I once participated in a party mixer where we were asked to recall a most memorable time in our life. It was surprising how many offered up their senior year in high school. For me, my senior year at BHS was the first of several memorable periods, others being education, military service, marriage and family, career, publishing my first book, and now, retirement.

Year 1955 was very special. It was a year of courtship, after-game dances at the Rec Center, Senior Ball, Cal History trips, stage crew, drama productions, Hi-Y activities, Methodist Youth Fellowship, and, finally, graduation with that fabulous grad night party. But, alas, the good times rudely ended when my family moved to Salinas after graduation.

My post-BHS education was a lonely time until my current love came on the scene in 1959. I buried myself in academics and completed two years of lower-division engineering courses at Hartnell Community College in Salinas. While an average student at BHS, I graduated from Hartnell with honors and a life membership in the Alpha Gamma Sigma Honor Society. Next, I enrolled at Cal Berkeley but couldn't get a grip on academics, so I enrolled the following year at California State Polytechnic College in San Luis Obispo. And in June 1960 1 received my Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering with the third highest GPA in the department. I immediately went to work for Pacific Gas and Electric.

The summer of 1959 was memorable. I had a summer job with PG&E in Salinas, and that July 4th weekend I attended the Sunday evening college youth fellowship at the Salinas Methodist Church. There I met Lillian Blaylock, and in July of 1963 we were married in the church where we met. We have two children, both adopted, Karen(28) and Brian(25). John Basye's father was our attorney for both adoptions. Karen was married the day of our 32nd class reunion and we now have a grandson in the first grade. Brian graduated from UC Davis with a degree in economics and lives and works in Sacramento. Lillian is a credentialed school teacher but has pursued an avocation as a handweaver. She is a recognized expert and likes to work with silk We will do a lot of travelling in pursuit of her hobby. This year we celebrate 32 years of marriage.

My college years were taken with a Selective Service student deferment and in 1961 1 was reclassified 1-A. This was before the days of the draft lottery. So I applied for the United States Navy Officer Candidate School and reported for duty at Newport, RI in the Fall of 1961. I received a commission as an Ensign in the Civil Engineer Corps and served at the Marine Corps Air Station at Yuma, Arizona and at the Marine Corps Artillery Training Center at Twenty Nine Palms, California. My work was administering contracts for building Navy and Marine Corps military projects. The time spent with the Navy was very enjoyable and I am proud to have served.

My career with the Pacific Gas and Electric Company spanned 34 years from 1960 through 1994, including a leave of absence for military service. My first job was in the Salinas office doing engineering work for the coastal area from Salinas and Monterey to Santa Maria. Upon returning from military service PGandE placed me in San Francisco doing a multitude of tasks related to facility planning, operation, and maintenance. Then in 1972 1 joined the Rates Department working as an analyst until my retirement. I am a registered professional engineer (electrical) in California.

The year 1984 also brought some profound changes to my personal and professional life. It was the year that the personal computer arrived at PGandE and the year I had a serious heart attack. As part of my recuperative effort I began enrolling in data processing, programming, and PC classes at Diablo Valley College. A professor who came to be my mentor asked me to co-author a college text in the BASIC programming language. That got nowhere, but one publisher wanted a title in assembly language programming for the Intel family of processors. Thus began a 3-1/2year odyssey ending with a January 1994 printing of Assembly Language.. Byte By Byte, Programming in the IBMPC Programming Environment. It has not yet made me a rich man, but the experience of learning about computer architecture has been worth all the heartache of getting it published.

Retirement from PG&E was originally planned for my 58th birthday this year, but the Company offered some incentives to leave earlier. So on December 31, 1994 I finally pulled the plug. So what to do now that I'm retired? First off, there are a couple of years worth of projects around the house crying to be done. And when that's done I'll be old enough to start taking distributions on my 401 K savings and can afford to do some travelling.

Working with the current reunion committee is something not to be missed. It is a forum for catching up on what everyone is doing and reestablishes ties to the golden years at BHS. Best wishes to all my classmates. I hope to see many of you at the party.

