Kenneth Urtel:
CLASS OF 1964
Newfane High SchoolClass of 1964
Newfane, NY
University of Oklahoma - EngineeringClass of 1978
Norman, OK
SUNY at BuffaloClass of 1970
Buffalo, NY
Kenneth's Story
Life
I was born and raised in western NY, and in addition lived, and worked in Maryland, Oklahoma, Texas, Ohio, and Virginia. In 2008 I retired and moved back to Wrights Corners NY where I grew up. I have traveled some in Canada, Mexico, Switzerland, France, Germany, Austria, Greece, and visited Venice Italy. This has given me the chance to see quite a lot and meet a lot of great people. I keep in touch with many of them and wish I had time to write or visit more often.
As for fun activities, I think my all time favorite is downhill skiing. A friend of my brother's (Tim Cook) introduced us to snow skiing when we were in our early 20's. We couldn't afford to go very often then and didn't take lessons at first. I don't recommend this - if you want to learn to ski, take the lessons right at the start. After college and better employment I took lessons and actually learned to ski quite proficiently. I learned at Kissing Bridge and Holiday Valley in western NY with my good friends Paul and Margo Covell, Len and Marge Fitchlee. Later others joined us on many great ski safaris to places in New England, Canada, and the western states. When I moved to Ohio I met another group of skiers and skied in Switzerland and Austria with the Columbus Ski Club. I introduced some new friends to the sport (my friend Janis began when she turned 50!). I hope to ski well into old age. It actually makes winter something to look forward to!
I did some middle distance running for awhile in the mid 1990's. I liked half marathons best (when in shape to do them in reasonable comfort) My longest runs were two 30K events. I never attempted a marathon. After several years running I started having trouble with my feet. I didn't change running shoes often enough (a common mistake; but I didn't realize it at the time). I use an elliptical machine now.
My second love has become bicycling. Cycling is easier on the joints and I find it much more versatile in nature than running. One can cruise easily and talk with friends, or go at it hard and get all the cardio work out desired. The only downside is the need to watch out for automobile traffic. Riding in groups is much safer than riding alone on the roads. I guess I have always had a bike. My first long ride was in 1961 I think, when I was 14. I decided to visit my cousins in Rochester NY (about 70 miles from our place in Wrights Corners NY). All I had was one of those old coaster brake, wide tired, one speed Schwinn's of the 1950's; but I completed the trip no problem. It took about 7 hours (including the many stops I made at food stands along route 104). A joke in Wrights Corners where I grew up was that I could pass any gas station; but not a single hot dog stand on my Schwinn. :>)
A former co worker (John Mechlin) introduced me to club riding when I lived in Columbus Ohio. I joined a couple local clubs, got a real touring bicycle, and rode 2,000 and 3,000 miles per season. We did many rides in Ohio, Indiana, Kentucky, and New York. The most challenging ride for me was the "Columbus Fall Challenge". It's 110 miles from Lancaster OH, across the hills of south eastern Ohio, to the river town of Marita, and 110 miles back the next day. The most beautiful tour I have done is the week long "Bon Ton Roulette" around and through the Finger Lakes wine country of New York state. Both these events involve considerable hill climbing; requiring putting in several miles of practice early in the season. In 2014 I rode the rail to trail through the Black Hills of South Dakota with my friend Janis.
Several years ago I took up wind surfing and got a bit beyond beginner ability. Then I moved to the Washington DC area and am now retired and back in Wrights Corners NY. I have not wind surfed for many years now, My board and sails rest in my brothers barn in Hartland NY. It was a lot of fun, and I would like to try it again sometime to see if I remember how to do it.
School
We had many good, and a few great teachers at Newfane Central I think as I look back. I guess Mr. Dunford and Mrs Klock would be very high on anyone's list. I also learned a lot from Mr. Wollenburg and Mr. Voght (who somehow cajoled me into getting my only "A" ever in an English class), and coach Duffy. I liked Jake Villella very much too - making a point to get him for History all through high school. Only recently have I taken an interest in history (guess a lot of us have to be older to appreciate that subject). If I had to do it all over again I wouldn't have been so lazy - would have enrolled in some college entrance courses. Then I wouldn't have had to atte...Expand for more
nd Benet HS at night in Buffalo before SUNY would accept me.
