Branch 35 Member Profiles 

These profiles, which have appeared in our newsletter Trail Tips starting in Feb 2015, have provided a monthly highlight of one of our branch members. We hope that you will enjoy knowing a little more about your fellow members and the interesting life they have had. If you have someone you would like to nominate or if you would like to help author an article, please email the editor of Member Profiles, Ron Nakamoto, at ron.nakamoto(at)yahoo.com.

 

2022 Member Profiles

Jan 2022 – BOB BOOTH

… link to the rest of the story Member Profile Jan 2022

2021 Member Profiles

Jan 2021 – LAWRENCE (LARRY) YELOWITZ

“Did you know, at age 15 I replaced Neil Sedaka as music counselor at Trail’s End Camp, Beach Lake, PA (Summer ’59). Neil, scheduled to return for a second season, bowed out to pursue his music career, which soon soared with his Billboard Hot 100 hit “Breaking Up is Hard to Do” in the summer of 1962. Decades later, my wife and I saw Neil headlining a fundraiser for our synagogue at Flint Center, Cupertino. Although I did not get to meet him, a wave of exciting memories came back to me of my two great summers at Trail’s End Camp.”

… link to the rest of the story Member Profile Jan 2021

Feb 2021 – JAMES (JIM) DAVIS

“On 14 November 2018, the following article was published in the Los Altos Town Crier. “Old- fashioned automotive shop revs into 36th year” – A photo taken in front of the “Jim Davis Automotive” shop had Jim with his arms around his principal mechanics, BJ Correia and Brian Nakai. An excerpt from the article starts out with: “A well-loved auto shop that services cars for customers all over the South Bay, including residents of Los Altos and Mountain View, hosted a celebration Nov 8, 2018 for the man behind the muscle, Jim Davis. “I really try to accommodate the businesses here,” Davis said of his Barron Park neighborhood.” To mark his 36th anniversary, Davis priced gas for the day at $3.60 per gallon (price matching his anniversary). I’m waiting to see if anyone notices, he said” Later, he said “Nobody noticed my great idea.” So much for Jim’s sense of humor…

… link to the rest of the story Member Profile Feb 2021

Mar 2021 – TERRY L. BARNHART

“Did you know that I am a Numismatist (i.e., Coin Collector)? I started my hobby collecting at age nine with Lincoln pennies and Buffalo nickels. I continued into my teen years collecting Jefferson nickels, Roosevelt dimes, Washington quarters, and Franklin half dollars. In 1965 the federal government stopped minting silver coins and started removing all silver coins from circulation. I immediately started purchasing silver coins from coin bid boards to complete my collection of every US mint (San Francisco, Denver, Philadelphia) penny, nickel, dime, quarter, and half dollar from 1934 to 1964. I still have these and hundreds more…”

… link to the rest of the story Member Profile Mar 2021

Apr 2021 – CARL C. CLEMM

Have you ever met a person in the Merchant Marines? Do you even know what that means? I suspect that not many of us do. Well, I am proud to say that one of our members served as a Merchant Marine and he will tell you how he qualified for a U.S. Coast Guard license and what he did in support of our national interests. He is one who can say he sailed the seven seas and thoroughly enjoyed learning about many of the seaports/countries around the world.

… link to the rest of the story Member Profile Apr 2021

May 2021 – J. WILLIAM (BILL) YOUNG

I spent over 40 years working on satellites, watching them grow from a small grapefruit-size ball to large two-story boxes that unfurl in orbit. I experienced the evolution from slide rules to computers for engineering calculations. Satellite activities took me across the US and around the world to India, Japan, South America, Europe, Russia, and Kazakhstan. Some bits of my story will be the usual, but I included some adventures that might be of interest to you, at least they were to me.

… link to the rest of the story Member Profile May 2021 

Jun 2021 – MARK P. (MARK) SARJEANT

Did you know that you do not need to be liable to be sued? You only have to be alleged, to be liable! I learned early in my insurance career to never assume anything because regardless of whether a business was big or small, people are prone to make mistakes. “Trust but verify was my mantra. My memory hook was CPCU CYA, which meant Chartered Property & Casualty Underwriter Covers Your ASSets!

… link to the rest of the story Member Profile Jun 2021

Jul 2021 – JEAN (JOHN) MORDO

I was born in Egypt but had a Greek passport, although none of my family or relatives spoke Greek and both my parents were born in Egypt. I traced our family name Mordo to Corfu, Greece, where there used to be a large Jewish community. Our family spoke French at home, and I attended a French school. In addition to French, I of course, speak English, am fluent in Spanish, and can converse in Portuguese. I have been a French citizen since 1965 and a U.S. citizen since 1985.  You might say I’m an international fellow that has enjoyed a full life and am working on more adventures in my retired years.

… link to the rest of the story Member Profile Jul 2021

Aug 2021 – GARY LARSON

Gary was born in 1933 at Humboldt Hospital, the only hospital in Humboldt County at the time, built by Pacific Lumber Company (PALCO). (Editor’s note: PALCO was the major logging and sawmill company in California, headquartered in Scotia, the town that they built.) His mother said that Gary’s was a normal birth, and all was fine until thirty minutes later when she felt a sharp pain. The doctor was called back, discovered, and delivered another baby, his twin brother. Gary mused, “Those town doctors were really practiced with men and their physical injuries and not so much with women.”

… link to the rest of the story Member Profile Aug 2021

Sep 2021 – MAX LUN

After many years on this earth, I, along with many others, sometimes ponder whether our lives were guided by destiny or our own determination. I will start this conversation by saying that my life experiences have been a mix of fortunate misses and determined gains. An example of a near miss – I was scheduled to visit the Olympus factory in Fukushima on Friday Mar 11, 2011 but decided to play golf in Hong Kong, so I cancelled my trip to the nearby plant and left on Thursday. The next day, the tsunami hit, and the nuclear power plant was damaged.

