About the Book A Lifetime of Memories truly shares a lifetime of memories. Trudie Meier Gavette was born and raised on a farm in Salem, Oregon, during the Great Depression on December 25, 1925. Her mom and dad were born in Switzerland but met for the first time at a dairy farm in Salem, Oregon. She has an older sister, Mert, and of course they all spoke Swiss and learned English together. She still speaks and writes it. They were a musical family...her dad played the piano and mom was an excellent seamstress. Her sister and she started performing at an early age, singing English and Swiss songs and dancing. They entertained at C.C. Campes, the YMCA, and after learning tap dancing, they performed every Saturday afternoon at the Elsinore Theater in Salem, Oregon, for several years. After she graduated from Salem High School, she became a Cadet Nurse at Emmanuel Hospital during World War II. It was there she composed her first poem about the dreadful war. It was not until 1957 that she started composing again...it was for her mom and dad's anniversary, the store cards just did not say what she wanted them to say. So she composed one herself and has never bought a store card since. She has composed over 1,000 poems for every occasion. The words she needs come to her between two and four A.M., when she awakens with thoughts in her mind. She gets up and puts a few words down on paper to complete when she gets up. About the Author Gavette has three wonderful children who mean the world to her: Judi, John, and Troy. She plans to continue her poetry talent until God calls her home!