College
B.S. in Industrial Education, State University of New York at Buffalo, 1970.
M.S. Metallurgical Engineering and Materials Science, University of Oklahoma, 1977.
100+ hours in Mechanical Engineering, Millard Fillmore Evening College, University of Buffalo.
Completed a variety of training courses in contracting, procurement, and engineering while working for the Department of Defense.
Workplace
After High School I expected to be drafted; so I planned to enlist in the Army and hoped to be assigned as a mechanic in the motor pool. My eyesight disqualified me for service (and for most of the good paying factory jobs or apprenticeship programs); so I looked for other opportunities.
I worked at a variety of small factories and farms in the area for a couple years before deciding there wasn't much future in that kind of work for me. I had three good friends who went on to college; however I had not enrolled in a college curriculum while attending Newfane HS. I took night classes at Benet HS (Buffalo NY) and was finally accepted at SUNY College Buffalo. I graduated with a BS in Industrial Education. Upon graduation I obtained a teaching position in Baltimore MD and quickly learned that profession was not for me either.
I returned to western NY.and worked a few years at Norton Laboratory in Lockport NY as a plastics molder, Millwrights assistant, fork lift driver, etc. I began taking courses in Mechanical Engineering at Millard Fillmore Evening Division, University of Buffalo. Then in 1975 when I was in my late 20's, I decided I wanted a little more adventure and enrolled in VISTA (Volunteers In Service To America - a domestic variant of the Peace Corps). I served 2 years in VISTA doing carpentry, plumbing, home repair, etc. in connection with disaster relief and poverty aid in central Oklahoma.
After VISTA I attended the University of Oklahoma and obtained an MS in Metallurgical Engineering and Material Science. While there, I helped pay tuition via the Work Study Program, serving as a lab assistant, machinists helper, and undergraduate tutor. I did well in class and qualified for a scholarship my second year.
I returned to western NY in 1978, worked temporarily as an Engineers Assistant for Niagara County, setting up a Preventative Maintenance plan for equipment in all county buildings. I obtained a "permanent" position as a tool designer at Strippet Houdaill Corporation in Akron NY. After 3 years the company began experiencing stiff competition from Asia, and I was one of the many casualties of a massive lay off.
I started what was to become my federal career at Kelly Air Logistics Center, San Antonio TX in 1983, doing metallurgical laboratory analysis, process control, equipment operator training, and certification. I also helped perform major facilities upgrades for two base Heat Treating departments (one for jet engine rebuild, the other for aircraft skin and fuselage components).
I wanted to be closer to my family in western NY and found a higher grade position with the Defense Supply Center Columbus (Ohio) within their Value Engineering Department and transferred there in 1986. This was part of the Defense Logistics Agency, which supplies consumable items for the U.S. military services and their allies world wide.
In 1989 I transferred to the Seneca Army Depot in Romulus NY to obtain broader experience. I worked for the Comptrollers Office and performed investment analysis for major projects and programs base wide. The first Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) targeted Seneca Army Depot a few years later; so I returned to my old position at Defense Supply Center (DSCC) in Columbus Ohio.
After eight more years at DSCC I obtained the chance for promotion and took a job at Defense Logistics Agency Headquarters, Fort Belvoir Virginia (near Washington DC) as an R&D Program Manager (first in Aging Aircraft, and later in Electronics Availability - both programs focusing on obtaining obsolete spare parts for aging military weapons systems).
I retired from the civil service in 2008, moved back to Wrights Corners NY and bought my first house. A few months later I was asked to work part time as a consultant / contractor for DLA HQ R&D where I had just retired. I did that for a couple years until the program I helped support was moved to the Air Force. Currently I am fully retired and enjoying it very much. I built a shop in my basement (which has now spilled out into my garage) and do wood and metalworking as a hobby. I still ski, bicycle, and travel some.
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