… link to the rest of the story Member Profile Sep 2021

Oct 2021 – ROGER POTASH

For many years, Roger had read about Himalayan climbers, and one day decided to book a trek in the Nepalese Himalaya to see for himself. He joined a group of sixteen Americans and hiked for a month in the Khumbu region, supported by a dozen Sherpas and yaks. A non-technical climb to the top of Kala Patthar mountain (18,500ft) provided a breathtaking view of Everest basecamp, across the Khumbu glacier to the icefall and up to the top of Everest with the deep blue sky above.

… link to the rest of the story Member Profile Oct 2021

Nov 2021 – BOB FISHER

As a child, I remember my “Papa” (grandfather), saying “.Ssshh…Don’t scare dem fish. Worms fall from dat tree up here. Dey’ll love dos worms. Dats fo tru!” And “Sho nuff”, on the first drop of my line the fish took the bait! What a thrill! I wouldn’t go home empty handed this time! … My biggest haul was a two pounder! I won the prize for the largest catch of that day, a big pat on the back from dad. I also learned that cleaning fish was not nearly as much fun as catching them. “Fo sure!” 

… link to the rest of the story Member Profile Nov 2021

Dec 2021 – JOHN KOLB

Ron: I heard from our Big SIR, Stan Barkey that you will be 100 years old this year. Is that correct?
John: Well, as a matter of fact, I was born on November 26, 1921, so yes, I will officially be a Centenarian this year.
Ron: This milestone is quite special and I’m sure your fellow SIR members would be very interested in reading your story. Would you tell us your story?
John: I certainly could. Here it is…

… link to the rest of the story Member Profile Dec 2021 

 

Jan 2020 – MICHAEL IBARRA

Michael Ibarra was born in Guadalajara, Mexico. At the age of 19, Michael was able to secure a visa and took jobs in Idaho and Washington state.  But soon he moved to Sunnyvale where the Mediterranean climate was more to his liking. A few years later he was visiting in his Mexican home town, strolling the circular Parque de Revolución and saw  a beautiful girl with her friends. She could have been a model, with blue eyes, a fair complexion and an aura of mystery. He introduced himself to Teresa Ramos. Michael was smitten… One year later, they married in Guadalajara. The newlyweds moved to Santa Clara and began their future together…

… link to the rest of the story Member Profile Jan 2020

Feb 2020 PHIL VANDERWERF

“I enjoy playing golf with my fellow seniors and try to play as many times as possible! Often, as we banter during our round, I’ve been asked, ‘So what did you do for a living?’ I respond with; ‘Along with the two airplanes I owned, I did drugs!’ It is always fun to see their reactions. Once I clarify that my airplanes were a hobby and that the drugs were linked to my career in the pharmaceutical industry, I am again accepted as just another law-abiding Sir!

… link to the rest of the story Member Proile Feb 2020

Mar 2020 JERRY BELDEN

“Growing up in Napa… I didn’t whine or ‘wine & dine’. No, I caught tadpoles in a creek and hunted for arrowheads in the fields before all the vineyards were planted. Not to say there weren’t any vineyards at the time, but many fewer. In the 50s, Napa was a small town of 17,000. For a kid and a teen, there was plenty of freedom to roam. At a younger age, riding my bike all over town was not a problem since traffic was light and distances were not great. In high school, cruising the ‘Main’ with friends downtown on weekend evenings was a fun activity.

… link to the rest of the story Member Profile Mar 2020

Apr 2020 DON MATTSON – 2009 BIG SIR

Did you know that I drove the lead sports car in the last Mille Miglia open-road motorsport endurance race? (an annual, open-road motorsport speed and endurance (1,617 km) race from Brescia, Italy to Rome and back that was started in 1927). Did you know I also organized, managed and played in the first night baseball game in Milan, Italy between two U.S. Army teams? It was memorable to witness several thousand Italian soldiers marching to their seats to watch. 

... link to the rest of the story Member Profile Apr 2020 

May 2020 RONALD (RON) REIS

Both my youngest brother and father were mild stutterers. I became so interested in their disability that I began an in-depth study my junior year and completed my master’s degree at Redlands in speech pathology… In 1969 I was awarded a Teaching Fellowship to attend Kent State University in Ohio, at that time proclaimed to be “the largest unknown university in the U.S.” Sadly, that proclamation soon changed on May 4, 1970. To this day, due to the trauma I witnessed, I have difficulty discussing the campus shooting. … Kent State allowed me to continue to teach and join their faculty and finish my doctorate in speech pathology in 1973. My PhD dissertation was on the influence of the voice on stuttering. A key finding was that speaking louder and whispering both create more fluency. These results have been used as a springboard for others to view the larynx as a contributing factor to stuttering.

... link to the rest of the story Member Profile May 2020

Jun 2020 CHRIS LEACH

I was born in 1938 in the town of Dorking, Surrey, England. In early 1943, I was sent with my sister to a Butlins Holiday Camp in North Wales to avoid the German V bombs and stayed there until the end of the war in 1945. My Dad worked for the Ministry of Food as a principal, recounting attending cabinet meetings with Winston Churchill…(Editor’s Note: As we just enjoyed Memorial Day, I thought it appropriate to highlight one of our members who lived through WW II. This month’s profle starts with this member’s memory of his early childhood in Wales during World War II.)

... link to the rest of the story Member Profile Jun 2020

Jul 2020 IAN THOMSON

My working career was centered in two areas of technology. The first was early space systems designs and second was a medical information computer system for use by hospital staff and medical professionals. I finished up my career as a CFO for a research think-tank in the field of learning in schools and corporate environments.

