My Life With Bud

True story written by RuthAnn Zeigler about her 32 years together with her husband, Bud Gilbert, who died of parkinson's in 2016. This is a love story and a story about the challenges they faced with his depression episodes and his parkinson's and their ups and downs with blended families. It is also about being in a close, loving and committed relationship where they shared much happiness and meaning together with lots of travel. Both were divorced single parents with successful professional careers when they met and fell in love "across a crowded room" as the saying goes....

A love story and a true story of the marriage of RuthAnn Zeigler and Bud Gilbert that lasted until his death from parkinson's in 2016. The story tells of their challenges and ups and downs with blended families. Both were divorced single parents with successful professional careers (he was an engineer and she an educator) when they met and fell in love. The story also tells of their happy times traveling around the country and the world. It is a story of the difficult times faced with his illness and the caregiving challenges faced by Ruth Ann. They had a very close relationship for their 32 years together and remained very much in love. Their marriage was the enactment of the wedding vows which state that the couple will remain faithful and care for each other "until death do us part..." Strange how when one marries with stars in their eyes they don't truly grasp what that phrase entails. Their marriage was a journey of love and full of the realities and ups and downs of life over a 32 year period. It is hoped that reading this will be helpful to others who may face some of the same challenges and will know they are not alone.

RuthAnn has written and published curriculum materials duringher career as an educator but this is her first published memoir. She has a B.A. and M.A. from Michigan State University and has worked as a teacher, social worker, career counselor and consultant to schools and businesses. She is a certified divorce mediator and developed and published training materials for peer mediation and crisis management in schools across the country. She stays healthy by going to the gym , walking, biking, traveling and spending time with family. Her beloved husband, Bruno (Bud) Gilbert of 32 years died in 2016 from parkinson's complications. He was her favorite "rocket scientist."