Will Longman:
CLASS OF 1973
Mills High SchoolClass of 1973
Millbrae, CA
Sumner High SchoolClass of 2000
Sumner, WA
San Francisco State UniversityClass of 1977
San francisco, CA
Aptos Middle SchoolClass of 1969
San francisco, CA
Commodore Sloat Elementary SchoolClass of 1966
San francisco, CA
Will's Story
Born in Seattle to two native San Franciscans who hated rain - so after six months, it was back to SF for them and that's where I grew up. Those strange foglit days in the Lakeside District still feel most like home to me. Went by the name "Rick" then - my parents pulled it from my middle name to differentiate me from all the "Bills" in the family. I was a strange kid who was sorta shy, read too much, kept trying to write short stories, and lived half in a fog of my own fantasies. The City began getting crazier and crazier - our house got robbed, knife fights in my junior high, riots at nearby SF State (I remember students tearing through our front yard being pursued by mounted policeman in a haze of tear gas). So the parents ripped me out of my life and away from lifelong friends and moved to Mills - Estates that is - swimming pools, movie stars. Ended up attending Mills High in Millbrae CA and was a Sea Scout (SSS Dauntless Ship 17) in San Mateo.
During high school, my lingering shyness and strange out of fashion clean cut look sorta kept me from being notorious or anything very cool but I did ultimately manage to get in lots of trouble thus proving looks aren't everything! Moved out of home in my junior year and never looked back. After graduating, moved right damn back to SF. Shipping clerk at a waterbed store, news director at KPOO-FM, SF State student,lived in Haight, Sunset, Outer Mission, and on the street when money ran out - tried too hard to write and frustrated at the pretentious and derivative crap I produced - not enough life experience to say anything authentic or compelling. So I punched out - master reset - in the only way available to a flat broke kid - I joined the service. Navy. Apprentice sonar operator. Submarines.
First sub was based in Pearl Harbor. Spent a lot of time underwater and some time ashore in the holy fleshpots of the Orient. Went to Navy dive school. Lost some of my shyness.
Second sub out of Groton CT. More time underwater, wild group of shipmates, made it to the Medi...Expand for more
terranean and the Caribbean. Brought back to the boat in handcuffs by Shore Patrol once. Next up was shore duty in San Diego as a computer-electronics instructor. Got my BS/CS while off duty.
After that, I went to a five year tour on a Deep Submergence Rescue Vehicle where I ended up becoming a Chief Petty Officer (!!) as well as a submersible pilot. Picture McHales Navy on a 50 foot mini-sub. Lotsa Scuba diving. Too much fun!! Somehow despite myself, I received a commission as an officer.
During an all too brief shore duty tour back in Connecticut, I began to write again, started an e-zine, acted as sound man for native American Pow Wows, and was a DJ at WCNI-FM. Oh, did I forget to mention that I had attended dozens and dozens of Grateful Dead concerts beginning back when I was just a kid in SF? Those were the daze, my friends.
Anyway, I ended up back at sea on a sub out of Mare Island in the Bay Area. Lots of sea time doing secret squirrel stuff and then changed homeports up to Bangor WA where I retired (!!) in 1996. Got divorced too.
It was high time for me to do something really reckless and dangerous - so I began teaching high school in Sumner WA. Blessed with a great principal, fellow teachers, and students. Taught applied math, applied physics, yearbook, video production, A+/PC manufacturing & repair, and started a Cisco Networking Academy. Thought I had found my niche - loved working with the kids and got awards and stuff. Life has a funny way of tromping on you though - due to unrelated circumstances, had to move on. Did manage to marry the love of my life though.. Have dynamite kids who I treasure.
Dove headfirst into the tech and space flight industries in the Puget Sound and specialized in cybersecurity for the next 25 years. Retired from that now.
So I am still sorta shy, read too much, keep trying to write, get published occasionally, and live half in a fog of my own fantasies. Suspect that I might just be a hallucination of all the rest of you - not sure though - I'll keep you posted.
Register for Free to view all details!
Yearbooks
Register for Free to view all yearbooks!
Reunions
Register for Free to view all events!
Photos