... link to the rest of the story Member Profile Jul 2020

Aug 2020 JOHN RAY

I experienced a wonderful childhood in Jackson, Mississippi where I was born. At that time, living in the state capital was like getting the best of a city life and a rural life. My friends and I got to play together – riding bicycles, felling trees, building a zip-line between two trees, playing in a small creek getting so muddy we had to be hosed off before being allowed in the house…  I once cut a golf ball in half to see what was inside (it was a smelly liquid under pressure which sprayed all over the shop). We would buy powder DDT at the hardware store and spray it into little paper bags, throw a hand full of the powder at the wasp nests and run. Who knew about the cancerous effects of DDT at that time? … I guess these were all early signs of an affinity for engineering…

... link to the rest of the story Member Profile Aug 2020

Sep 2020 PETER BARBA

My Barba ancestors came to America from Baden, Germany near the Black Forest to Pennsylvania Dutch country near Bethlehem, PA in the early 1800’s. My genealogy investigation discovered that he was a machinist and at one time managed the largest pump in a zinc mine near Hellertown, Pennsylvania. My great-grandfather was a machinist, my grandfather and father were all mechanical engineers so guess what profession I chose? Here is my story…

... link to the rest of the story Member Profile Sep 2020

Oct 2020  LELAND CHAN

In 1979 the Shah of Iran was overthrown by the Ayatollah Khomeini. The U.S. Embassy was overrun by a mob and the embassy’s American staff were taken hostage. With the change of government, Iran, now hostile, stopped all ongoing contracts with the U.S. Ford Aerospace Corporation was one of the companies that suffered work stoppage. Unable to settle our differences after years of litigation, our company ultimately proceeded to a trial at the World Court at the Hague. As the finance manager for the litigation team, I attended the trial and provided conclusive evidence of a breach of contract…

... link to the rest of the story Member Profile Oct 2020

Nov/Dec 2020 JOSEPH “JOE” GRUBER

 “In 1976 I was appointed a State of California Superior Court Commissioner by a panel of three judges and worked for the next 40 years on the bench. Commissioners are licensed attorneys hired by the court to help with the judicial caseload. Commissioners perform judicial duties as judges with the same power as a judge to hear a court case and make legally binding judgements per California Code of Civil Procedure Section 259. The law authorizing a commissioner with legal stature had recently passed in 1974 so I was one of the first group of commissioners on the bench. I often handled the custody calendar, where people arrested first appeared. Every case had its own unique circumstances and as presiding Judge, I would often go to locations to check on the evidence. I took the time because I cared about the people and always wanted to make the most informed decision, based on the facts. As far as I can remember, there was no other Judicial Officer that took the time that I did.

... link to the rest of the story Member Profile Nov 2020

 

Jan 2019 – DAVID “DAVE” E. SQUELLATI

May 2019 – DAVID G. (DAVE) OGLE

In retirement, when I am not growing heirloom tomatoes (up to 55 plants from seed) or playing golf in SIRS tournaments (hacker at best), I am probably fishing in Baja (30 Marlin caught and released since 1999) or working on my 1966 Alfa Romeo Giulia TI. I might also be designing and building some home remodeling or woodworking project.

… link to the rest of the story Member Profile May 2019

Jun 2019 – BRUCE KARNEY

Many people say a book changed their life. For Bruce, it was a movie – “An Inconvenient Truth.” In 2006 he and his wife were mesmerized by Al Gore’s Oscar-winning film, which examined the causes and consequences of the rapid increase of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gasses in the atmosphere. He was awakened to the severity of the climate crisis and the necessity of taking urgent action to combat it. He embarked on a lifelong journey to study the subject and has become an expert on greenhouse emissions and how to reduce it.

… link to the rest of the story Member Profile Jun 2019

Jul 2019 – MAN TRAN

It was 1979. This was the year that two brothers escaped from Vietnam on a twelve-meter  boat packed with forty other souls fleeing from the stifling control of their new masters, the Communist military. The boat took to sea from Vung Tau, east of Ho Chi Minh City (formerly Saigon) and headed for Malaysia, a 1,000 nautical mile journey. As Man recalls, “What little food and water the passengers brought with them was soon exhausted and the passengers had to ration the ship’s water, which tasted like engine oil.

… link to the rest of the story Member Profile Jul 2019

Aug 2019 – JOHN RICHARDSON

When I was about 10 years old, my grandmother used to take me to her church–the Quaker Church in Whittier. It was tough for me to sit on the hardwood benches for 30 minutes of silent prayer. My grandmother was devoted–her most emphatic “swear” word was “pshaw”. However, she did make a good Sunday dinner; and years later I developed a strong interest in serving the church, volunteering for missions to Tijuana, Guatemala, and Costa Rica to help others. My mother taught me perseverance and hard work,“… you didn’t have to be the smartest, but you have to be totally committed ”, and my father taught me how to speak publicly (imagine an audience that is completely naked) …

… link to the rest of the story Member Profile Aug 2019

Sep 2019 – PAUL SCHUTZ

My entire career’s work was directly and indirectly helping troubled youth regain a positive sense of self and craft a constructive direction at a mostly vulnerable and volatile time in their lives. My direct counseling experience has been largely working to reunite runaway and homeless youth with their families through individual, group and family counseling while they received temporary shelter and food through the Casa SAY Runaway and Homeless Youth Shelter, a 6-bed shelter in Mountain View. Youth could stay there for up to six weeks while we worked to reunify them with their families.

… link to the rest of the story Member Profile Sep 2019

Oct 2019 RONALD “RON” LAU

“Reflecting back, I have to say that the first 26 years of my life were normal. I grew up in Honolulu, Hawaii as the oldest of four children. My parents were children of immigrants from Southern China. My grandparents emigrated for different reasons, but mostly for a better life. My siblings and I spent many hours working our store “Wings Market” as shelf stockers and cashiers on the weekends. The seven days a week grind of working in the family store was a large motivator for my wanting to go to college. In the Fall of 1974, at age 27, with little warning, my kidneys failed. By Thanksgiving I was on hemodialysis. My prognosis for living a normal life was not good.