Addendum dated November 2001

Since retirement in 1995, life has been good to Lillian and me. For starters, Lillian and I celebrated our 38th wedding anniversary. Our children, Karen and Brian, are six years older and wiser. In 1999 son Brian married Pam Kirian and we got to go to Hawaii for a wedding on the beach. They have two delightful children, Jake Kirian (age 5 and now in kindergarten) and Sarah (age 3 and now in preschool). Brian and his family have a home in Sacramento and we see them at least once a month. Our daughter, Karen, is a single-parent and her son, Brian, is 14 and in the 8th grade. Brian is a hunk and thinks he wants to play football in high school. They both live in Concord and we see them weekly for dinner.

In 1997 we have travelled by car round-trip to the East Coast. On that trip we spent a week in Colorado attending a weavers' conference. I got to attend a Rockies baseball game at Coors Field and paid a social call to classmate Alma (Bunce) Alber and husband, Richard, in Boulder.

In 1999 we travelled again by car to Michigan. That trip we spent a week in Big Sky country (Montana) at another weavers' conference. We visited Yellowstone and Grand Tetons National Parks and in Michigan spent a day with classmate Bill Knorp and wife, Judy, at their summer home on Traverse Bay. From Michigan we flew to France to spend two weeks with Lillian's sister.

In 2000 we attended the 9th International Handbell Ringers Symposium in Birmingham, England, as members of the Walnut Creek Ringing Belles handbell choir. My role was carrying the bells and some incidental percussion (thank you, Eugene Brose). A week in London, a week in Birmingham, and a week in Scotland was magical.

For the past 12 months I have been helping a friend get a house built on the west shore of Lake Tahoe. My involvement has been going up there, about twice a month, for 2-3 days at a time. We are starting to see the fruits of our labor with a roof over our head, all the windows installed, and the siding and exterior trim complete. This friend lived across the street from us in Salinas and was a classmate of my wife in grades 5-12.

Another neat thing that happened last year was reconnecting with classmate Mike Johnson. We have found that our families have many things in common, both from the past and present, and always have a good time when we get together. Mike has helped a lot with this web site and we owe much to his expertise.

So what else is going on? I guess you would have to say that my main interest is computer related things. I have supported the last several Reunion Committees, and, I guess, am the unofficial Class secretary by virtue of keeping track of names and addresses from year to year. I am a volunteer substitute driver for Meals on Wheels and tutor mathematics in one of our school district's alternative ed programs. I publish the annual yearbook for my mother's P.E.O. chapter and do desktop publishing for groups at our Church. And I ride my bike a lot, over 8000 miles in the past 6-1/2 years.

I send my best wishes to all in the Class of 1955 and ask that you stay in touch.

Grey

 

(The following is Grey and Lillian's Christmas letter)

Season's Greetings - December 2002

Dear Family and Friends,

We have joyous news this Christmas season. In November, two new grandchildren have become part of Brian and Pamela's family, Travis David, age 6, and Autumn Marie, age 4. Travis is in the same grade as Jake, and, next fall, Autumn and Sarah will start kindergarten together. Court approval of the adoption will be sometime next year. Brian has started his second year of grad school and is doing well in his academics. Needing more storage space, this summer, Brian designed and built a large storage building on his side lot. With Dad's help framing and wiring, it has become a useful adjunct as a study, as well. We have been spending a weekend a month in Sacramento doing child-care to give the parents a little time to themselves. It also gives us precious time to spend alone with our grandchildren.

On a sadder note, Grey and Laurie's mother, LoReta, passed away in January. She was 88.

We had a lovely three-week trip north this summer, two weeks in British Columbia, and a week with family and friends in Oregon and Washington. We attend the Handweavers Guild of America (HGA) Convergence 2002 in Vancouver. Lillian taught classes and Grey visited the resort at Whistler Mountain.

Grey celebrated his 65th birthday this year. Brian hosted a large family gathering in Sacramento, and friends, Mike and Kathleen Johnson, from Salem came down to join the fun. We later flew up to Salem for four days of celebrating Mike's 65th.

Lillian has had a busy schedule this year. Until June she was president of her local weaving guild. At church she is part of the voice and handbell choirs, is a Healing Touch practitioner, is working toward certification as a Stephen Minister, and attends a weekly yoga class. She is active in the affairs of the Conference of Northern California Handweavers, Complex Weavers, and HGA, serving on committees, teaching classes, and mentoring weavers who are seeking their HGA Certificate of Excellence in Handweaving.

