As of this date, May, 2000 I consider myself semi-retired. My wife on
the other hand says I have been retired for five years. She doesn't
think calling in to my office is considered work! It just goes to show
you that even after 44 years we can still agree to disagree.
Anyway,
now that I am in my second childhood I feel more free to make my own
rules rather than follow the conventional ones; i.e.: I now sport a
diamond earring, a gift from my wife. I am on my third motorcycle, a
Harley FLHTI which has as of this date covered all the Western states
plus Canada with one of the three "gangs" I belong to.
In February I completed my annual trek to
Mexico in my Bonanza F-33. (Leo Gormley won't go with me anymore after
the Sea of Cortez incident). And in late June I will be flying over Cuba
for a visit to the Cayman Islands. (Leo again declined to take this trip
with me).
In my off hours I keep myself busy making
furniture in my woodshop. And of course continue to meet with the Lake
Quinault Derelicts at Ken Johnson's place.
My wife Ida has just completed her fourth term
as a member of the Washington State House of Representatives for the
41st District. This year she will be running for her fifth term. For all
who follow politics in Washington I am sure you can all attest to the
really outstanding work she has done, especially when it comes to public
safety and the clout she has being the Chairperson of the Criminal
Justice and Corrections Committee.
Our son Michael and his wife and the three
brightest grandchildren in the whole world are still in Chicago. Michael
is with H.R. Donnelly Co. managing a computer department. Exactly what
he does I don't understand. He explains it to me but I just don't get
it.
Stephanie, our youngest daughter was finally
married last year. We tried to buy her off to run away with her fiancée
and a nice check but she wouldn't have anything to do with it. She
wanted a classic wedding with all the trimmings. Stephanie works as an
HIV Educator for the King County Health Department.
Mary Mae Bourke Kromm
Married
to wonderful husband, lover and friend for 37 years in August. Have
three great children and six precious grandchildren.
We left Aberdeen in 1960 and moved to Seattle
until 1963, we left Seattle with Boeing Company and moved to Huntsville,
Alabama. In 1965 we headed for Merritt Island, Florida, from there to
Duluth, Georgia, and back to Federal Way, Washington in 1974.
While in Florida, I was involved in Little
League Baseball and Midget Football. I coached a girl's softball team
and bowled. Also worked with Crippled Children Society for three years.
Did all the good things a mother should do . . . PTA, school monitor,
Graylady, homeroom mother, camp outs, and most of all, family taxi
driver.
Highlights while in Florida, was to watch all
the Appollo space shots from Kennedy Space Center, just three miles
away.
When we moved to Georgia in 1971, I became one
of those bored housewives and went back to work. I retired September 1,
1990 from Boeing Company as an analyst for Boeing Commercial Airplane
Company.
Since retired, I have been on a golf cruise to
Bahamas with a group of golfing buddies. We have season tickets to
Huskies, so we were able to attend the Rose Bowl and meet some friends
in Phoenix for a week of golf.
I became a weekend golfer four years ago and
now that I have lots of time, I hope to improve my game. My husband and
I play in two golf leagues and I belong to Riverbend Ladies Golf League.
We have a great group of couples that we travel around with and play
different courses.
Looking forward to spending four weeks out of
the year at our condominium in Wapato at Lake Chelan.
God willing, I plan to enjoy the golden years
with my husband, my children and grandchildren.
Golfingly yours . . .
Walter
J. Barriault
I have worked as a logger in Washington and Alaska. Have two
grandsons, and two granddaughters.
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Mary
Basich Olson
John and I moved to Hoods Canal two years ago after living on the
Harbor in the same house for 30-some years. It was culture shock. It
was like starting over again; new friends, new hobbies and 30 miles
away from any town of any size.
We were recently blessed with our second
granddaughter. Now we have Amanda, age 16 and Hannah Rose, age 5
months. Our son, Mike, is in Montesano and our son, Doug, is in
Vancouver. Each has one daughter.
John is in charge of the water department for
Seamount Estates and that keeps him hopping, but we manage to find
time to go crabbing, fishing, oystering and clamming. Tough life, huh?
And, we also still go trailering with our friends in Aberdeen in
between all the other fun things to do. As you can tell, we do enjoy
our retirement.
Laurence
W. Bierman
I
graduated from the University of Washington in 1955 with a degree in
chemical engineering and worked at Boeing until 1957. We were building
the 707, B-53 and KC-135 in those days and I worked on design of
adhesive panels.
After leaving I found work with a company
recovering minerals from a dry salt lake brine in Southern California,
but was promptly drafted. I spent two years in the Army Special
Services developing chemical weapons at Dugway, Utah. During this
period I met and married my wife Rosemarie, from Buchans,
Newfoundland, Canada.
Upon leaving the Army, I returned to Trona,
Calif., which is one valley west of Death Valley, where we became
desert rats for six years. Our children were born in Trona, two boys
and a girl.
In 1965, 1 took a job with J.R. Simplot
Company in Pocatello, Idaho. The company mines phosphate ore and
produces a variety of phosphate and nitrogen fertilizers as well as
animal feeds and other phosphates.
I obtained a second degree in business in
1968 from Idaho State University and became Director of Research and
Development at Simplot. I worked for Simplot for 25 years, retiring in
1991. I'm presently enjoying a variety of community and church work
activities as well as several hobbies which include hunting, fishing
and woodworking.
Gerry
Bardy Straumfjord
After having been a registered dietician, I am now an Art History
Docent at San Diego Museum of Art and Timken Museum.
Currently I am doing volunteer work with
battered women and the homeless. Other volunteer work has included
helping with the meals on wheels program and working with the blind.
Gordon
R. Brown
Graduated
from University of Washington in June, 1955. Spent two years on active
duty in the Marine Corps, mostly overseas in the Far East. Returned to
Aberdeen and worked there in the family business until I sold out in
1976. During that period I was a member and served as president of
Aberdeen Lions club, and also was a board member for 13 years for the
Aberdeen YMCA, and was president of the board of the Aberdeen Y for
two years.
Moved to Vancouver, Washington in December of
1976 and bought an athletic club business and have been hard at it
ever since.
I have three grandchildren, the third born
just this July.
Hobbies I particularly enjoy at this point in
life, are racquetball, golf, and fishing and I'm hoping to do a lot
more of these things in the coming years.
I'm looking forward to seeing everybody at
the reunion. I think our reunion committee is really well organized
and doing a great job.
Iris Boettcher Kintner
We are still living in Vancouver, Washington. Leroy has retired and is
enjoying his free time. I have been working as a grocery checker for the
past 26 years and I'm anxiously awaiting retirement.
We have three children, two daughters and a
son. We are enjoying six wonderful grandchildren. We spend our days
going to baseball, basketball, football games and gymnastic
lessons.
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