… link to the rest of the story Member Profile Oct 2019

Nov 2019 – JOSEPH A. “JOE” CIONI

“On my first day as a young accountant just out of college, the senior accountant to which I was assigned said to me, ‘You will find that your advancement in this firm will depend not on what you know, but who you know’. I have found that statement so true over a 40-year career as every significant position I have landed was a result of knowing the right person. I was born eighty years ago in Cumberland, Maryland, a sleepy city located on the Potomac River, between Baltimore and Pittsburg, in the foothills of the Allegheny Mountains

… link to the rest of the story Member Profile Nov 2019

Jan 2018 – STANLEY (STAN) SCARDINO – 2018 Big SIR

Feb 2018 – DARRYL WALKER – Branch Secretary

“I was born in Portland Oregon four days after Pearl Harbor. My mother was in a movie theater when she went into labor watching a movie produced by Darryl F. Zanuck and I was branded with that name for life. My early years In Portland OR were spent playing sports and games in the street and suburban neighborhood from morning to night. Our parents had no idea where we were or what we were doing, and luckily we rarely got caught. One not-so-smart adventure was riding our bicycles through a railroad tunnel, one mile long in North Portland. It occurred to us half way through that this was not too smart but we made it through and on our way back we rode through the streets.”…

… link to the rest of the story Member Profile Feb 2018

Mar 2018 – DAVID JOSEPH (JOE) ENOS

Joe seems a friendly fellow with a pleasant demeanor when you first spot him from afar. As you introduce yourself and engage in conversation you find that he listens well and when you pause he banters back with his falsetto voice. His disposition is non-threatening and self-assured, and you leave thinking that this is one of those nice guys that could be a friend. Here is Joe’s story.

… link to the rest of the story Member Profile Mar 2018

Apr 2018 – RICHARD (DICK) WILSON

Geneva, Switzerland is a global city, a financial and worldwide center for diplomacy. The population is almost half foreign due to the presence of numerous international organizations, agencies of the United Nations and the Red Cross. The landscape is scenic with Lake Geneva on one side and three mountain chains surrounding the city. Veyrier, a municipality of Geneva is comprised of open countryside/fields/woods and very close to the Saleve mountain range. Dick recounts his memories of this place and time in his life.

… link to the rest of the story Member Profile Apr 2018

May 2018 – ROBERT “PORCHE BOB” JONES

Wouldn’t an email address like porsche.bob@sbcglobal.net attract your curiosity about the owner? It caught my interest when I first received an email from him in response to a call for “Member Profile” candidates. As we exited our lunch interview, Bob introduced me to his 2008 custom Maserati. The dark blue exterior contrasting with the beige, buck leather bucket seats and mahogany trim was stunning. Equipped with a 400HP engine you can expect he corners with the control that only high-performance race-cars can. “Porsche Bob” is a speed enthusiast and has owned/raced an estimated 30 automobiles and 55 motorcycles in his lifetime (to date). Here is his story.

… link to the rest of the story Member Profile May 2018

Jun 2018 – LARRY WRAY

You know me as your Branch Treasurer and can find me behind the receiving line table collecting membership dues or writing checks. Here is my story:
“I was adopted at birth, my natural parents having decided to go their separate ways. My adoptive mother owned a flower shop, and my stepdad was a college professor and rancher in Lawton, Oklahoma. Consequently, I had a very ecumenical education. By twelve, I could muck stalls and arrange flowers with equal alacrity.

… link to the rest of the story Member Profile Jun 2018

Jul 2018 – NORM PASS

Theodore Roosevelt, our 26th President, best stated the principal that has guided the work and life choices I have made. I quote: “Far better to dare mighty things, to win glorious triumphs, even though checkered by failure, than to take rank with those poor spirits who neither enjoy much nor suffer much, because they live in the gray twilight that knows not victory, nor defeat.”

“Throughout my life and my career at IBM Research, I have proposed and help start a number of projects that succeeded greatly … or failed miserably. I am a researcher. Here is my story…

… link to the rest of the story Member Profile Jul 2018

Aug 2018 – JAMES (JIM) QUILLINAN

“I am a movie buff and critic. I spend some time each week immersing myself into movies and draft reviews which I email to thousands of subscribers every Monday morning. “I have been writing movie reviews for over twenty-one years. My wife, Peggy, and I regularly view three to five movies a week and email the reviews to thousands of subscribers as ‘Q’s Reviews’ early every Monday morning. Subscribers seem to enjoy the short and often humorous reviews and recommendations we called ‘Peggy’s Pick’. My favorite movies of all time are many but I think Cabaret in 1972 and Casablanca in 1942 top my list.

… link to the rest of the story Member Profile Aug 2018

Sep 2018 – VIJAY KUMAR

“I was born in the exotic land of Burma, a land ruled by a monarchy that dated back to the 9th century. Burma was colonized by Britain in 1886. The British initiated war and annexed portions of Burma to eventually create the province of Burma as part of British India. World War II disrupted the colony when the Japanese invaded and conquered the country and subjugated its people in 1942. I remember chaos and street violence was rampant and my mother carefully locking the windows and doors during this time. My father wanted to move back to India where he had founded a young children’s school called “Shishu Shala” (Young Child’s Special Home) in Ajmer, India. But, because ship travel was dangerous, my father decided to travel the long (1,800+ miles) land route. He died alone on this journey, contracting a disease with no medication. My mother and I remained in Burma. It was a tough time to exist…

… link to the rest of the story Member Profile Sep 2018

Oct 2018 – MILTON “MILT” H. WEHRMAN

“In 2003, I created my party DJ business “Fifties and Sixties Forever,” which was motivated by the desire to create something original that I would truly enjoy and that would bring fun to others as well. Since I was eight years old, I have always loved the music of R&B, Blues, Soul, and early Rock ‘n’ Roll, and I know a great deal about its history.” I have 8000 songs from the 1940’s-70’s. For me, February 3, 1959, the day Buddy Holly died, was truly “the day the music died.” Early in my DJ career, I had twelve quick-change costumes to impersonate some well-known early classic Rock ‘n’ Roll performers including The Big Bopper, Roy Orbison, Buddy Holly, John Lennon, Elvis, Jerry Lee Lewis, Wolfman Jack, and even Little Richard and James Brown, etc. At my zenith I did twenty-five DJ jobs a year. I still enjoy playing this great and fun music for those who appreciate it…

… link to the rest of the story Member Profile Oct 2018

Nov 2018 – PETER THURSTON – 2019 Big SIR

“After a challenging and financially rewarding forty-four-year IBM career, I survived a threatening health event which caused me to re-focus my activities. I became a volunteer environmental education teacher taking first- through fourth grade students on field trips to help them “fall in love with nature.” While it was a dramatic transition, it has opened up a world of wonder and fun that has greatly enriched my life.”