Lillian has received a lot of recognition for her handwoven work this year. Her piece titled the "Emperor's New Kimono" received accolades at the Conference of Northern California Handweavers, HGA Convergence 2002, at a gallery showing in North Carolina, and was featured in one edition of the HGA monthly magazine. A silk scarf and a gold tabard also received awards.

Grey is sometimes busy, working as webmaster for his high school class website, teaching the AARP Driver Safety class, tutoring math for the school district, and (as a substitute driver) delivering Meals On Wheels and watching our grandson play summer baseball and high school frosh football. This year at Church, he has ushered, delivered food to a homeless shelter, joined a handbell choir for less experienced ringers, and helped with the monthly mailings of the Contra Costa Interfaith Council. For over two years Grey has been helping a friend get a house built and finished at Lake Tahoe. Thankfully, it should be ready for occupancy by year's end. We look forward to spending some summer days next year up at The Lake.

We see our daughter, Karen, and her son, Brian, every other Sunday evening at our home for dinner. We catch up on all that is going on and maintain family ties. Karen still struggles with her chronic fatigue but manages to get to work. Brian has gone to live with his dad in Martinez so that he can attend Alhambra High School. He just celebrated his 15th birthday.

We send our love to one and all this Christmas season.

Lillian and Grey Whipple, 40th Wedding Anniversary, July 13, 2003

Four of Our Five Grandchildren - Sept 2003
Travis David(7), Jake Edward(7), Sarah Katherine(5), Autumn Marie(5)
Parents: Brian and Pamela Whipple (photo 9 mo.old) 

September 14, 2003 we helped celebrate Mike Johnson's birthday by walking
with him and his family in the 5K Coed Portland Komen Race for the Cure.
There were about 40,000 other participants.

 

(The following is Grey and Lillian's Christmas letter)

Season's Greetings - December 2003

Dear Family and Friends,

We hope this letter finds you in good spirits and you are able to say 'this was a good year!' Our year has been one of joy and travel and service. In July we celebrated our 40th wedding anniversary and treated ourselves to two nights at a B&B in Carmel. Lillian still rings handbells and sings in the Church choir. She is now a seasoned practitioner in our Church's Healing Touch ministry, and this year became a Stephen Minister caregiver.

Grey volunteers, when called on, to deliver Meal On Wheels, help with the monthly mailing of the Contra Costa Inter-Faith Council, usher at Church, and teach the AARP Driver Safety class for seniors. He recently became part of a team producing computer slide shows for a new contemporary Church service. And to this end we acquired our first notebook computer.

In October, construction ended on the house at Lake Tahoe that Grey has worked on for the past 2½ years. He spent four days in Los Angeles this summer as sister Laurie's handyman, helping her get settled in her new condo. Grey has begun work with a committee to plan his H.S. class' 50th Reunion in 2005, and he continues to develop his Class website. He has also taken an interest in California's 'water wars' and has participated in a series of workshops dealing with future water projects in Northern California. Last summer he sailed aboard the Jeremiah O'Brien, the last of the WWII liberty ships, a nine-hour adventure from Fisherman's Wharf in SF to the Port of Stockton. Grey always looks forward to the fall and prep football, where a local team holds the national record for consecutive wins (148 at season end).

We travel to Sacramento at least once a month to provide overnight child-care for four of our grandchildren. We attended the court hearing that completed the adoption of our grandchildren, Autumn and Travis. We have been once to San Diego and spent a week in Riverside while Lillian taught at the Southern California Weavers' Conference. And we traveled three times to Oregon, twice to celebrate friends' birthdays, and once to attend a textile artists' retreat.

Lillian's weaving activities continue unabated. Her piece "Prayer Rug for Peace" was accepted for the Small Expressions Exhibit 2003 and has been on display for several months. She has also woven yardage in a new (to her) weaving structure and has fashioned from it a jacket. Last February we flew to Tampa where Lillian taught at the annual Florida Weavers' Conference. It was also an opportunity to visit with Lillian's niece, Sarah, and her two children while Sarah's husband was in Qatar.

