Paula Allard:
CLASS OF 1977
Wilcox High SchoolClass of 1977
Santa clara, CA
Paula's Story
Life 101. :
From Wilcox I moved in with my wonderful aunt in a home on a golf course in Huntington Beach across the street from the beach. One day while waiting for the bus for work, I fell asleep on the beach and was waken up by a man who said ask your parents who Whitey Ford is. I did they said he was a baseball player. He was watching me sleep to make sure I was alright. I moved back to Santa Clara and shared an apartment with my two sisters Penny and Sandy.
I was attending Mission College taking Math classes in Santa Clara and taking a Photo Journalism and Linguistics class at San Jose State when Darlene Cabrihna from Wilcox got me a job at Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) in the purchasing department as a clerical worker. AMD was well known for their fabulous christmas parties and they had their christmas party this year that also happened to be on my 21st birthday at the Moscone Center in San Francisco. Best birthday party ever...That night I asked Darlene to introduce me to Mike Cook at the Christmas Party and she said "introduce you to that nerd?" I said yes, I love him...he worked at AMD as a junior buyer. In the cubical across from mine which I instantly feel in love with him the first day I started working there and saw him at work. We soon became the talk of the purchasing department because of our office romance...first I'd walk in late and then he would walk in after. We were married when I was 22 in a fabulous wedding, which my father had his suit hand made. It was my dad's only suit and neck tie he ever owned. My dad only wore his suit and neck tie only once at my wedding. I still have my dad's suit and neck tie. It means so much to me. We had a great a wonderful church wedding at the Willow Glen Methodist Church and we were married by the same minister that married Mike's parents. My fabulous dad walked me down the aisle and when the minister said who gives this bride away my wonderful dad and mom stood up and said we do...It was so awsome. Our reception was at Alcapolco Mexic...Expand for more
an Restaurant on Lawrence Expressway/El Camino Real in Santa Clara it was great we had a champagne fountain, mexican food and a country band. Also Dorothy O'Malley sang and Laura Lorta did my hair and makeup...People that attended still say it's the best party anyone has attended. Mike worked his way up to a fabulous manager over many departments from a junior buyer at AMD...I feel very blessed, we read and the book "Dress for Success" and we did what it said to do, and it worked. I was blessed to purchase low income homes in West Oakland and Richmond helping low income welfare women transition from welfare to work.
I love rennovating low income homes, taking an ugly property and making it beautiful for people that could not afford to renovate their homes.. I guess it's my artistic ability and love for these great low income people that treat me like I'm a movie star. I know they have a happier life now. I had rentals previously, and would file their tax returns when Earned Income Credit just came out. At first they would say, Paula your going to get me arrested, there is no way I get $3,500 from IRS, but they each got $3,500 each year. The first year they would buy miscellaneous stuff they needed, the second year they would buy a car and get a job and not pay me rent for a few months because they couldn't afford to and the third year they would move to a middle class neighborhood. Being a part of taking them from welfare to work will always be the most rewarding work I've ever done. I am very proud to assist these awesome low income people to have quality lives.
My hobbies are photography, beaches, traveling, dinner parties, tennis, swimming, animals, learning something new everyday and always being grateful and thanking life for all my blessings every second of everyday. My cup runneth over and my saucer too...(A great Jimmy Dean quote.)
I'm divorced and I'd Love to hear from you all...Please don't be shy, drop me a line on Classmates, Facebook or Messenger....
Kisses and Hugs to you all.
Register for Free to view all details!
Yearbooks
Register for Free to view all yearbooks!
Reunions
Register for Free to view all events!
Photos
Register for Free to view all photos!