… link to the rest of the story Member Profile Nov 2018

2017 Member Profiles

Jan 2017 – DUNCAN MACVICAR – 2017 Big SIR

“In 2001, my daughter Bryn was in graduate school in New York City. Jeanne and I traveled there to help her move home the weekend of September 8-9. On Monday, September 10 we all went to the Newark airport for our flights home. We saw Bryn off on her flight and then went to wait for our flight to San Francisco. We learned that our flight was delayed due to wildfires by the runway. Eventually, they told us that our flight was cancelled since our plane had not been able to make it to Newark. We were given two choices: stay in Newark and fly home the next day or; grab our luggage and take a taxi (in rush hour) to JFK airport. I consulted the airline guide I always carry for work and told Jeanne that we could just stay in Newark and fly out early tomorrow. Jeanne decided that she’d rather take the chance on making the JFK flight. We took the taxi, made the flight and flew home. When we woke the next morning, we learned of the horrific 9/11 attacks and the downing of United Airlines Flight 93, the flight from Newark we were supposed to catch that morning.”

… link to the rest of the story Member Profile Jan 2017

Feb 2017 – Member’s Best Buddies

Mar 2017 – ANDY DANVER

May 2017 – JOHN FAUCETT

Here is John’s Profile in his own words…
“For me it all began near the end of the “Great Depression”. I was born in a one-room shack in Lamar, Arkansas, a small town of less than 500 residents. At one time the town was a thriving community with two banks, several churches, a three-story hotel, a saloon and a two block long bustling Main Street, but in 1939 most of the businesses were closed and the buildings were starting to crumble from lack of maintenance. My grandfather Obadiah, “OB”, was the Justice of the Peace, an elder in the Methodist church and owned two of the remaining businesses, a gas station and drug store. He was the Postmaster during the depression and managed to provide well for his wife and six children. Roy, my dad was the youngest and suffered from polio as a child. Consequently, his right leg was three inches shorter than his left which caused him to walk with a pronounced limp, but it didn’t stop him from doing anything he set his mind too. Just before WWII my dad and his two brothers built a two-room house for my family across the street from the church that we attended. As the population continued to decline, there wasn’t enough work in town so my dad traveled to work in Kansas for the wheat harvest and my mother worked during the local peach harvest. When I was three or four, I remember standing in our front yard looking up at what I later learned were P-38 fighter planes crisscrossing the sky, watching and wondering what it was like to be up there. I think this is what drew me into the field of aviation.

… link to the rest of the story Member Profile May 2017

Jun 2017 – ROBERT PITTMAN

A member profile as Robert tells it…
“One of my first travel experiences was in quest of money for school. Three of us “students” were having a beer when we heard of the Anchorage earthquake earlier that day. (Editor’s note: The 1964 Alaskan earthquake occurred at 5:36pm, Friday March 27. Lasting four minutes and thirty-eight seconds, the magnitude 9.2 earthquake was the most powerful recorded in North American history and the second most powerful recorded in world history. About 139 lives were lost.) We quickly decided to get up there, get jobs, make big bucks and get back for the fall semester. We thought momentarily of transportation, recognized hitchhiking was the only possible solution and met the next morning. We were fortunate to catch a ride to the rail yards in Roseville where we caught a very slow moving train going north and knew life was OK. We spent a long night parked on a spur line. Riding on the rail cars was too slow and a day later we were all back on the highway, thumbs begging for a ride. A truck stopped and picked up my buddies but left me because there was no more space! Perhaps a week later, I got to Anchorage – the only way I knew the guys were still ahead of me were messages written in gas station restrooms – all pleading “God help us catch the hard-bouncing grounders thrown at us.” I was lucky that year and got a job repairing roads in Kodiak and was able to work for the same company during the summers for several years after that. “

… link to the rest of the story Member Profile Jun 2017

Jul 2017 – RUSS ATKINSON

“Cliff ducked down out of sight. Maybe he should have kept running instead of stopping to watch. He was afraid that if he started running now, he’d give away his position. Instead, he began crawling down the hillside quietly. The brush was heavy, and he knew he couldn’t be seen from where Leaming had been standing. If Leaming came over to the edge of the roadway and peered down below, maybe then, but the foliage being so thick, he thought not.
The familiar deep voice boomed, “Come out, Knowles. I know you’re down there.”
Cliff froze.
 “I’ll shoot.” Cliff didn’t move.
 The crack of the rifle proved Leaming wasn’t bluffing.”
– Excerpt from Death Row, a Cliff Knowles Mystery by author, Russ Atkinson

This month we meet Russ Atkinson, a former FBI agent and attorney turned mystery novelist.

… link to the rest of the story Member Profile Jul 2017

Aug 2017 – JACK WU

Do you know these two things about me?
1. Part of my Chinese name includes a Chinese character that puts me in the seventh generation of the Wu family. There are ten-generational characters that together form a Chinese tone poem reciting good thoughts and behavior. No one knows who created the Chinese tone poem. My father, who was the last living elder of the sixth generation, composed the ten character Chinese tone poem for the next ten generations. Fighting increasing bouts of dementia, my father finished the tone poem in less than a year before he passed away.
2. A San Francisco immigration officer assigned me my name Jack when I entered the US. He said my Chinese name written in English was unpronounceable. In the past, this was the common practice for many Asians entering the US.

