Mary Ritter Bast

Profile Updated: September 8, 2022
Mary Ritter
Mary Ritter

Then

Mary Ritter

Now

Mary Ritter

Yearbook

Yes! Attending Reunion
Class Year: 1956
Residing In: Gainesville, FL USA
Spouse/Partner: Divorced twice/happily single
Homepage: View Website
Occupation: Artist, Author, Editor, Retired Consultant/Coach
Children: Katja Amyx (adopted 1965) (partner Nate, children Corwin, Tycho), lives in Minneapolis, MN; Dylan Schwab More…(adopted 1968), lives in Palm Harbor, FL
Comments:

What have I been up to since 1956? Wow, a summary of 'twos': two marriages, two children, two divorces, two breasts lost to cancer (caught early, no spread to lymph nodes, no need for chemo). I moved to Gainesville, FL, in 2000 to care for my mother, who died April 15, 2017 at age 104. Published seven nonfiction books and four poetry books. After PAHS: Simmons College (BS, Business), tried being a housewife for ten years but no fit (though happily earned a brown belt in taekwando), then ten glorious years as a grad student while raising two kids as single mother (eventually earned PhD in Social Psychology), ten years as internal trainer/consultant for Federated Dept. Stores (eventually Director of Executive Development for corporate office), ten years owned company Bast Consulting Inc. as leadership consultant and coach. After moving to Florida to care for my mother, created phone coaching business specializing in the Enneagram for 22 years (retired in 2020). Editor of Bacopa Literary Review Jan. 2016 - June 2022. Artist since 2008.

School Story:

Staff member Raymond Flowers, who also taught the shorthand class, wrote his message in my year book in shorthand.

Also that Walt Ligon gave me the nickname "Critter Ritter."

I dreamed of having a shape like Marilyn Monroe, so relied on a pair of falsies... until one day when we were going to line up for chest x-rays and I was afraid they'd be discovered, so I hid them in the girl's bathroom. Somebody found them, because when I came back some guys were in the hall playing catch with those falsies!

Mary's Latest Interactions

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Mary Ritter Bast has a birthday today.
Mar
17
Mar 17, 2024 at 4:33 AM
Mary Ritter Bast has a birthday today.
Mar 17, 2023 at 4:33 AM
Mar 07, 2023 at 11:42 AM

I just typed a long update and it disappeared! Still hanging in, looking forward to 85th birthday on March 17. I'm also posting two favorites of my painting efforts over the past 20 years, one of Sandhill Cranes and the other a view of Lake Rosa from my brother Chuck's house in Melrose, Florida.

Mary Ritter Bast added a comment on her Profile.
Dec 23, 2022 at 1:11 PM
Mary Ritter Bast updated her profile. View.
Sep 08, 2022 at 5:57 AM
Mary Ritter Bast has a birthday today.
Mar 17, 2022 at 4:33 AM
Mary Ritter Bast added a photo to her profile gallery.
Mar 12, 2022 at 11:41 AM
Mary Ritter Bast posted a message. New comment added.
Mar 13, 2022 at 10:14 AM

Posted on: Mar 12, 2022 at 11:39 AM

Hi Bill, and thanks for the update on 3/11. I didn't realize you'd moved to Sarasota. I've been in Gainesville, FL since 2001, "temporarily" to help my mother after her hip replacement surgery, but loved it here, stayed to take care of her and then she lived to be 104, so Gainesville grew on me. I have a lovely place on a lake, two beautiful Burmese cats, and I see my brother and sister-in-law every month or so in nearby Melrose. My son currently lives in Palm Harbor but is looking for property closer to Gainesville that has the potential for separate living space for me, when the time comes that I need closer help (I'll be 84 on St. Patrick's Day this year and mostly doing great, but arthritis is beginning to limit my strength)..

Mary Ritter Bast added a photo to her profile gallery.
Nov 08, 2021 at 1:53 PM
Bella (left) and Beau (right), my Burmese cats.
Mary Ritter Bast posted a message. New comment added.
Mar 27, 2021 at 1:13 PM

Posted on: Mar 26, 2021 at 12:59 PM

John, I just now saw your comment on my profile from years ago. Now it's my turn to run into lockers gazing at all your accomplishments. Thank you for such outstanding service. Be well.

