Joseph McDonald:
CLASS OF 1973
Cathedral High SchoolClass of 1973
Chicago, IL
St. Philip Basilica High SchoolClass of 1973
Chicago, IL
Joseph's Story
A year after graduation, I joined the US Navy. I served for 6 years, 74 - 80. Yes, me. In the Navy. For some reason it just worked for me. After 2 years of electronics training, I was transferred to my active duty station - the USS California, CGN 36 - and served as the Lead Petty Officer of the ship's nuclear weapon system. I got to travel the world, visiting 34 countries over the years. When not working at my normal position, I spent time serving as the ship's librarian, the Catholic Lay Leader, and Petty Officer in charge of the ship's honor guard. Several memorable cruises and ports of call allowed me to (1) cruise the Nile and visit both the Great Pyramids of Giza and Luxor, (2) visit Jerusalem and surrounding area - including walking the Via Dolorosa, (3) celebrate my 24th birthday in Monte Carlo, (4) be part of the international honor guard for the Queen of England's Silver Jubilee, and (5) go to Christmas Eve mass at the St. Peter's Cathedral, Vatican City.
After being honorably discharged in '80, I moved back to Chicago. Worked in electronics ...Expand for more
until '83, and then started my own catering business (closed in '87).. Got a job designing and creating high-end upholstery fabric for the interior design industry until '94. Moved to Key West, FL from '94-'97, where I was a Ground Crew & Shift Supervisor for US Airways Express. Back to Chicago in '97, and returned to the textile company, which was not at the multi-million dollar mark, creating custom textiles, hand carved furniture, and designing hand-knotted rugs. That lasted until 2005, when I moved to the non-profit sector, and began working for the largest LGBT advocacy organization in the Midwest. I got to work on changing Illinois' non-discrimination bill to add sexual orientation and gender identity; helped pass an anti-bullying bill to help make schools safer for all students; and have worked towards HIV prevention, drug & alcohol recovery, and equality for all people since then.
Oh - and as of 2013, I have been sober for 22 years. Far cry from the party boy of those hallowed Cathedral halls..
So that's me.... tell me, what have you been up to?
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