“My name is Heather Deming and my husband Bill and I feel privileged to share our story with you. We are learning to increase our understanding of this baffling disorder with the goal that together, we will all make strides in caring for our loved ones and ourselves.

Alzheimer’s takes its toll on parents, siblings, spouses, friends. Our roles vary according to our relationships.

Bill and I met in 1981 having both been married before. Together, we had five adult children and in the years ahead would add six grandchildren. Perhaps, it would be helpful to share Bill’s life before I met him:

He was born in Yonkers, New York. After high school, he took a job in New York city described as “photographers aide.” This first job would guide the rest of his career. The photographer was Richard Avedon, the revolutionary photographer who redefined fashion photography as an art form.

For two years, Bill learned photography from someone who would soon be at the top of his field. Then the Korean War intervened and Bill chose to enlist in the Air Force. Fortunately, the Air Force recognized his potential skills and sent him to Boulder, Colorado for photography training, which morphed into high-altitude reconnaissance photography. Those skills took him to Japan and launching of the North Korean overflights. Continue reading “On a Personal Note: Heather Deming” »