Lillian and Bill Walz – M. Ed., 1972; M. Ed., 1973

Lillian and Bill Walz

1. Ed. 1972 and M.Ed. 1973

                After marrying in Albuquerque in 1969, we embarked on a journey to the Cajun land of Lafayette, Louisiana.  Bill had been named as the USL Tennis Coach for the two seasons of 1970 and 1971.  “Lani” (Lillian) and Bill (William) earned Masters of Education degrees from USL.

                Both of the Mr. and Mrs. Dr. Rickels, as well as Dr. Amos Simpson modeled what teachers should be for the future educators.  The young Yankee Walzes quickly became enamored of life in southwestern Louisiana.  However, Lani’s widowed and ill mother drew us back to New Mexico.

                Many years later, since Mr. Edward Sam of Truman School was on the Lafayette School Board, we inquired about moving back to the land of prolific azaleas, rice, seafood-to-dream-about and the most wonderful culture of Acadiana.

                Bill is a School Superintendent and Lani is a teacher consultant in SE Alaska.  In 1997, we cheered the Ragin Cajuns at Anchorage Alaska’s Great American Shootout.  Even though the Basketball Team should have won the Tournament and did not, the”cold roisterous cheers” that we yelled are still commented about (as well as wondered about).  Cajun Power is living in Alaska, however cold and snow-covered.