My Life Since Graduation

Tell us about yourself in 3300 words or less.   Please attach photos with your profile.

My life since graduation would take a lot more than 3300 words… so how about the last 20 years!  I married my high school sweetheart, Jim Hosch, (Largo Class of ’65) on Valentine’s Day, 1984, in Las Vegas.  Really!  Jim is a Pharmacist and I work front office in a local doctor’s office.  We have 3 children.  We got a late start re-finding each other and starting a family.  (I now know why tigers eat their young!) 

Our eldest, Christopher, is only 22.  He is a Petty Officer in the Navy and just completed a seven month deployment in the Persian Gulf aboard the USS Harry Truman.  Our son, Clayton “Bo”, is 20 and a full time student at St. Pete College majoring in Business and applying to the ROTC for the Army.  Our daughter, Nina, the baby in the family, just turned 19 at Navy boot camp in Great Lakes, Illinois.  Nina was adopted from Bolivia when she was 3 months old and because I in no way contributed to her genetic makeup can honestly say she is a beautiful young woman!

Up until last year I was very involved in Boy Scouts.  Both of my sons are Eagle Scouts.  I was a Den Mother in Cub Scouts, an Assistant Scoutmaster in Boy Scouts, and an advisor to the Venture Crew.  Even my daughter is a Boy Scout.  (Girls can join co-ed Venture Crews at 15 years of age).

I’ve done it all…camping, climbing and rappelling, white water rafting, canoeing, and scuba diving.  Having these kids late in life has kept me young…or maybe it is driving me to an early grave…I can’t decide which!

We have one granddaughter, Kalisa, who is 4 and keeps me very busy, as I have her every Friday.  She is the joy of my life and my reward for not “eating my young” as aforementioned!  She loves learning a new word every week.  I recently taught her a really great one.  She now tells everyone that her Ya-Ya is omnipotent!  So true!

Every Sunday, I play cards with my dad, who is 86.  We are playing for my inheritance and he always wins…I think he cheats!  Sadly, I lost my mom about 10 years ago.  I still miss her to this day.  My bother, Kenny, and sister, Laura, still live locally, so nieces and nephews see a lot of each other.

We love to travel when time and money allows.  Lobster season in the Keys in August is a must!  We belong to a “Gourmet Club”, a good excuse to get together with friends and eat and drink.  In my spare time (that’s a laugh!); I consult with the “Pampered Chef”.  If anyone would like to see our catalog, I have a webpage; I’m in the 21^st century: pamperedchef.biz/firecracker.com.  Look me up!

My Life Since Graduation

Tell us about yourself in 3300 words or less.   Please attach photos with your profile.

Greetings to all:

Doing this reminds me of the old Simon & Garfunkel (Mrs. Robinson) song line “We’d like to know a little bit more about you for our files…”

Overall, I am a happy guy!  Like many of us, left high school with no clear ideas of what and where I wanted to go.  I did the obligatory thing and went to college.  First, St. Pete JC (now St. Petersburg College), then University of South Florida for a degree in Business, and then an MBA.  Knocked around for a few years working for the government and in the retail industry.  None of which were exactly soul-satisfying experiences.

In 1976, I made one of three life-altering decisions that in retrospect set the course of my existence.  In November of that year I opened my first company in St. Petersburg, Accent Awnings.  We have evolved into several different entities.  Broadly speaking, we design, manufacture and deliver canvas awning and industrial fabric products for home and industry. Sounds mundane, but some of my dearest and most significant friends can be found among my peers in this industry.  I love what I do and the people I deal with.

In 1985, after a prolonged search, I married the most wonderful woman in the world.  In January, 1985, I convinced the lovely Louise Ann Fasano to be my bride.  Smartest thing I have ever done.  We mesh in outlook, deed, and have just enough differences to make things interesting and renewing.  Our blessed union has resulted in two wonderful daughters.  Tracy, at this time, is a sophomore at the University of Florida, majoring in chemical engineering.  She was Valedictorian of her class at Countryside High School in Clearwater.  She clearly got her academic skills from her mom!  Shelby is my artistic one.  She is a senior at Countryside High School and is President of the Marching Band and the Interact Club.  They are both active, bright (4.0+) and engaged kids.  These three ladies enrich me beyond my dreams.

In 2005, I made the decision to undergo weight loss surgery.  Bad habits, no exercise, and poor lifestyle choices resulted in my severe obesity.  No one’s fault but my own.  Over the years my weight fluctuated up and down 125 lbs. or more.  I had a lap-band procedure done to regulate my food intake and rate of absorption.  I am thankfully a success story, well outside the positive side of the norm.  I have lost about 175 lbs. and have maintained it for several years.  It has been a life-transforming experience.  I walk 4 to 5 miles a day and can do things I have not doe in 25 years.

