Jeff Dobson:
CLASS OF 1973
Hoover High SchoolClass of 1973
North canton, OH
Jeff's Story
Not long after high school, I began a 16 year career as a dairy farmer. It wasn't in my original plans for life but it was the fork in the road that I took. During this time I also flew ministers and missionaries on furlough across the country.
Dairy farming took me and my family to Palmer, Alaska in 1979. I currently live about 45 miles north of Anchorage.
In 1985 I followed my boyhood dream and became a firefighter and have been with the Anchorage Fire Department for nearly 18 years. It's been a rewarding experience.
For recreation, I prefer to fish with my son, grandson and son(s)-in-law for salmon and halibut during the summer. Catching fish with enough daylight at 2:00 AM to read the newspaper is a real kick. I spend my winters teaching fire service courses at the University of Alaska Anchorage in addition to my regular position with AFD.
Winters aren't too bad up here; just a couple months longer than what I grew up with. It can get cold but you learn to dress for it. Summers are an intense display of flowering plants and vegetables that dwarf anything you have seen or raised. Potatoes are the sweetest you have ever tasted.
If you are planning on visiting the state, think about late May to late June. The wild flower...Expand for more
s will be at their peak and the midnight sun will be an experience you will never forget. Snow will still be in the upper regions of the mountains but will be melting. The possibility of seeing moose, bears and other wildlife exist with almost every mile you drive. Don't forget to buy a copy of the Milepost travel guide to help with your planning.
We have just about all the major stores in the state now and most of the national chain restaurants; exception being Olive Garden. The majority of the homes are built with dimensional lumber and look similar to homes "outside." Our lack of clay prevents us from building brick exterior homes.
I may have lived her more than half my life but there something new to see each day. Much of it depends on the time of day and the sunlight hitting the slopes of the mountains that ring the valley I live in.
There's also a few volcanoes in our area of south central Alaska. The last eruption from one of them was about 15 years ago and that was located about 70 miles from my house. We had some volcanic dust to deal with on the ground and in the air routes.
As long as my grandkids are in state and my health is good, I'll be a transplanted buckeye. I might even qualify for the term "Sourdough." :O
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