Richard Clarkson:
CLASS OF 1976
Eastern Wayne High SchoolClass of 1976
Goldsboro, NC
Greenwood Middle SchoolClass of 1973
Goldsboro, NC
Richard's Story
Life
I was born in Guam.(Airforce brat!).I have an older brother Ed and older sister,Marilyn.We moved around a lot, Nebraska,Okinawa,Myrtle Beach, Florida,Louisiana,and Tennessee till we got to Seymour Johnson A.F.B. in the late 60's.I joined the Navy in 77, was married to Barbara Goodridge for a few years, got divorced then was "blissfully wed" to Charlene Dant in 84.We have 4 girls,Candace,Caroline,and the twins Cindy and Becky.(We had 3 babies in 11 months!).I early retired from the Navy in 1994 got hired by Norfolk Southern Railroad,(Thanks to Joe Cornell "J.D." formally RM2 Cornell my Power Lifting buddy from S.I.M.A.for getting me the Railroad Hook-Up.)we moved back to Goldsboro,N.C. and have been here since.My parents are healthy,active and live nearby,and the in-laws (The Bees)travel down from Jersey several times a year and spend time with us.My sister,Marilyn(Class of 73) and Brother-in Law Eddy Lutz (76) live a couple miles away and Eddy and I represent the "old guys" twice a week at the Gold's Gym. In between the whining and the Mystery aches we've managed to stay in pretty good shape!3 of our young-ins have flown the coup,Candace lives in Greensboro,and Caroline is in her second year at UNC Asheville.Becky is attending Wayne Community College and Cindy is in the Airforce and stationed at Beale A.F.B. Cal. We've been very fortunate,with very few tragedies in our Lives up to this point(the exception being the unexpected death of Charlene's dad,friend's parents, and our pets Frankie and Daisy. We recently moved to the Saulston area of Goldsboro and really enjoy our new house. Wish us Luck!
Workplace
My first job was delivering Newspapers when we lived in Oak Ridge Tenn.We moved there while my Dad was in Thailand.I was in the 4th grade.
When we moved to Goldsboro N.C.(Seymour Johnson A.F.B.)I would mow lawns in the Summer.I remember on the base I would get 2 to 4 dollars depending on whether it was enlisted or was an Officer's yard.I would go get me a couple of packs of baseball cards at the store just outside the base gate.(10 cents a pack).
I worked in tobacco for at least 2 summers (Lipman Bailey was our boss).Fellow Croppers/Hangers were Billy Walsh,Ronnie Tucker,and Ricky Kornegy.
I started working for KFC in High School once again with Billy Walsh(I think he started first) and Ronnie Tucker.My sister and Marsha Parker worked there also.We would ride there in Billie's 66 mustang with the Caig Power-play Eight Track System cranking out Styx and Jethro Tull!I became the Day Time Cook after High school but left there when I had to shave my beard.(Prioriti...Expand for more
es!)
I then got a job hauling and spreading chicken manure(I believe the owner was James Daly).I did that for a couple of months until I got tired of getting yelled at.
I worked for my brother at the Girl Scout Camp in Selma (Camp Mary Atkinson) up until I joined the Navy in 77.Went to boot camp in May at Orlando Florida.I came back to Orlando for Basic Electronics,then to Great Lakes in Oct.where I ended up a gate guard for several months before I started ETA school.After Phase 2 I was sent to the USS Stump DD978 (Plank Owner) where I learned to firewatch,compartment clean and mess cook and occasionally work on a transmitter or something.
After the Stump I went to PMEL school in Denver, then to NAVCAMSLANT Norfolk Va.where I worked in a little Calibration Type 3 Lab that was in a little shop in the parking Lot.My boss was a retired Masterchief named Zeb Gray who I will never forget.He was tuff but he knew his stuff!
Back to the fleet after that stint with a split tour with Emory S.Land and then to the Yellowstone Cal Lab, just in time to catch the Med Cruise, which was soon followed by another Med Cruise!Back to shore Duty to SIMA Norfolk,Cal Lab and finally to the Hunley where I early retired in 1994 a few weeks before it was De-commisioned.(While on the Hunley we went to Florida as part of the Hurricane Andrew Relief Effort.)
While I was on Terminal Leave I started with Norfolk Southern RailRoad working on a Signal Gang putting in Railroad crossings and train signals.I started out in Williamston W.V. following a backhoe with a shovel and a digging bar(A nice break from the Navy Stress).The gangs worked 4 day weeks but the problem was it was taking me 10 hours to drive to work.(14 hours when we worked in Ohio!)So after putting a Zillion miles on our 85 Plymouth Turismo I left the R.R. and drove trucks for Smith Hardware(Pulled Doubles before I left) and Flatbeds for Best Distributing.I really liked driving because when you parked that truck you were done till the next day or Monday.I drove for approx. 2 years until the Railroad called me and offered me a local job maintaining Railroad crossings between Raleigh and Greenville,N.C.(I.B.E.W.Union).I changed Unions and transfered to the Morehead City job where I maintained the railroad crossings between Goldsboro and the beach.(100 miles of territory with 71 crossings). After about a year of covering all that territory I got assigned to the Goldsboro Signal Maintainer position (A New position). Now I cover approximately 50 railroad crossings, 6 Power Switches and Train Signals from Selma to Kinston (Around 50 miles).
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