… link to the rest of the story Member Profile Aug 2017

Sep. 2017 – JAMES SCHLATTER

Did you know that this member was an academic scholar – athlete?

• At the age of twelve he was ski jumping 35 ft. He competed on progressively larger hills and achieved his personal best jump of 122 ft. as a high school senior.
• He was a member of his high school and college golf teams winning the high school city championship in his senior year and co-captaining his varsity college team.
• Three singular “B’s” (one each during high school, college and graduate school) marred his academic career. Who do you know that considers a “B” grade a blemish?

When you meet someone you usually get a sense of the person. Meeting Jim, you immediately feel “at ease” and not threatened by his superior intellect or his athletic prowess. He is personable, quick-witted and attentive to your banter and when you depart you feel like you talked to a real human being.

… link to the rest of the story Member Profile Sep 2017

Oct. 2017 – ED “EDDY” WHITE

“Bleep, bleep, bleep” … the sound of Sputnik was heard at first, very faint, breaking the vast static of space. Then, louder and louder those bleeps confirming that Sputnik was in orbit and operational. Sputnik 1 was a small, polished metal sphere, with four external radio antennas broadcasting radio pulses. At 134 miles perigee, above the earth, it was readily visible in the sky. “I heard about it on TV (we had only one TV station with poor reception) as well as read about it later in the newspaper and magazines. One commentator stated that ‘The future belongs to the Aerospace Engineer …’ and I was hooked. “This was Ed White’s recollection of that moment in history that forever influenced the rest of his life.

… link to the rest of the story Member Profile Oct 2017

Nov 2017 – RON NAKAMOTO

“One of the more interesting moments in my career was the time I was on-set at The Arboretum observing how Hollywood made movies. It was late, around ten p.m. as we walked through the parking area with row upon row of trailers for props, wardrobe, lighting, etc. on to the set of “Little Nicky”, the Adam Sandler movie released in 2000. Theo Van De Sante, the Director of Photography, was our sponsor as we observed the camera and lighting set-ups for shoots of portions of the film. It was cold and the extras dressed as little devils were freezing on the mountain prop. Dinner break was called around midnight so we walked to the dining area under a large circus size tent that seated over 150. It was a bit surreal as you picked up warmed plates, silverware and proceeded to select from a full buffet including chefs carving prime rib… AT MIDNIGHT, UNDER A TENT, IN THE MIDDLE OF THE BOTANICAL GARDENS! No wonder films cost over $100 million to make…

… link to the rest of the story Member Profile Nov 2017

2016 Member Profiles

Jan 2016 KEN NIX – Former Greeter

When you meet him, you are immediately put at ease by his sincere smile and strong handshake. His glasses frame his face but his captivating bright brown eyes and smile are all that you see. The grooves of age etched on his face like the rings around a great redwood tree capture the experienced life he has lived, on land and on the high seas. He is Ken Nix, former Life Scout, Navy Air Navigator during World War II, Merchant Mariner, Elementary School Teacher, Ocean Shipping Manger, Tax Preparer, U.S. Dept. of Census Taker, husband of some sixty years and SIR member.

… Link to the rest of the story Member Profile Jan 2016

Feb 2016 – BUCK KENDRICK – Former Big SIR, Area Governor, Regional        Director, State President 

How often do you meet someone that comes from an ancient lineage with their own family Coat-of-Arms? The Clan Kendrick dwelled in an area now known as Staffordshire located south of Manchester, England. In 1635, probably during “The Great Migration”, his ancestor John Kendrick immigrated to the Boston area. (Editor’s note: Many Scots emigrated to America during the eleven year period when Charles I ruled without parliament known as the “Eleven Year Tyranny”.) The clan subsequently moved ever south through Virginia, the Carolinas, Georgia and Alabama as pioneers, homesteading on open land. Following the end of the Civil War the clan settled in Florida. Buck was the third generation, born in Florida. He was the only son of three.

… Link to the rest of the story Member Profile Feb 2016

Mar 2016 – DEL FILLMORE – Newsletter Editor and Honorary Life Member

Most of our members, when asked, would say that Trail Tips is a top-notch branch newsletter. Well, if you compare it to some of the other branches as I did, you will find that our members are right! Compelling content, superior layout, and prudent use of color and photos where necessary creates an easy to read, high interest monthly document. Since 2009 when Trail Tips was a 3,000 word, four page, black and white document, the newsletter has evolved into a 4,800+ word, six page, color document with photos, calendar, cartoons, activity events/results and a featured “Members Profile” article. Del Fillmore has followed in the footsteps of Jack Dyer, Jim Schlatter and Bob McKenzie as Trail Tips editors that changed/improved the Branch 35 newsletter to its current state. Here is a “profile” about Del.

… Link to the rest of the story Member Profile Mar 2016

Apr 2016 – FRED SCHWALBACH – Bocce Co-chair

Constable,Dogberry, and watchman, Verges, provide welcome comic relief to the serious plot of love, betrayal and court politics in Much Ado About Nothing,  considered one of Shakespeare’s best comedic plays. Fred Schwalbach played Verges, sidekick to Dogberry as part of the Palo Alto Players repertoire in Mountain View, CA (Editor’s note: now known as TheatreWorks). Fred was 19 years old, loved life and theater as a single, carefree, and happy soul living in the Bay Area. Recently discharged from the U.S. Navy, Fred acted in plays such as My Sister Eileen, Rain, and various one-man Shakespeare plays.

… Link to the rest of the story Member Profile Apr 2016

 May 2016 – JAY JONEKAIT – Entrepreneur and Golf Ambassador

Living in “Silicon Valley”, hobnobbing with the trailblazers and non- conformers – it was bound to happen that we would end up with a “Members Profile” of an entrepreneur who was at the forefront of the computer and telecommunications booms and the Internet tsunami. We introduce you to Jay Jonekait, a fellow Sir who has worked for thirteen start-ups in his career, traversing many professions to include; operating systems designer, auto mechanic, strategic planner, salesman, engineering manager, venture capitalist, mentor and “Pretend CFO” (his last real title).