My interests include politics, auctions, writing, investing and motorcycle touring.  I live now in Clearwater.

My Life Since Graduation

Tell us about yourself (in 3300 words or less)

Graduated from U of South Florida  - 1972

Married Deborah Merck  - 1971

I have two children Carrie Woodson who resides in Tallahassee and Bethany Hart who resides in Chicago, IL

I have worked for the US Postal Service since 1976, first at Indian Rocks Beach, Fl. then moved to Tallahassee in 1981 and currently work at the Quincy, FL post office.

I have 4 grandchildren ranging from 15 years to 2 weeks.

My hobbies include fossil hunting, metal detecting, and hicking the Appalachian Trail.  

Jim

My Life since Graduation

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WENT INTO THE MILTARY AFTER ONE SEMESTER AT ST PETE JC. WENT TO GERMANY FOR 2 ½  YEARS. GOT MARRIED WHILE THERE IN SWITZERLAND.WENT TO BELGIUM FOR TWO YEARS. HAD A DAUGHTER (LAUREL) WHILE IN BELGIUM.CAME BACK TO THE STATES IN 1973 AND WENT TO LAREDO TEXAS FOR ONE YEAR. HAD A SON IN TEXAS (JASON). HE HAD MEDICAL PROBLEMS AT FIRST AND SO I GOT OUT OF MILTARY AND RETURNED TO FLORIDA.  I STARTED AT THE PINELLAS COUNTY SHERIFFS DEPT IN 1975. HAD ANOTHER SON (CHAD). WENT BACK TO SCHOOL WHILE I WAS WORKING. GOT DIVORCED AND WAS A SINGLE FATHER FOR SEVERAL YEARS. GOT REMARRIED AND GOT TWO GREAT STEP-CHILDREN (RYAN AND LYNDSEY). LAUREL GOT MARRIED AND HAS 4 CHILDREN, CHAD WENT INTO THE COAST GUARD AND IS MARRIED WITH ONE GRL, JASON IS MARRIED, HE JOINED THE MARINE CORP. WAS IN THE FIRST SQUAD TO ENTER BAGHDAD. HE WAS WOUNDED AND THE MARINES RETIRED HIM AFTER 10 YEARS. HE IS STILL RECOVERING BUT DOING WELL.  AT THE SAME TIME RYAN WENT IN THE AIR FORCE THE WAS IN AFGHANISTAN THE SAME TIME JASON WAS IN IRAQ. ROUGH TIMES THEN.  NOW THE YOUNGEST   LYNDSEY AFTER USF SHE JOINED THE ARMY AND IS IN TIKRIT IRAQ NOW UNTIL DEC 2008. I RETIRED FROM THE PINELLAS COUNTY SHERIFFS OFFICE IN 2005.  NOW I PLAY GOLF AND FISH.  MY WIFE IS A NURSE AND RUNS THE BARDMOOR OUTPATIENTS & SURGERY CENTER IN LARGO. WAS OUT OF TOWN THE WEEK OF THE REUNION. SORRY TO HAVE MISSED IT.

My Life Since Graduation

Tell us about yourself (in 3300 words or less)

I graduated from SPJC then headed for USF and found myself on course to be a high school music teacher, which wasn't what I personally wanted to do, so I left college after 3 years and started traveling with a gospel quartet. That led me to record 12 albums (didn't know what CD's or iPods were back then) travel to 36 of the continental US and 7 countries. I married Karen Eastwood, who graduated frrom LHS in 1969, and we had 2 children. When the kids got to 2^nd grade and Kindergarten respectively, and began hiding my suitcases and missing dad too much, I left the road and became an associate minister at 1^st Christian church in Dodge City, Ks. From there it was ministries in Georgia and Indiana.

The big life changer for me was Nov. 15, 2001 when Karen suddenly died of a brain aneurysm. After over 30 years of marriage and all we lived through together, I guess a part of me died as well. Had it not been for God and His promises, and so many friends who gave support and just loved me, (We need each other) I would probably be sitting at Indian Rocks beach with my butt on the sand and my feet in the Gulf asking people if they could spare some change. Maybe holding a sign that read, "I'll sing for food".

Next came 2 failed ministries and my failure to come out of my emotional cave which led to a failed relationship, and I wound up selling Toyotas in Tampa. (How can you trust the combination of a car salesman and a preacher?) If the story ended there, I'd win the "Most Pathetic" award and believe it or not, I was voted "Most Likely to Succeed" in high school.

