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Writer Diana, 73, and photographer Bill, 74, have lived on Lake Norman for 30 years. They've traveled the world while writing guide books, children's books and travel articles. Daughter Suzanne Killman tells their story:
The lifeguard: My parents met as sophomores at Ohio Wesleyan University in central Ohio in 1955. Mom was lifeguarding at the campus pool, and Dad was trying to pick her up, oops… I mean, swimming. They were engaged on a chaperoned windjammer cruise in Maine and married in July 1958.
The salesman: They settled in Buffalo, N.Y., where Dad less-than-loved his job in air compressor sales and Mom taught English and P.E. She started writing children's books after my brother, Stephen, was born. Later she wrote for travel magazines. It wasn't until I was 12 that I realized my parents absolutely despised Buffalo. I thought it was a great place to live, possibly because my parents were happy together.
The travelers: To get away from Buffalo, my father resigned from his job at age 36, bought a camera and took classes so he could take pictures to go with mom's travel articles. All they really needed for their work was a mailbox, so we moved to Hawaii for a year. Just the taste of warm air made them realize that when we moved back to the mainland, we'd have to move south. So they pulled out a map, looked for Southern lakes and decided on Lake Norman.
The water: My parents have grown together, not apart. For them, it's always been about the water, their work and time together. Mom still water skis and Dad still plays handball. Anniversaries are usually spent on the lake with a sunset and a glass of wine. No glam, no glitter – just the enjoyment of each other's company. Kathy Haight
