Loraine Cargill:
CLASS OF 1979
Hinsdale South High SchoolClass of 1979
Darien, IL
Loraine's Story
The following are based on questions and prompts from the 'story wizard' on classmates.com. Therefore, the order seems random but here goes....
I hope that old friends remember me as a hard worker and someone that enjoyed a variety of things (not by some of the crazy and stupid things I did in high school).
I always wanted to be a veterinarian or horse farmer or someone that traveled a lot when I grew up. My family and friends thought that was a stretch or dream idea. As it turns out, they were right.
My favorite way to relax is to work in the yard or garden. I love working with plants, and I'm weird in that I like to weed. It's my therapy.
The wildest thing I did in high school was skinny dipping with my friend, and getting caught by the security guard. There were 2 people on the swings by the pool from South that saw the whole thing. It was more embarrassing than anything.
If I'm going to work somewhere, I need to have my daughter nearby, my animals, and a Harley to be able to deal with the day-to-day.
No real heroes in my life, but I respect people like Mother Theresa who is the least selfish and materialistic person I've ever read about or observed.
I've lived in many states and cities during my lifetime. I was born in TX; lived in AL; NY; PA; MA; WV; NC; SC and IL. Because I moved so often, it was difficult to build relationships and strong friendships growing up. I swore I'd never do that to my daughter. We lived in 2 places while she was growing up, and now she's the traveler - she's been everywhere & lived in Spain, Australia, New York, Minnesota, Tennessee, and is now in San Franciscio, California working as an RN in the pediatric ICU (PICU) and at a local medical center.
The people from my past who I'd most like to see again are Ken Zieman, Frank Moran, Cathy Butcher, and a bunch of others, because they were my closest friends back then...
I watch a lot of true-crime shows, love documentaries, sitcoms,, and world news.
My biggest surprise in life is just how difficult it really is (or how complicated I make it!?!). I have also learned just how resilient and strong I am.
If I could improve my home, I'd remodel the front room and turn it back into a wrap around porch and add on a sunroom. My dream home would be an old farmhouse or older stone house on a large wooded and open lot.
What I've learned from my daughter...I need her as much as she needs me!
I don't remember a lot of my teachers from high school. I would probably like to see Ms Olsen (English) again. I would love to see my 3rd grade teacher, Mrs Putt - she was the most influential teacher I've ever had.
If I won $100 million, I'd give 1/3 of it to my daughter & certain organizations, then spend the rest on a new Harley, Mustang convertible and a large farmhouse on a wooded and open lot for all the animals I would have. UPDATE: (2020) Well, I had a bad motorcycle accident in 2013 & nearly lost my left leg from the knee down. I didn't walk without a walker or crutches for nearly 9 months, at which time I fell down a flight of icy steps and br I ke my right ankle. Suffice to say, I still have problems with left leg, and I'm afraid t I get back on a motorcycle. Si, my Harley dreams have dried up, along with most of my biker friends (you find out who your true friends are during rough times).
Never lived in a dorm. Went to Elmhurst College in the evenings and DeSales University in the evenings. I'm a member of 2 honor societies from College of DuPage and Elmhurst College - Phi Theta Kappa & Delta Mu Delta
To be truly happy, I'd live in northeastern Kentucky, West Virginia or Virginia by the Blue Ridge Mountains. I'd have an older stone structured farm house with a working farm and have a shelter for abused and abandoned animals. I'd probably have a 100+ acres of woods for riding horses.
My current age is too old for my liking. When I was 12, I thought that people my age now were ancient. I still feel like a younger person, but my body tells me otherwise. Having a 27 year old daughter doesn't help matters. UPDATE (2020) My daughter will be 39 this year, and I feel ancient because of her age & the fact that I'm one of the oldest people where I work. Very humbling.
My career aspiration is to be retired. Since that will probably never materialize, I would enjoy being able to work with animals or woodworking, but again that probably isn't a reality either. Therefore, I'd like to remain in corporate America and earn a decent salary working with the Department of Defense in either a training, consultative, or financial contract capacity. UPDATE (2020) I've now had 40 years working some form of military contracts. I did 29 years working h I use hold goods transportation for military families, and I'm in my 10th year with the federal Givernment doing con...Expand for more
tracting for military aircraft spares.
