I worked as a lawnmower mechanic and then a photographer (when cameras had film) while going to LSU. Got a degree in agronomy, went to work with USDA in grain inspection in the New Orleans office. Moved To Montreal as the office manager for inspecting US grain shipped out the St. Lawrence river for 12 years. Married a Canadian girl who loved Louisiana when I brought her to meet the family. I traded Jobs with the assistant Field office manager in Belle Chase La. I didn't know how it would work as being No. 2 in the office when I had been No. 1 for 12 years, Bit we got along great. I took care of the field workers, and he took care of the politics of the job. I took an early retirement with 25 years and 10 days of service at 48 years old. Then I got the job of a lifetime. I became a farmer. I got to put all my book education to use. I could not wait for the sun to come up to go out into the fields too work. I would still be out in the fields if a back surgeon had not messed up my back and gave me a staph infection that put me in a comma for 3 months.
What’s your Profession
- Thread starter Sloughfoot
- Start date
glassparman
"OK, OK, I'm going as fast as I don't want to go!"
Dang Jim! That's a great story. Doctors sometimes are worse than the thing they are treating.
Winelover
North Central Arkansas
Retired as a pipefitter in 2008, at 58 years old, with 36 years at GM. Did building maintenance, production support, repaired air tools & industrial pumps and trouble shot equipment/machinery. Worked at three different locations. Twenty years at the Gear & Axle assembly plant that made front and rear axles for all GM vehicles, till GM sold the business. Transferred to the GM Building, in downtown Detroit. Worked there for almost ten years till GM bought the Renaissance Center from Ford. Since they already had a maintenance crew, that knew the buildings, GM let us transfer to the GM Technical Center in Warren, Michigan. Retired from the Design Staff Building...........where prototypes were designed and built into clay models. Seen many vehicles before they hit the market and others that didn't. Was an interesting stint.
Dusty Bannister
Well-Known Member
Like many at that time, graduated High School, entered US Navy Reserve. Did not make a career, but did go into Law Enforcement. A few years on the street and became an observer in the Helicopter Unit, then a pilot.
Had a chance to go to work as an Insurance Claims adjuster. Property and Casualty. Somewhere along the line got married, two children, got divorced, things like that happen. Had a few injuries and decided I needed to stay "grounded" before I got seriously hurt. Became a Security Guard for one of the State of Kansas Historical buildings and loved the work and interacting with staff and visitors. Finally retired a few years ago which required advance notice. Became official just as Covid was becoming an issue. Currently spend way too much time clicking keys.
Had a chance to go to work as an Insurance Claims adjuster. Property and Casualty. Somewhere along the line got married, two children, got divorced, things like that happen. Had a few injuries and decided I needed to stay "grounded" before I got seriously hurt. Became a Security Guard for one of the State of Kansas Historical buildings and loved the work and interacting with staff and visitors. Finally retired a few years ago which required advance notice. Became official just as Covid was becoming an issue. Currently spend way too much time clicking keys.
oscarflytyer
Well-Known Member
see a cpl things others did/do, that I have done as well over the long years. Worked in Dad's funeral home as a kid (have embalmed bodies), mowed lawns (kid) and worked in a grocery store (HS) and sold car parts (college years). Done off-hand car repairs. And wife and I have rehab'd prob 10 houses now. Like StrawHat - we do nearly everything in the rehab.
