska. I started teaching dancing in our home not long after we were married for many years until I cracked my ankle and miscarried our fifth child. The doctor told me it was time to set dancing aside so I went back to college with my husband’s encouragement and became a sign language interpreter and later a sign language teacher as well.

My husband and I have been married 41 years now and have six children and five grandchildren, so far. Each stage of life has had interwoven, yet unique, principles to teach me. I have always enjoyed socializing and being involved in school and church activities, but I also cherished time alone to think and analyze life’s experiences. I have gained knowledge by comparing and contrasting my life and what I learn from people I see or associate with in everyday life.

I believe we all process experiences in different ways, be they positive or otherwise, but all experiences have power to teach us. Government of the One shares true stories that reinforce what I have learned about the importance of how we respond to those experiences and use our personal government. Daily, we are influenced by those around us and have the ability to influence others. We each have adventures to live and something to teach others in a way that is only ours to give.