… Link to the rest of the story Member Profile May 2016

 Jun 2016 – DOUG ANDERSON – Area 16 Bowling Activity Co-Chair

“The Curious Case of Benjamin Buttons” was an 1860 short story authored by F. Scott Fitzgerald about a baby born as a 70-year-old aged elder who grows younger with each passing year. Our “Benjamin Buttons” may well be this month’s Members Profile personality. In addition to helping run the SIR Area 16 bowling league, he spends time as a musician playing drums for the Los Trancos Woods Community Marching Band; he is a member of the San Mateo Golden Tones Chorus; he has volunteered to provide assistance to his 102-year-old neighbor; and he is a regular attendee of the ragtime music hosted by Harry’s Hofbrau every Tuesday night.

… Link to the rest of the story Member Profile Jun 2016

Jul 2016 – ALAN GAUDIE – World Traveler

He’s been to over thirty countries in six of the seven continents around the world. He enjoys and plans a long trip on average once a year. His most memorable experience was his visit to Tanzania on a safari to four national parks. He is Alan Gaudie, gardener, bowler and good bridge player.

… Link to the rest of the story Member Profile Jul 2016

Aug 2016 – PATRICK WONG – Our Youngest Member

“People born in the year of the Tiger are brave, competitive, unpredictable, and self-confident. They are very charming and well-liked by others.” This is what the Chinese horoscope prescribes and if you’ve met Patrick Wong, our youngest SIR member, you would nod your head in general agreement. Patrick joined Branch 35 after meeting Dave Ogle and Bill Hall on the golf course at Sunnyvale. They were playing a casual game and were paired together as a group. Our best Branch ambassadors are our active members and this was the case that peaked Patrick’s curiosity to visit and join.

… Link to the rest of the story Member Profile Aug 2016

Sep 2016 – MYSTERY MEMBER – Hint: Former State SIR treasurer

Do you remember the television game show “What’s My Line?” In 1950, the panelists (Arlene Francis and later Steve Allen, to name a few) would guess a contestants occupation based on some personal history. Well, let’s play!

Contestant: “I was born on a farm in Floodwood, MN but spent most of my formative years in the city of Duluth. I grew up during the Great Depression, in poverty, in a fatherless home with my mother and three siblings. I started work when I was about seven, selling magazines, doing yard work and caddying for golfers. I had a paper route, walking several miles each morning, even in the frigid winters. While in high school, I worked part time in a variety of jobs up to a sales clerk at Sears. Who am I?” Panelist: “Did you serve in the Armed Forces?” Contestant: “Yes, I served in the Merchant Marines, the U.S. Army and Air Force.” Panelist: “Tell me something unique about yourself?” Contestant: “I have something in common with the former Dictator Saddam Hussein. We both appear on the same page of “Who’s Who in the World” (Marquis 6th edition, 1982-83).” Panelist: From your humble beginnings did you receive much education? Contestant: “I graduated from Harvard College and received my AB and MBA from Harvard Business School.

Who am I?” Not sure? As Paul Harvey was often quoted to say “…and now, the rest of the story.”

… link to the rest of the story member-profile-sep-2016

Oct 2016 – ARDEN ANDERSON- Presidential Award for Volunteering

“I have been volunteering at the Lucille Packard Children’s Hospital for eleven years. About five years ago this happened to me. I like to know the first name of a child who is in the operating room so that when I am with the parents I can refer to their child by his/her name. On this day, a one-day-old baby was having open-heart surgery. The parents said that they had not named their little girl yet as they were too nervous. I gave them a tour of the ICU and did what I could for the parents. The next day, the mom found me in the hallway and asked me to come see her little girl in the Cardio Vascular ICU and there on the crib was her name, ‘Arden’. So now there is a little five year old girl in Oregon trying to explain how she got her name.”

… link to the rest of the story member-profile-oct-2016

Nov 2016 – RAY PIONTEK – Furniture Banker

Which would you think Ray Piontek would have done in his high school or college years?

• In his junior year of high school: stayed out until four a.m. (to his parent’s great dismay) selling and delivering coffee and snacks to truck traffic stuck in a blinding snowstorm in New Haven, CT.
• In college, purchased one hundred submarine sandwiches on his way to his weekly Naval Reserve meeting; then picked them up on his way back to school and went door-to-door in the dorms selling midnight snacks.
• In college, sold Spring Break trips to Bermuda to fellow students.
• In college, rented out tuxedos to students for their Junior and Senior Proms.

If you answered “Yes” to all of the above, you are correct.

… link to the rest of the story member-profile-nov-2016

 

2015 Member Profiles

Feb 2015 – CREED MORGAN – Director and Former Big SIR

It is always interesting to talk to Lt.Colonel (ret) Morgan, or Creed as we know him. He often treats you with a story of history come alive with famous people he has met, dates, circumstances and some activity he was engaged in at the time. His memory is superior to most recounting who said and did what at the time. Much like Forrest Gump’s travel through history, Creed in Panama played softball with then Lt.Col. Manuel Noriega. Creed’s wife, Patty, never cared for Noriega and we know what happened to Gen. Omar Torrijos in 1981 that brought Noriega to power.

… Link to the rest of the story Member Profile Feb 2015

Mar 2015 – BOB GARTEN – Golf Activity Chairman

Sometimes you run into someone (someone’s life story) and you just have to marvel at how lucky we are to be Americans. Robert “Bob” Garten’s life story certainly qualifies. He has lived the American Dream.