God wasn't finished with me yet. I came back to Indianapolis, started a church in an old furniture store/lumber yard building, and today I'm the senior minister in a thriving little church called the Salvage Yard, (we don't sell car parts) loving all kinds of people and helping as many as we can. I married a wonderful Christian woman in 2007 who actually loves me. (That still amazes me) We have 4 kids and 6 grandkids. (We doubled down) What a joy! Now… I play football, kill the guy with the ball, hide and seek. I color, play video games, throw kids in the air and watch cartoon movies. (I can't decide whether Flushed Away, Over the Hedge, or Ratatouille is my favorite. I like Robots, too. )

I am blessed. I've made mistakes. I still need to grow. If you need an ear or support, contact me. It would make my day.

My Life Since Graduation

Tell us about yourself (in 3300 words or less)

I worked for Winn Dixie for 34 years, running the largest store in Central FL. and winning numerous National Management Awards.  I retired from Winn Dixie and soon found myself selling cars at Autoway Honda. I am the Sales Manager/Internet Driector of Autoway Nissan at present.

Diane and I divorced in 2001, after 32 years and I met the love of my life, my wife Susan.  I have two children and Susan has one. Between us we have six (6) grandchildren. 

Jim

My Life Since Graduation

Tell us about yourself in 3300 words or less.   Please attach photos with your profile.

Can it really be 40 years since we graduated?  It is so hard to believe!

After LHS, I went to UoF for two years as the first half of my army Nursing scholarship.  My next two years of college were at the UoMD with our clinical experiences at Walter Reed.  That was during the Vietnam era – definitely an intense experience.  I met Jim there.  After graduating in 1972, I was assigned at Valley Forge in PA, and then in 1973 I returned to Walter Reed. Jim and I were married in 1974 and then were assigned in Europe.  It was great to be there then without kids and lots of opportunity to travel.  We returned to San Antonio with Will as a baby and had David a couple of years later.  I stayed in the Army until 1989 when I retired.  Along the way I finished two masters and a doctoral program.

So, after the army, I taught Women’s Health, worked with the DoD Breast Cancer Research Program, and was president of the American Social Health Association.  I am currently a VP with QIAGEN, a large German diagnostic company.  QIAGEN acquired Digene, a small biotech company where I was VP, Women’s Health.  There is an enormous between a startup biotech and a large multi-national German company!

Jim and I live in Chapel Hill, NC – a funky liberal and fun town that ebbs and flows with the predictable academic calendar each year.  It is a great place to live, especially since Will and his wife, Jessica, live close by.  David and his wife, Katie, are also close, so we are grateful for their proximity.  The MOST exciting news is that David and Katie are expecting a baby in a few weeks and we are hyped for the baby’s arrival.

We have a home on Lake Gaston – about an hour away – and it is a great escape to the simple life of rural VA.  I travel often for work, so these days I try to avoid airplanes and airports whenever I can.  We do make it to FL regularly, but find it difficult to deal with the heavy traffic, out-of-control growth, and the replacement of green and trees with concrete, asphalt and glass.  I honestly don’t recognize Largo anymore.  It is sad.

I am looking forward to retirement one of these days, where I hope to get back into tennis and learn to play golf, travel for fun and, of course, enjoy the time with family.     

My Life Since Graduation

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Married Bob Fritsch 1970

Graduated from College in 1971

Taught school (exceptional students) and traveled with Bob while he served as a pilot for the U. S. Nevy 1970-1976.

Moved to Albany, Ga in 1976 and continued teaching.

Our son Zachary was born 1979.

Retired from teaching in 2000.

Enjoying retirement and the fun lifestyle offered at The Villages, FL and our river home in Steinhatchee, FL. 

                                                                                 L I F E  I S  G O O D  !!!

My Life Since Graduation

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After receiving my Master's Degree in 1973, I taught in Pinellas County Schools for 33 years and then happily retired in May 2006.  Jim and I met in 1980 and have been married since 1982.  Although we do not have children, we do consider our five Maine Coon cats our "fur children."

Jim and I have a passion for traveling to beautiful, natural destinations and absolutely love South Pacific islands, especially Tahiti, Bora Bora, Moorea and Raiatea.  We will be returning to these four mystical mountainous volcanic islands in celebration of Jim's retirement from Federal Service in 2010!         

My Life Since Graduation

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Current Name:   Ani Konchog Drol Kar Wangmo

After High School graduation I went to USF and graduated in 1974 with a BA.