Mary Ritter Bast added a photo to her profile gallery.
Mar 26, 2021 at 12:24 PM
My painting of Lake Rosa in Melrose, FL, behind my brother Chuck Ritter's place where he's been a champion camellia grower for 35 years since retiring from a government job.
Mary Ritter Bast added a photo to her profile gallery.
Mar 26, 2021 at 12:19 PM
While isolated for a year, I colored hundreds of mandalas during mantra meditation, then created collages from mandala pieces.
Mary Ritter Bast posted a message. New comment added.
Mar 18, 2021 at 12:34 AM

Posted on: Mar 17, 2021 at 10:13 PM

Thanks for the birthday wishes, Bill. Please accept early birthday wishes for your April 5th celebration. I'm grateful to have had the COVID vaccine several weeks ago and to have in-person hugs on Saturday from my brother/his wife, and yesterday from my son/his partner. Still wearing a mask and avoiding crowded places but feeling optimistic for the first time in a year, and fairly amazed that the "me" I identify with is now in an 83-year-old body!

Mary Ritter Bast has a birthday today.
Mar 17, 2021 at 4:33 AM
Sep 27, 2020 at 12:35 PM

Until I saw your email about Sherry Hobbs' memoir, "Bird of Passage," it didn't occur to me that PAHS classmates might be interested in my poetry collection that tracks my life ("Time Warp") or my "Autobiography Passed Through the Sieve of Maya." Just google Mary Bast on Amazon and they'll show up. I hope everyone is holding up OK in the face of the current pandemic. I retired from coaching last year, but have interests to keep my brain engaged (editor of Bacopa Literary Review, board member of Gainesville Fine Arts Association), all of which can be done alone or in Zoom meetings. Still, it's lonely in isolation, and I'm so grateful I adopted two Burmese kittens last fall to keep me company here in Gainesville, FL

Mary Ritter Bast has a birthday today.
Mar 17, 2020 at 4:33 AM
Mary Ritter Bast has a birthday today.
Mar 17, 2019 at 4:33 AM
Mary Ritter Bast changed her "Now" picture.
Aug 13, 2018 at 1:00 PM
Mary Ritter Bast changed her profile picture.
Aug 13, 2018 at 1:00 PM
Aug 13, 2018 at 12:57 PM

Dear Lois, I remember your amazing ability to memorize, possibly "photographic memory"? You and I have had some similar life experiences, though I took my PhD in a more applied direction. Both of us cared for long-living mothers -- I moved to Florida in 2000 to help with mine, who moved in with me in 2001 and lived to be 104. I'm curious about your Shakespeare biography, which now sits in my Amazon.com cart, along with "Othello," which interests me even more for its discussion of race and gender issues. Mary (Ritter) Bast

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Posted: Nov 08, 2021 at 1:54 PM
Bella (left) and Beau (right), my Burmese cats.
Posted: Nov 08, 2021 at 1:54 PM
While isolated for a year, I colored hundreds of mandalas during mantra meditation, then created collages from mandala pieces.
Posted: Mar 26, 2021 at 12:51 PM
My painting of Lake Rosa in Melrose, FL, behind my brother Chuck Ritter's place where he's been a champion camellia grower for 35 years since retiring from a government job.
Posted: Sep 27, 2020 at 12:36 PM
2014 photo
Posted: Aug 15, 2015 at 10:27 AM
Posted: Mar 07, 2014 at 12:00 AM
Second husband Dick, trip to Ireland 1986.
Posted: Mar 07, 2014 at 12:00 AM
First husband Dave, California 1964
Posted: Mar 07, 2014 at 12:00 AM
Graduation photo, 1956
Posted: Mar 07, 2014 at 12:00 AM
Garmisch, Christmas 1955
Posted: Feb 11, 2016 at 10:16 AM