Our son, Brian, and his family are doing well. Brian is close to completing class-work for his Masters Degree in Economics. Last month Brian was the successful candidate for a management position where he works. Both he and Pam are doing a simply marvelous job nurturing their four children. It is so much fun to be with all of them.

Our daughter, Karen, still suffers from chronic fatigue and has been on disability since September. Her son, Brian, turned 16 last month and now has his driver's license. Brian lives with his father, is a sophomore this year, and played Junior Varsity football. Grey has attended many of his Friday afternoon games. And that was 2003! We wish you the best of times in 2004.

 

Grey and Lillian's 2004 Christmas Letter

Dear Family and Friends

May the Spirit of Christmas be with Each of You.

This has been a year of travel for us. In March we went 'down under' for an escorted tour of Australia and New Zealand. Our good friend, Lana Laessig (weaver), hosted us in Tasmania. Our Christmas card motif was inspired by a visit to the Sydney Opera House. Lillian's climb to the top of the Sydney Harbor Bridge was another highlight. In May we (make that Lillian) did a teaching tour of Washington and British Columbia that lasted a month. A special treat was the time spent visiting with four generations of Grey's family.

June and July we drove 7000 miles, via Boulder and Denver CO, Whitefish MT, Beavercreek OH, and the long drive home. In Boulder/Denver we did many things. Lillian attended the weavers' biennial 'Convergence' and the Complex Weavers' gathering. We visited the home of Lillian's nephew, Paul Lloyd. Paul was away on business, but we got to visit with his wife, Sara, and daughter, Jenna. We were also hosted two nights by friends Alma & Richard Alber who took us hiking up in the mountains to see the wild flowers.

The visit to Whitefish MT was for Lillian to teach at a gathering of Montana Weavers & Spinners. Montana is truly Big Sky country. On leaving MT, headed for Ohio, we visited Devil's Tower Monument WY, a huge natural rock column made famous in the 1977 movie "Close Encounters of the Third Kind". 

We stayed a week with Lillian's sister and brother-in-law, Esther and David Lloyd in Beavercreek OH. Sister, Millie, (of VA) came to spend the weekend. It had been many years since the three sisters were together and they had a grand time. We made many outings to see local attractions.

In August we used the house at Lake Tahoe that Grey helped get built. Our son, Brian, and Grey's nephew, Jason, and their families came up for a three-day weekend. After our family departed, our good friends, Mike and Kathleen Johnson, of Salem OR, arrived to spend three nights with us. 

In November we joined son, Brian, his wife, Pam, and their children for a 3-day Thanksgiving celebration at a beach house near Aptos CA. And we will join them all again in Sacramento for Christmas. 

Our son, Brian, is working to complete a thesis this month for his Master's Degree in Economics - pretty heady stuff. This year he was selected to fill a manager's position where he works. The financial reward of that promotion has allowed Pam to take a break from her part-time pediatric nursing and spend more time with the children. Jake and Travis are in the 3rd grade and Autumn and Sarah are in 1st. And for the first time they are all at the same school with the same class schedule. For which Pam is grateful. All the children are now active in Scouting. The children are avid learners and doing well in school.

Our grandson, Brian, turned 17 in November and is a junior at Alhambra HS. He again played football this fall, his third year in a row. Next year he moves up from the JVs to the Varsity team. Last year he got his driver's license and at Christmas purchased a pickup. No longer is he dependent for rides. Our daughter, Karen, still deals with chronic fatigue, but makes a good effort to get to work. She remains an active participant in AA, serving on committees and attending conferences. 

Lillian has had a good year with her weaving activities. She earned several awards this summer for her original fabric designs and wearing apparel. At Church Lillian has added one more activity to her already busy schedule. She has joined the Spirit Express band as a singer for our Sunday evening alternative Church service. Grey has retired from teaching the AARP Driver Safety class. But he has started a digital imaging interest group for seniors at Church. 

We wish you all a Merry Christmas and a happy holiday season.

 

This was my first home in California (1945-1955).
Subsequent owners added the second floor.
My parents paid $17,500 for it.

Grey and Lillian at Lake Tahoe - June 2005