Russell Jones:
CLASS OF 1978
Edison High SchoolClass of 1978
Minneapolis, MN
Waite Park Elementary SchoolClass of 1979
Minneapolis, MN
Marshall University High SchoolClass of 1978
Minneapolis, MN
Northeast Middle SchoolClass of 1975
Minneapolis, MN
Tuttle Elementary SchoolClass of 1972
Minneapolis, MN
Russell's Story
Life
Hello Everyone!
Well my girl-friend, who is now my wife, introduced me to this web site. I saw a few familiar names out there. Some of you probably remember seeing me at the 10, 20, 25, and 30 year reunions. I really had a lot of fun at the 25th reunion! My wife, Anita, and I both attended the 30 year Reunion. It was good to see some new faces there that weren't at any of the previous reunions, and hear some stories from high school days that I hadn't heard before. Turnout at the 30 wasn't as good as in previous years, and I probably won't be attending anymore reunions unless I'm still alive for the 50th.
I am still living in East Bethel, MN and own my own home. I recently got my Amatuer Radio (HAM) license (in 2000). Call Sign: KC0IVL. On May 17th of 2003, I got married to my long time girl-friend Anita. On June 2, 2006 our first child was born. His name is Brandon Robert Jones.
I became a certified Metro SkyWarn storm spotter for the National Weather Service in March of 2006. That means during times of severe weather here in the Twin Cities, I will be out there monitoring the weather and reporting conditions. I also do a little storm chasing on occasion.
Most recent events in my life are the birth of my second son on April 17, 2008, Zachary William Jones; then on August 25, 2009, I underwent a Quadruple Heart Bypass Surgery, to save my life! I had been having some chest pains and breathing problems, and I went in for a Cardiogram. The result of the test was that all four of my major heart arteries were more than 90% blocked! I had to have emergency heart surgery. The surgery went well, and I've been given a new lease on life. I still work for Metro Transit, and hope to retire about 2020. I have been with the company since 1988.
In 2010, my kids talked me into building a Garden Railroad, where you run large model trains outside in your garden! I set up a YouTube Channel to show off videos of my layout, and that blossomed into other model train videos along with a few vidoes of other things I am in to. Check it out on YouTube sometime and subscribe if you want to: youtube(dot)com/user/MisterPersuasion/
That's all I have to say for now. If you want to know more, drop me an e-mail.
Russell
School
What can I say here? Well I started out at Tuttle Elementary in S.E. Minneapolis. Both my parents worked so my paternal grandma would care for me, that's how...Expand for more
I ended up at Tuttle Elementary. By the time I was 12, my parents decided I was old enough to stay home alone, so I then transferred to N.E. Jr. High, for 7th grade. I finished out my school years in N.E. Minneapolis, graduating from Edison High. I still recognize many names from Marshall-U High School in S.E. Minneapolis though, as that's where all my old Tuttle alums went.
I wish I had thought of putting this in my bio sooner, but anyone reading this remember the Jam Line? That was that phone number you could call that gave you a busy signal with a bunch of people talking in the background. My friend Jim Ballenger, told me about the Jam Line in 11th grade, and that's how I got to know at least one person from every High School in the Twin Cities area by 1979. After getting my first car in 1978, I'd drive all over to meet the girls I talked to on the Jam Line, then take them cruising Excelsior Blvd, in Downtown Hopkins. While cruising we'd use my CB Radio to meet other people--man was that ever fun! A lot of those girls would take me to attend their school functions, so I got to see how other High Schools did things. I have looked around this web site for some of the old Jam Line girls that I used to talk to. I found a few of them listed too. Aaah, memories......
College
I went to three different colleges. First was Minneapolis Community College, starting in 1980-1983. I graduated from there with an A.A. Degree. MCC was the most fun I ever had at any school! I then transferred to Northwestern Bible College, it was there that I learned the most about life. It was very expensive to attend there so I finally decided to finish out my education at the University of Minnesota. That place was way too disorganized, and I didn't like the campus politics so I quit....so ending my college career.
Workplace
My first job was when I was in Jr. High as a Paperboy for the Minneapolis Star. During my junior year of High School my friend Mike Gantz, helped me get a job as a Grillcook at Red Barn Restaurant in Columbia Heights. When Red Barn went out of business, I started working as a janitor for Maintenance Experts. I cleaned Pako Film in Golden Valley. After college my then girlfriend's mom got me a job as a Truck Driver/Shipping Clerk for Mentor Corp. This helped me slide into my present job as a City Bus Driver for Metro Transit. I started with the bus company in 1988.
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Yearbooks
Reunions
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Photos
