Stan Olds:  

In March of 1961, right after my 18th birthday and one semester at CCC I avoided the mandatory draft by auditioning with the 573rd Air Force Band at Hamilton AFB. Following 9 weeks basic training at Lackland AFB, Texas, I was assigned to Hamilton. This was the Air Defense Command Band of the West. We traveled all over the western U.S., Colorado Springs, hot spots in Nevada, Washington, Oregon, Idaho, and any place that would have us. In 1963 I was sent to Panama where we represented the Caribbean Air Command. Again, a lot of frequent air miles all over Central and South America. Applying for and getting an early out in Dec. 1964. I re-entered CCC to study computer programming. I lasted a year, having married childhood and later sweetheart, Dianna Hatzell and taking an entry level position with Atlas Foundry working nights during school terms. Things didn't go as well as I expected there, so I moved to Glendale, CA in Dec., '66 to work in accounts receivable and data processing for frozen food distributor. Three and a half years later I learned that I was eligible for GI education benefits. I had been a part-time youth minister at the First Baptist Church in Glendale and was often asked why I didn't do it full-time. I decided to pursue a teaching credential. That meant another move to Richmond and re-entry into CCC as a Humanities (history) major. Attending around the calendar and tansfering to Cal State Hayward I finally got the credential for elementary teaching. I only applied at three school districts--San Pablo, Mount Diablo and Fairfield. The one and only call I got was from Fairfield. I gladly accepted. That meant the purchase of our second house, a new one that was ready for us to move into just before school started in 1973 where I taught 4th-6th grades. During the last session of prep-work a CCC, our first of three sons, Scott, was born. He eventually quartbacked De Anza's football team to the championship playing in the Raiders' stadium. Early into the first year of teaching our second son, Christopher Robin, was born and the two years later Andrew came along. Sadly to say the marriage ended in 1978. I married a Texas "belle" and spent 2 more years in Fairfield. I left the public school to be the Learning Center Supervisor at our Christian school. A drastic wage cut made survival difficult. I had RUHS friends in Medford, Oregon who suggested I apply at Grace Christian. I did and thought it looked like a done deal. But...after selling almost all our STUFF and hauling two loads to family property at Gold Hill, OR, I found out that it was decided to go with two part-time teachers. I was, however, hired to substitute. And, as I had a bus driver's license for driving church buses, I got on as a trip driver for Central Point Schools and substitute taught for Eagle Point, Central Point and Rogue River Schools. A couple of years of that and I decided I needed medical insurance, so took a regular bus route in Central Point. the next year I was offered the Sardine Creek Road route in Gold Hill, where I lived and kept the bus on my families' 40 acres just a mile from Gold Hill. I loved it. But, met a woman from Grants Pass (20 miles north) whom I married in '84. The early morning and late evening drive back and forth (especially during the winter months) forced me to find work in Grants Pass. I worked for Head Start one year, then got hired by SPARC Enterprises as a Skills Trainer for developmentally disabled adults. 20 years later I retired after a wonderful experience. Then,...Expand for more