learned to cut meat in high school, 1958
USAF, draftsman
Worked on open hearth Republic after
went back to drawing, learned electrical control,
worked on the 84" Hot Strip Mill, Chemical plants, Rubber plants all Electrical Engineering projects
started contract engineering again
Bottle lines for Carlings Brewery, fed up with the industry opened a M/C dealership, Bultaco, CZ, Penton franchise, worked on most of the Indian M/C in the area
bottom fell out 1977, blew my back out, started drawing again, hired at ALCOA, helped in the installation of 6 forging presses, heat treat furnaces, PLC control for almost every piece of equipment in the plant, lamanectomy able to wal again
18 yrs, job went south,built a house, worked on a Boring Machine for Tiajuana Mexico, started working as an engineer, forging press for Boeing, Waste Water treatment plants, Continuous caster for berylium,
make guitars, Irish Bouzoukis, Harps, had an Irish band for 6 years, play the guitar, Irish bouzouki, made some underhammer M/L pistols
2000, lost my legs, spine Fused L3-L5, retired, Diagnosed with Parkinson's , 2016, made it to 81 this year, still shooting ML matches, and bench matches, trying my best not to quit
probably too much info
and i personally met Mittty
USAF, draftsman
Worked on open hearth Republic after
went back to drawing, learned electrical control,
worked on the 84" Hot Strip Mill, Chemical plants, Rubber plants all Electrical Engineering projects
started contract engineering again
Bottle lines for Carlings Brewery, fed up with the industry opened a M/C dealership, Bultaco, CZ, Penton franchise, worked on most of the Indian M/C in the area
bottom fell out 1977, blew my back out, started drawing again, hired at ALCOA, helped in the installation of 6 forging presses, heat treat furnaces, PLC control for almost every piece of equipment in the plant, lamanectomy able to wal again
18 yrs, job went south,built a house, worked on a Boring Machine for Tiajuana Mexico, started working as an engineer, forging press for Boeing, Waste Water treatment plants, Continuous caster for berylium,
make guitars, Irish Bouzoukis, Harps, had an Irish band for 6 years, play the guitar, Irish bouzouki, made some underhammer M/L pistols
2000, lost my legs, spine Fused L3-L5, retired, Diagnosed with Parkinson's , 2016, made it to 81 this year, still shooting ML matches, and bench matches, trying my best not to quit
probably too much info
and i personally met Mittty
Gary
SE Kansas
Stay working as long as you can, I know from a personal perspective, that Parkinson's will take the rest of your life away. Wife was dx in 2000 and continued to work until retirement age and now she's a handful but I love her and plan for her to stay in our home until she/we pass.
462
California's Central Coast Amid The Insanity
One of my the guys on my F-4 load crew was named Penton -- his father was the Penton of Penton motorcycles.
John Penton was a hellofa guy, rumor had it he hit every tree in the Jack Pine enduro, in Michigan,
haven't seen any of the crew since 1978
The PD isn't really terrible yet, still coping, falling down tho is a bummer, not much balance left, OH shooting is gone, still shoot bench matches, and the local Sil. matches.
they let me shoot from my ATV, Walker
haven't seen any of the crew since 1978
The PD isn't really terrible yet, still coping, falling down tho is a bummer, not much balance left, OH shooting is gone, still shoot bench matches, and the local Sil. matches.
they let me shoot from my ATV, Walker
I "ran the Yukon" in 1983 in a canoe!
Put in at Johnson's crossing on the Teslin river, and pulled out 13 days later from the Yukon in Dawson City.
After 4 years in the Air Force as a "bubble chaser" on B-52G's and KC -135''s, went back to college and earned a BA in economics. Graduated on a Sunday and went to work for ALCOA on Monday .
Managed and did purchasing for several different plant industrial warehouses, from Pennsylvania to Iowa to Washington and was able to retire at 51 with only 27 years of service. I have been retired now for over 31 years!
Managed and did purchasing for several different plant industrial warehouses, from Pennsylvania to Iowa to Washington and was able to retire at 51 with only 27 years of service. I have been retired now for over 31 years!
Not sure what base GFAFB was/is. Grand Forks?
I was stationed at Loring airplane patch, in Limestone Maine after graduating from bubble chasing tech school at Chanute AFB in Rantoul, I'll.
Bubble chasers were those airmen who had red fatigues and underwear from the MIL-H-5606A hydraulic fluid that we were constantly exposed to whilst working on various hydraulic systems!
Mitty38
Well-Known Member
Dealing with me for a couple hours was probably more work then most jobs. LOL.
Your a great fellow.
Remember our visit well.
(He helped me get started casting by giving me a crucible and about 75 lbs of wheel weights.)
Glad to hear you are still getting around.
Alcoa works with us on keeping machines to standard. Plus when I was younger working in a factory polishing, and burnishing, Alcoa was our major contract provider.
Funny how one company can effect so many people.
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