From there I went on to have many interesting adventures and jobs before becoming a Buddhist Nun. Now living in Largo and working to benefit all sentrent beings.

My Life Since Graduation

Tell us about yourself (in 3300 words or less)

After graduation in '68 I attened the school of Radiologic Technologist at Morton Plant hospital in July of '68 and I graduated in July of '70. I moved to Cleveland, Ohio where my husband attended Anethesia school at the Cleveland Clinic. I enjoyed working at the University on the Case Western Reserve campus. In '76 we moved back to Florida, but to the east coast to enjoy all the opportunities the Atlantic ocean had to offer; boating, fishing scuba diving and the close

proxcinity of the Bahamas for the three day runs. We enjoyed family and friends in our waterfront home for years until one day our lives went in two different directions. I returned to my xray profession until I met my second husband and also became a Real Estate broker & mortgage broker. We worked for years building our mortgage company here in Palm Beach County. After our daughter Dominique was born I took a five year hiatus and loved being a stay at home Mom. Once she started school I returned to being an xray technologist which lead to my current position as Director of Womens Services in Wellington at Wellington Regional's out patient center.

While my daughter was growning up we enjoyed a number of vacations. We traveled all over the United States. Snow sking in Colorado was our first love. The midwest (Yellowstone & the Grand Canyon runs a close runner up to the California coast ( Big Sur). Our most recent cruise along the western Caribian was a real treat.  They Myan ruins on Balize were unforgettable. Alaska will be our adventure next year. We now have to plan our time away on Dominiques time schedule now that she is teaching high school Honors Biology. (Anyone remember MS Puleo our high school bilogy teacher?)

What's nice about this cycle of life is I get to relive the 1^st job, 1^st new car, 1^st home all vicaresly thru my daughter. Maybe soon we will plan a wedding together.

I have always been an arts and crafts kind of gal and have a number of close friends thru the years. I have developed the ability to quilt over the past 10 years, even to the point of having a quilt room here in the house and it’s a wonderful place to go into & enjoy creating. I've discovered a love for stain glass pieces and I think that that's another avenue of quilting too. When I retire I hope it will be to a wonderful bed & breakfast  small town USA kind of world, so I can enjoy my passions for gardening and quilting and all my friends & family in my home anytime.  Speeking of family I am lucky to still have my mother living with me and all three of my brothers & their family's are in good health & enjoying life.

The best to all of my classmates. Hoping you too have found love & tue happiness & will be in good health a long time. 

Always

Eileen

My Life Since Graduation

Tell us about yourself in 3300 words or less.   Please attach photos with your profile.

I married young and only finished a year of college. My husband and I established a business in the aircraft industry, got caught up in the yuppie rat race, invested in properties, diversified by purchasing other businesses, traveled for business and pleasure throughout the US and Europe, always with our two beautiful, talented daughters, Julie and Ally.

During the 80’s, I also owned two antique stores, one in downtown Clearwater, the other in Mountain Brook, AL, and imported European antiques, mostly rustic German because of our connections there in the aircraft industry.  Our life was exciting, though hectic to the point of total exhaustion.  The price was our marriage.  But the most wonderful outcome was our children.

I returned to school at U of AL at Birmingham in 1995, earned a BS in psychology and biology with a behavioral neuroscience emphasis while my daughters were in college at Birmingham Southern (Julie / BA Business and finishing her MBA this summer) and Sewanee (Ally / BA Natural Science – Geology).  I enjoyed school so much that I continued on to earn my MS in Vision Science (physiological optics/color vision research).  Graduated at the age of 48, unsure about what to do with the degrees and the next phase of life!  Different set of challenges starting over at that age, never boring though.

I did enjoy the fact that I could relate a little better to my daughters and the challenges they faced in college.  Since I had never finished while I was young, this was an opportunity for me to close that circle and at the same time, develop some closer ties with my girls.

I guess it’s obvious that I thoroughly enjoy my relationships with my children and granddaughters.  Julie and Scott have two daughters, Ashley and Sayre.  What a joy it is being a grandmother!! 

And now, for the first time in years, I live in the same town with all of my children.  Ally moved to Denver in April making me the happiest mom ever.

I’m currently a financial specialist at a Colorado credit union, though I admit I am trying to return to my favorite work, teaching.  I taught psychology and biology at a community college for a while after I graduated and enjoyed my work very much.  Hopefully I’ll be able to return to it soon.

Other than spending time with family, I love communicating with all of you via email, gardening, reading, and exploring Colorado with my dog, Ray.  Life is truly good!

My Life Since Graduation