Born in West Virginia’s Appalachian Mountains in a “Coal Miner’s Daughter” cabin, Bob attended a one room school with eight grades and one teacher. Raised on a subsistence farm, Bob enjoyed a simple and self-supporting farm life. Bob’s father, a pilot trainer during WW2, was killed in an airplane crash when Bob was just three. His grandfather, a teacher, principal, farmer and post-master all at the same time, had a great influence on his desire for an education.

… Link to the rest of the story Member Profile Mar 2015

Apr 2015 BOB SIMON –Former Big SIR and Honorary Life Member 

“You owe me big time, Mr. Jake At least, that’s my initial take I’ve sent so many skills your way So many traits, such DNA”

Bob recited this verse from a poem he wrote for his first grandchild, Jake, on Jake’s wedding day on Jan. 5, 2008. Bob especially likes this poem because “… it has a poignant ending, and a surprising punch line …” that he hopes will leave you smiling and as reflective as he was on that wonderful day.

… Link to the rest of the story Member Profile Apr 2015

May 2015 – BOB TAGGART –Area 16 Bowling Activity Co-Chair 

On June 1, 1971, Ed Sullivan taped his final TV show on CBS.

On June 6, 1971, Willie Mays hits his record And, on July 1, 1971, Britain and Argentina signed the accord to end hostilities over the Falkland Islands.

On that same day Elvis’ prized custom Stutz Blackhawk car was involved in an accident and the front was heavily damaged. Elvis had sent Sir Gerald, his L.A. chauffeur, out to have the car washed and it ended up in an accident. After that, Elvis put it in storage not to be seen until the court ordered “…that it be exhumed from its grave and entombment at Graceland to be examined for mechanical failure.” Bob Taggart was counsel to defendant, London Town Livery (chauffeur employer) in a civil lawsuit wherein the plaintiff filed suit for damages caused by the car accident that severed the plaintiff’s ear. Bob took Elvis’ deposition in Los Angeles and recalls …

… Link to the rest of the story Member Profile May 2015

Jun 2015 – CAPP SPINDT – Member

Are cartoon characters mimicked after real life people or is the opposite true?

In the case of Capp Spindt it may very well be the latter as he states that his first internship was based on how similar he looked like “Steve Canyon”, the fictional cartoon character. (Editors note: Steve Canyon was an American adventure comic strip by writer-artist Milton Caniff which ran from January 12, 1947 until June 4, 1988, shortly after Caniff’s death. Steve Canyon was an easygoing adventurer with a soft heart. Originally a veteran running his own air- transport business, the character returned to the U.S. Air Force during the Korean War and stayed in the military for the remainder of the strip’s run.)  Here is “…the rest of the story.”

… Link to the rest of the story Member Profile Jun 2015

Jul 2015 – HARVEY DIXON – Former Big SIR

If you need to unplug your sink you hire a plumber. If you need to tackle poverty and education you work with a social scientist and a legislator. If you have a unique idea and are seeking funding you go to a Venture Capitalist. Well,in our case all we need to do is to go to Harvey Dixon as he has done it all. Who else do you know that has served as Vice President of Engineering, Operations, Finance; ran a Medical Diagnostics Company; served as Executive Director for Urban and Social Systems in the post Lyndon Johnson “Great Society” era; and was one of the first to serve in optimization studies for complex logistics systems. Flexibility, adaptability, determination and will are apt descriptors for Harvey.

… Link to the rest of the story Member Profile Jul 2015

Aug 2015 – KEN JONES – Former Membership Director

Did you know that we have a stock car racer in our midst? In his time he has clocked over 100+ races winning over 50 times. You won’t see him in his racing leathers with his helmet tucked under his arm. Those days are past but his love for cars and motorcycles still lives high on his list of life priorities.

… Link to the rest of the story Member Profile Aug 2015

Sep 2015 – DOUG ERICSSON – Former Assistant Treasurer

(Editor’s prolog: The main purpose of the “Members Profile” is to get to know our fellow members a little better. A secondary purpose is to educate and entertain when the opportunity arises. I requested this profile because of Doug’s most recent and difficult loss of his wife. While his loss is personal and painful, it is an experience that some of our members have had and sharing might help him as well as our members. I would like to express my condolences for his loss and to thank him for his courage in taking the time to do this profile.) 

If there is such a thing as a true “Love Story” then Doug and Cathy were it. For 45 years they were married and enjoyed each other’s partnership in life before she passed away a few months ago. He feels blessed to have found her and proud to have called her his wife. It is sad that as we age we are inevitably bound to experience losses in our life. But Doug does not want this to be a story of loss and sadness but one of thanks and celebration for the life he has enjoyed and while he struggles with his loss he is determined to move forward.

… Link to the rest of the story Member Profile Sep 2015

Oct 2015 – JAMES YOSHIDA – Member

Americans come from many countries, backgrounds and circumstances. The “American Dream”- to work hard, be opportunistic and benefit for family and oneself – has always been a beacon for energetic immigration. The diversity of races, cultures and religions many say is what makes our country great. Here is one such immigrant whom we are proud to call a fellow Sir.

James was born in September 1932 in a small village near the Mikimoto Pearl Island, Mie Prefecture, Japan. His father was in the forestry and postal service businesses. In Japan at the time, one’s livelihood was passed down from grandfather to father to son. James, like his father, was a stamp collector but both their lives were overshadowed by world events of this period. Japan was celebrating the recent annexation of Manchuria against the wishes of Emperor Hirohito.

… Link to the rest of the story Member Profile Oct 2015

Nov 2015 – STAN BARKEY – Former Big SIR and Honorary Life Member

A volunteer is someone who contributes time, effort and talent to meet a need or further a mission, without compensation. Most people intrinsically believe that the meaning of life has something to do with helping people, and volunteering can feel like you are in harmony with that. There are boundless opportunities to volunteer one’s service from the local community shelter to the national challenge of electing a new President to our own SIR organization. Let me introduce you to one who has dedicated his life to helping others. His name is Stan Barkey.

… Link to the rest of the story Member Profile Nov 2015