I have no idea what happened to my first 'crush,' which by the way was in PA as a kid. In highschool there were a few, but I couldn't tell you where they are or what they've done with their lives.
My best friend would tell you I'm too hard on myself, critical or too direct, quiet, and intelligent. People who don't know me very well would probably describe me as giving and caring, outgoing, articulate, and intelligent.
My fashion style is still jeans, but you will never catch me in a short sleeve t-shirt outside of my house. I wear motorcycle shirts, tank tops, halters,or some other type of nice, but casual shirt, and sweater shirts or long sleeve t's in the cooler weather.
The weirdest job I ever had was in high school when I worked as a receptionist in a psychiatrist's office. I would see others from high school come in as patients, and it was very embarrassing for them and me. I always kept their confidentiality.
I share my home with my hubbie, Rick, and my dog, Callie, and 3 cats - Pookie, Mystica, and Icon, and our Beta fish, Pete. We're considering another dog at this time. Over the years we've had hamsters, gerbils, guinnea pigs, snakes, rabbits, parakeets, cats, dogs, fish, tadpoles that became frogs, etc. Does anyone remember the 2 pet skunks I had in high school? UPDATE (2020) Currently divorced and happily single, but I do miss companionship. I moved my mother here ab I ut 6 years ago from Wisconsin, and I'm now her caregiver due to dementia and some neuropathy in her feet and legs that affect her gait. It's both a blessing and one of the biggest challenges I've faced.
If I had one do-over in life it would be to have kids a little later in life - not because I regret having my daughter (love her to pieces), but because I wasn't able to pursue a career that I was really interested in and I didn't have the opportunity to pursue the traveling that I would have liked. I had to go into parental and survival mode quickly, and this hampered my efforts. Another big one was to redo the 80's and early 90's when I made many mistakes in my life that affected my daughter. However, neither of us would be the people we are today without having gone through the trials and tribulations that life brings.
In 10 years, I hope to be in my last career & well on my way to retirement and fulfilling my dreams. I'm going to get there by prayer and a lot of hard work. UPDATE (2020) Well, I'm (hopefully) in my last career before we retirement. Due to the economy and market crashes in 2008 and 2020, I may or may not I t have to postpone retirement by a few years.
Thankfully I was a financial advisor in the past (Series 7, 66 and Life, Accident, Health & Variable Annuities), and my MBA was in Finance. I have a fairly good understanding of the economy and markets and have been luckier than many. I'm starting the detailed planning now (working with a planner, taking mid career and later seminars and courses, etc.), so that there hopefully won't be any major surprises when I do try to pursue retirement. It won't be a grand finally with exotic trips and a mansion (thank Gid), but it will be comfortable. Hoping to see more family and relatives in retirement and possibly some old friends in Chi-Town.
My oldest friend would be Cathy Butcher. I moved to Hinsdale when I was 14 or 15 (can't remember). I was sitting out by the garage smoking a cigarette. She would walk by every day going to Jewel and we'd stare at each other or say a brief hi. Finally, one day either she stopped and asked for a light or I asked her for a light, and that was the beginning of a long friendship (and all the trouble the two of us used to get into).
What about me would surprise those from South? (hmmmmm). I have no clue. I've done a lot, been through a lot, and came out the other side. I never thought I'd live past 20 with the lifestyle I was leading. Maybe it's that I didn't die and I made a lot of poor decisions in the past, but I've come out ahead. Maybe it's that I got married at all (lol). I was a single parent for so many years.
My first jobs were selling Burpee seeds door to door at around ages 8-10, where I got paid something like 5 or 10 cents for each packet sold; and my brother and I had a newspaper route with over 200 homes. What I remember most was that I would do go door to door for hours on end just because I wanted money so bad. I did the same thing at Halloween. I would disappear for hours on end, because I wanted more and more candy (no wonder my parents were angry with me so much).
I have many childhood memories that are memorable but not pleasant. However, a really good memory is going to my teacher's home, Mrs Putt, and talking with her for hours on end and drinking a long-neck bottled Coke.
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