Karen Julianna Kittredge Bell

Graduated from USC with a BS in Business Administration. I really wanted to be a marine biologist but chose business instead. I worked for IBM as a systems engineer for 5 years when I decided I wanted to go into business for myself. I opened a restaurant in South Lake Tahoe with a friend and soon discovered being an employee was much easier than being an employer. I got out of that business after 5 years and went back to school at Johns Hopkins University. I graduated with a BS in Nursing. I became a labor and delivery nurse and was happier in that career than any other. I loved it. It led me to teaching at the College of the Desert in Palm Desert, CA. After my 3rd child I became a full-time mom and school volunteer. I am very happy.

Montpellier, France
South Lake Tahoe, California
Wurzburg, Germany
Frankfurt, Germany
Palm Springs, California
Rancho Mirage, California

The Kittredge's moved to South Pasadena in 1969. We first live in Monterey Hills and attended grammar school there. We later moved to Wayne Avenue, then moved once again to Fletcher Avenue where my mother still resides. My baby sister Kathryn has a home on Oak Street, just 2 blocks away from my mother and across the street from Dave Saeta!

Kim Kittredge - class of 1976
Kelly Kittredge (McWaid) - class of 1979
Kathryn Kittredge (Schroeder) - class of 1984

Larry Zahorez, Scott Stevenson and I went to San Marino HS one night and plastered that school with So. Pas logos just before a foot ball game. We oiled the football field with giant So. Pas letters to kill the grass and best of all, we didn't get caugt. However, the incident was reported but noone caved. I'm pretty sure this was Scott's idea. I loved Mr. U for math and Mr. Ryan for science. Had a mad crush on Chris and of course he didn't even notice me. I ditched class once and went to a noon time party (Pam Caldwell, Ruth Whitington, and gang) drank champagne and came back to class seeing double. I had to leave because we were taking a math test in Ms. Snyder's class and I couldn't focus on the questions. I never did that again. Going away to school in France for my Junior year was the best thing that ever happened to me. I think I matured that year and came back a much better student. Best memories were running with the cross country team on a Saturday morning and ending up at my house eating ricotta cheese pancakes that my father would cook for all of us. Larry and I ate 15 at one sitting.

I've always stayed with sports competing in cycling into my 30's, doing triathalons and now tennis. Our team finally made it to Nationals after trying for 5 years to get there. I create large mosaic pieces of art that we auction at our children's school. One piece raised $25,000 and I am very proud of that. I stay very active. My boys are going for Eagle Scout this year and I spend a lot of time camping with them. We spend summers on the beach surfing and boogie boarding (me).

I like rock and roll. Still a 70's girl. But I have to listen to electronica for workouts. Gets me going! I listen to music all the time and many songs bring me back to high school days. I did a lot of crazy things and I have learned to laugh at myself.

I love to read historical novels, books about different cultures and people. No romance novels for me.
I watch True Blood - so romantic. Lost and Dexter. I must be twisted. Favorite movies, tragic love stories.

All I know is that I have grown up so much since 1977. I just was reading what my friends said to me in the back pages of our year books, and I read the comments that I made to others. I think I lacked a little depth of character. I like the person that I am today much better than that young girl in 1977. What was I thinking?