My mom went to community college in the late 70's after my dad retired from the army, after almost 20 years as a SAHM officer's wife.

She became a computer operator (back when tapes had to be changed and maintenance done by hand). Worked her way up to programmer (her boss was a woman too). Wound up having about a 25-year career in programming before she retired of her own volition.

She saw my early interest in computers and nurtured it, teaching me COBOL when I was 10, sending me to computer camps in middle school to learn FORTRAN, supporting my getting a computer science degree. I've been in the industry for 25 years now myself.

She's about the only person in my family I can talk to about my work because it's so virtual and abstract. My sister is a logistics specialist, my friends are cops and attorneys and teachers - stuff that most people can relate to in real world terms. My dad sure as hell didn't understand it but he was happy that I had a good career.