Vicki Nelson:
CLASS OF 1977
John Burroughs High SchoolClass of 1977
Burbank, CA
John Burroughs High SchoolClass of 1977
Burbank, CA
Elko High SchoolClass of 1977
Elko, NV
Scenic Middle SchoolClass of 1973
Central point, OR
Jewett Elementary SchoolClass of 1971
Central point, OR
Vicki's Story
Life
When I left Burbank and moved to Elko, Nevada, between my Junior and Senior year it was probably one of the saddest times in my life. I moved to Elko and people weren't very nice or friendly. They all had their own friends and I felt like an outsider. After graduation, I met a fellow that also worked at the flower shop where I was working. He was the first guy that asked me to marry him and I accepted. DUMB!! I got married at 18 years old and was married to him for only 7 years until I wised up. Divorced him and met someone else. A man that I thought was the man of my dreams and he was for a very long time. I have had 3 children, a daughter (22), and two boys (twins) 16 years old. They are the light of my life. I have been divorced since September 5, 2008. I realized that life was just too short to be living every day unhappy. I am doing much better now. My home is much more peaceful and my children get along so much better now that they are not listening to arguing all of the time. I am so proud of them. I have 2 dogs, 2 cats, a toad, and 2 frogs. I love them all but my cat Tiger holds a special place in my heart. He is a big orange Tabby cat just like Morris the cat. I guess I would like to be more like him. More independent and worry free. I have a few close friends and some co-workers that help me through the hard times. I thank God for all of my friends for without them I doubt I would be able to keep my sanity!! They are great listeners. I have never done drugs and my drinking is few and far between. I am pretty straight edge. I own a Ford Excursion and love my car. I also have a scooter but haven't ridden it much. I love to golf, fish and ride motorcycles and I love to be in the outdoors as long as I can go home to a clean bed at night or sleep in a camp trailer. I love to go boating but don't water ski. I mostly fish and soak up the sun. My father passed away in 1996 but my Mom is still alive and helps me out at home with my kids. She runs them to school and picks them up and that helps a great deal when I am working all of the time. I would love to move back to California some day because that is where my brother and two sisters still live. Maybe when I retire? I sure do hope so!!! Right now I am working for an electric utility here in Elko, NV and just hit my 30 year anniversary with them. I will be able to retire in about 5 more years I hope. Unless of course the boys decide to go to College and if so I may have to stay on the job or possibly retire and try to go to work for another utility company somewhere near my family in California. My kids have always had security and never had to stay with a babysitter. I really appreciate what my Mom has done for me and I am trying to help her out now as she is only receiving Social Security and we all know how little that is. My father never worked anywhere with a retirement or tried to provide for their future. It just didn't happen very much in those days. Not being married is ok but I truly miss having a man to talk to and do things with. Maybe someday I will truly meet Mr. Right. I am much wiser now as the years have gone by and hopefu...Expand for more
lly I won't make any more mistakes.
School
My biggest crush was Stacey Mc Intosh. The teacher that inspired me the most was Mr. Grimes. My best friend was a girl named Jerri Anderson. We were just like sisters. I was always an over achiever and would try to please my mother and father above all. Jerri and I and another friend of ours whose name was Della Dean who nobody liked because she was overweight went to Elton John's concert. Also, we went to a Beach Boys-America concert and those were some of my happiest memories. I loved school but not the peer pressure. I was never a popular person but was always on the honor roll with a 4.0 grade average. The saddest thing I had to do was leave John Burroughs High School between my Junior and Senior year and move to Elko, Nevada. Elko was a most unforgiving town. Small town and everyone had their own little click that they were in. There were a few really nice people. Sherry Timmerman, Debbie Hutchison who was also a new kid in town, and George Guzman who was from a good Spanish family and was very kind to me. One of my most memorable times in Elko was at Graduation, Lonnie Cunningham asked me to the dance and we watched the sun rise together the next morning. Then I had to go to work in a couple of hours. Boy was I ever tired that next day. Also, I went on the Senior trip to Disneyland where I met my best friend from Burbank, Jerri Anderson and we got to hang out all night until the park closed. The next day we went to Catalina Island and I was feeling pretty green on the boat ride. I always did get motion sickness.
College
I never went to college. Before I moved to Elko, I had plans to go to Court Reporter school with my friend Jerri Anderson but started working during high school and have been working ever since.
Workplace
When I was in High School here in Elko, NV, I started working at a flower shop and was a floral designer for a couple of years. I really enjoyed that work but it wasn't very profitable. Just over minimum wage. Unless you own a flower shop, you won't make any money at it. Then I landed a job at Pacific Western Systems making up wire harnesses and soldering circuit boards. That didn't pay very well either. My father knew another man here in Elko who shared his love for restoring antique cars. His wife worked at an electric utility and she asked my father if I would be interested in a job at her place of work. He came home and told me about it and I had such mixed emotions. It was really not something that I wanted to do the rest of my life. By then I was married to a mechanic and that was a huge mistake but to make a long story short, I took the job and amazingly have been there ever since. I have worked ther 30 years now. I started out as a Customer Service Representative but now I am the Foreman in our business office and oversee 3 other ladies and the business office. I really like my job now and every day is a challenge. The benefits and pay are too good to leave so I am thinking I will probably retire there. Only 5 more years to go until I am eligible. Seems like a long time but time seems to be going so much faster these days.
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