Julia Wagnaar:
CLASS OF 1972
Melvin-Sibley High SchoolClass of 1972
Melvin, IL
Midstate CollegeClass of 1973
Peoria, IL
Julia's Story
Life
I left home to go to the big city of Peoria to go to Midstate college (or was that just to get away for the folks???). Anyway, I attended Midstate for 9 months and graduated with a certificate in Medical-Dental assisting.
While attending Midstate I worked at two different restaurants as a waitress and was advised by one of my regulars that I should apply for a job at Caterpillar. I applied and two weeks after graduating started working in the shop as a final inspector.
It was culture shock for me. I wasn't prepared for the environment I entered into but fortunately was moved after two weeks to a much nicer shop area and began my 30 year career.
I worked as a final inspector for 3 years on second shift and took a voluntary downgrade to get a job on day shift. The new job was still union but I was working in an office doing clerical work and discovering the other side of the world in which scrap tickets lived.
After about 2 years in this job I graduated to the salary payroll as an advanced clerk and soon after a keypunch operator. A couple years later I became an advanced clerk of the Assistant Chief Inspector in the new NN Wharehouse and changes were happening fast and I became a records discrepancy analyst on the NN receiving dock. I'd found my dream job!
Then the economy of the 80s hit and with them came downgrades as the workforce was downsized with the decrease in demand for bulldozers. It was a scary time but I emerged two years later as a records discrepancy analyst in Purchasing.
This was new experience for me. I had been removed from the shop life I was so familiar with, but life moved on and after two or three more years I made a huge move in my mind and became a user rep in Corporate Information Services working with Purchasing systems. What I didn't realize at the time was that I was going to end up standing in front of people and TRAINING them on Purchasing systems. I hated speech class! How was I ever going to do this???
As usual I survived and actually kind of liked it. I gained an imense repect for teachers and the constant challenge they had with wayward students.
Part of my user rep job was working with training developers as a subject matter expert. This led to a job offer to become part of the training development group and ...Expand for more
led to the last phase of my career at Caterpillar. The last 13 or so years of my career were spent developing training materials and documentation for Caterpillar developed systems. When I look back, it was quite an adventure starting out with archaic tools and mostly paper training and ending with developing online materials for computer-based training.
I retired in May of 2003 to pursue what I thought would be a quieter life. What I found were two parttime jobs that suit me to a tee.
In January of 2003, before I retired, I started preparing taxes for H&R Block. I couldn't believe how much I enjoyed helping people. It was indescribable! From January to the middle of April I worked as many nights as possible assisting people with their various tax situations--no two were the same. Contrary to first year policy I did my first business return and lived to see them return the following year! I'd made it!
On the heels of the end of tax season, I started my first retirement job...working in a garden center. Again, I was in heaven helping people. I found all the garden knowledge I had gleened from magazines and books and good old experience was very valuable to other people. I also learned a good deal more.
I find I have very little time to sit idle which suits me fine. When I'm not working or working in the yard, I'm spending time with friends or running to a chorus practice or church activity. My other passion is spending time with my family.
In 2015 I married my soul mate, Clay Wagnaar. I have truly been blessed. I am now fully retired and spend my summers working in the gardens and tending our 4 acres. My life has been enriched by Clays 2 children and 3 granddaughters.
Clay has turned me into a Parrothead and We enjoy going to concerts with friends. We now own 2 antique motorhomes -- Dodge Travco 270s. Our 1969 has taken us to Wisconsin but needs a little more work before we head out on any long journeys. We purchased a 1965 last year from Mike Rexroat and plan to start restoring it this year. We hope to have friends and family use it to join us in some of our adventures.
Life has had it's ups and and downs but overall I've been blessed with a wonderful family, good friends from my various jobs and church, and many wonderful experiences. Life is good.
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