Michael Black:
CLASS OF 1975
General Mclane High SchoolClass of 1975
Edinboro, PA
Michael's Story
Enlisted in the Air Force right out of high school. Did my 20 and retired. It was time to go lol. Attended 36 schools while active duty, worked on survival equipment on aircraft and taught survival continuation training to aircrews.
Came back to PA in 1995, quite a shock to say the least. Within 6 years, I lost my dad, mom and twin brother Tim. Being a Christian, I will see them all again...that is the good news!
Within a year after my seperation from the Air Force, I ended up working for the Girl Scouts as a camp ranger at Resting Waters Girl Scout Camp in Kane, PA. Yes, I am a Gril Scout member! I work at a 437 acre camp complete with two lodges, three tent units, a residence on the camp, shop, archery range, 12 acre lake, hiking and skiing trails, boathouse, ice skating rink (which I built three years ago, many fire circles and a beach and dock. I do this year round, work outdoors and with children. I am responsible for everything and everyone on this camp, and I see thousands of girls each year.
I remarried in 2002 to my best friend and soul mate Donna. She has been the greatest blessing I can imagine in my life and we both share the same heart for Jesus and others. It seems we are always engaged in some activity helping others in need or serving others in some capacity, such as visits to a local nursing home to spend time with and do activities with the patients and residents. Our lives are not really about us but sharing love with others. She has two sons living in Seattle and I have a son in Ohio and a daughter in Kane, all grown. I met my wife in a Christian Singles group in Allegany, New York. Donna is a staff accountant at Zippo in Bradford and has been there over 20 years. We are very active in our church and lead a small group of about 15 to 20 people. We also facilitate (and have been doing both of these for years) a DivorceCare program and work with many hurting people going through the pain of Divorce. Donna also sings in the Praise band and we serve other functions in our church and community.
We are very active for "old folk". We bicycle, hike, love photography, geocaching, walking every day and work out about three or more times per week. We have a black lab that loves to walk with us, and when no one is on the camp I take her to the lake and she swims for hours! In the little spare time I have, I take older computers and refurbish them and give them to the elderly who cannot afford a computer of their own. It is kind of funny...I work outdoors year round doing all sorts of things, including clearing trails, cutting down trees and cutting them up for firewood, repairing all types of equipment, building things, and on the other hand I have become very skilled at being able to repair and build computers. Funny!
I was very quiet and more of a loner in high school. Everyone knew my twin brother Tim but very few knew who I was. I hunted, fished and always loved the outdoors. I now do what I love most, work outdoors year round and work with children. I am also an EMT with the local ambulance.
At this camp, we have sailing, canoeing, swimming, fishing (bass, crappie, perch, bluegill and sunfish), archery, sledding, paddle boats, funyaks, hiking, cross country skiing, ice skating, snow shoes, tenting, orienteering, and much much more. I do all the safety, cutting of fire wood, taking care of any of the users, and any type repair or problem that arises I take care of. It is an extensive job and takes a lot of time. But it is a beautiful and well maintained camp.
I am truly blessed in my life. I do miss my family and especially Tim. Tim had the kindest heart of any person I ever knew, and although he NEVER had very much he was always there to give what he had. He especially loved to listen and help others with advice. His death was very untimely, but I do remember even as a child he would say that he would never live to be 50. The Lord took him home at age 47 and at least I know he is no longer in pain or suffering. As I said earlie...Expand for more
r, Tim was the one known at GM by everyone! The yearbook called him the "class bookey" and the yearbook referred to me as "having Howard Cosell as a brother". I was so unknown and under the radar that the only thing anyone could comment about me was in reference to my brother! So much the better though.
If anyone wants to stay in touch, I am on facebook under Mike black. Ask if you have questions. I did love high school and I do miss a lot of old friends, but being gone all these years I have lost touch.
During my years in the Air Force and since high school, I have been in many states for survival schools and other schools and even on vacation. My wife and I have been to Seattle several times and we have been on Mt Ranier several times. We recently went to New Hampshire on our anniversary for the weekend and took lots of pictures of the seacoast and lighthouses. We both love to take photos and I just recently snapped some neat pictures of a bald eagle. We have canoed on our small lake many times, and down the Clarion and Allegheny Rivers. I also have some great pictures of deer and because of my job I do run across many animals out here...racoons, skunks (I live trap and remove them from the camp), black bear, and many others. We have even been white water rafting on the New River Gorge in West Virginia.
In the past, when I was younger and dumber, I was into martial arts and skydiving. Not anymore though. It was funny, one time I was home on leave and at Moreheadville Air Park in Harborcreek skydiving and who did I meet? Our old teacher Mr Moore from GM...he was as crazy as I was. I took it up because I taught survival training to the aircrews in the Air Force which included teaching them how to exit the aircarft and how to use the parachute. I went through numerous survival schools while I was active duty and also other schools. I was stationed with Dean Campbell and Chip Meeker at Pease AFB in New Hampshire after basic training. AFter about three years we ended up getting stationed in different areas and eventually lost contact.
Donnas sons, who live in Seattle, are grown and Scott is a chef and has even been at the Biltmore Estates in North Carolina. Scott is a great chef and has never had any problem getting employment! Tom, the older son, is in construction and can operate most heavy equipment. He did a tour in the Army and was stationed at Ft Lewis...that is how they got out to Washington. They are both still single and Tom is an avid outdoorsman and loves fishing and hunting. Scott, on the other hand, is equally an outdoorsman but more into rock climbing and biking. They are both fantastic young men and hard workers.
My daughter, Stephanie, is married and last September 11th made me a grandfather! Sophia is my sweetie and has already got me wrapped around her little finger...hey wait, they are all little. Staphanie's husband, Jason, is a carpenter and has been working in the Philly area at nuclear power plants. Stephanie is a teacher and has early childhood development as a second major and works doing early childhood intervention. They live in Kane. My son, Joshua, just turned 21 and had 1 year at Slippery Rock University and decided college was not for him. He moved to Medina Ohio with his mother and step-dad and works as a meat cutter at Buhler's market. Josh is into weight lifting and body building and is a big young man. He should be going into his first competition in the fall and is studying for his personal trainers certification. I pray it works out for him, but he is doing great at his job and is hoping to become a butcher, and/or a personal trainer. We don't see any of our children as much as we'd like to but they do grow up and go their own ways. All we can do is pray for them.
Well, that is about it. My wife and I are in the Kane and Bradford areas and will be for some time to come, although the south seems much more inviting as we get older. I hope to get back in touch with some old friends here and on facebook.
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