Ab and Laura VanEtten
Ab is a Computer Science professor and Laura is an Elementary School Librarian.
We have just returned from teaching in China and traveling around New Zealand, Fiji, and Mexico over the last 4 years. We are now living on Puget Sound near Shelton. We are looking forward to re-exploring one of the most beautiful part of this world.
We have 3 children and, as of August 25, a son-in-law. Our oldest, Bethany, 24, graduated from the UW in 2005 in Environmental Policy. She has just completed her Masters in Public Policy and the Environment, and has just married Nate Brown, who is a Java software engineer in Seattle. Our oldest son is Adam, 23, who is now working on his doctorate in Astro Physics at Stanford. He graduated from the UW also, in 2006. Our youngest is Gregory, 22, who, surprise, surprise, also graduated from UW this past year, and is now working as a Geologist in Walnut Creek, CA.
Gregory, Adam, Bethany, and Nate
Our kids all graduated from Steilacoom High School. They ran Cross Country. Gregory played baseball and wrestled. In 1996, when they were 11,12, and 13, we went to teach in China. They all helped us teach at the Beijing University.
In 1998 we returned to China, traveled and taught, and then took the trans-siberian to Europe and traveled for 10 weeks. We all enjoy traveling and adventures
I was very involved with athletics, having played basketball at Oregon State and coaching football and basketball in Oregon. Now our biggest interest is in backpacking. We have completed the Washington and Oregon sections of the Pacific Crest Trail, and plan to finish the California section within the next few years. We also hike extensively in Washington and Oregon. We also had an excellent hiking adventure on the South Island of New Zealand. We also sail, row, and paddle on Puget Sound.