Laura Hastings:
CLASS OF 1968
Gwinn High SchoolClass of 1968
Gwinn, MI
Laura's Story
I went to Gwinn Junior High '62-'64, then Gwinn High School '64-'66. My dad was stationed at KI Sawyer AFB, but transferred to the West Coast before retiring. He was stationed at Travis AFB, which was also where I was born, and I attended Vanden High School for my Junior year, '66-'67. After my dad retired we moved to Oregon, living only an hour's drive from my grandparents, the ocean, and the mountains. I attended my Senior year, '67-'68, at McNary High School. Attending three high schools in four years in three different states was not easy. All of Gwinn High's students at that time was about how many students were in my graduating class at McNary. I almost didn't make it through that last year, but one of the counselors, Mr. Barker, was very understanding and helpful, and moved some of my classes around in order to help me out.
I had wanted to be a nurse since I was five years old. I discussed with my dad, during my Senior year, about going into the military to be a nurse. With the Viet Nam War going strong then, he asked if I would reconsider, or at least wait until I graduated. After that, I got busy working here and there, and busy with life and having a baby, so nursing went by the wayside. Since then, I have married a man that was in the Marine Corps '71-'74(E6, 3rd Marines, Co 378, Platoon C). The things that I now know, and that my husband has related to me, makes me realize that I may not have been able to take the pain of seeing so many young men suffering the horrible injuries that they did. As it was, they loaded him on the plane to come home in a body bag, only to discover that the bag moved (!!!) and he was alive and breathing after all. He spent a month in a coma in the burn unit at the Balboa Naval Hospital in San Diego, and then spent several months in the hospital after that. I feel very fortunate that he can talk to me about all that happened, and that he doesn't have as many nightmares as 13 years ago. I get a little emotional myself sometimes, and have a different appreciation of men that served in Viet Nam, like my husband. With having "grown up" in the Air Force, and my dad in SAC on t...Expand for more
he B-52's, I am thankful that I listened to my dad; he knew what was right for me. So even though not going into the military, or furthering my education to become a nurse, I have had the most rewarding experience of being able to show compassion and empathy to one that was there in Viet Nam.
After a couple of divorces, I have been married now for 13 years. I have lived in the same city for 42 years, worked at many different jobs, including the canneries and waitressing, with about 20 years at various data entry positions, mostly for the State, and then worked for the USPS for 17 years. I have taken some time off for a couple years now, but I am ready to go back to work. I have two daughters, 39 and 29 years old, with a grandson by each. And then I have two step sons, one 33, with three children, and the other, with two children, then two step daughters, one 27, with two children, the youngest, 21. And she is just as sweet as can be!
How do I hope you remember me? I think that I was a kind, warm hearted, loving young person, deeply sensitive, and loved the beautiful outdoors, flowers, dogs, fabric artistry, poetry, and learning about the Bible's message. None of that has changed. I am still that same girl. Every day is a new day, with new and exciting possibilities and challenges, and life is so precious. My dad died two years ago. Still really missing him, I decided to do some genealogy research, thinking that it would help with my grief. That it did, along with being very interesting and educational. I have learned Geography and History in a different aspect than when in school; it is more personal.
Has anyone saved their copy of the Monday, May 23, 1966 Vol. XXX - No. 10, "A Special Fine Arts Issue" of "The Gwinner"? If you have, you will know why I am asking. By the way, I have never forgotten the slumber party, when we went tobogganing in the moonlight down the hill,over the cliff, and flying over the highway! And just what was I doing instead of helping with the homecoming float?!! Ah! All was to become a "paisley quilt" of memories; memories that makes us who we are now, and lead us to what will be.
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