Bob Gillespie:
CLASS OF 1965
Robinson High SchoolClass of 1965
Tampa, FL
Bob's Story
50 years have passed since those track glory days at Robinson High. Are you believing that? I think the good old days (and nights) were good because we were young, too, if you know what I mean. I try to stay young mentally and grow old gracefully. My son, Bryan Christopher (means Christ Follower), and Karen, my wife, help me with that. Bryan is a dedicated police officer with St. Pete and Karen is like Goldie Hawn and my true soul mate. She ran a very successful Gillespie's Medical Transcription Service from our home and is now retired with me in Oldsmar, Florida.
After high school, I joined the Air Force and went to Saigon, Viet Nam in '69. As Mr. Gump would say, "...that's all I have to say about that." I think I went to Vietnam as a young punk kid and returned as a man and bought a new '69 Firebird. The last several months in the service I spent at Hodge Podge Lodge, S.C. as a lifeguard. I dated my Colonel's daughter and took her to her prom. To thank me, he asked if I wanted to become a lifeguard at a lake. After training, my uniform was a bathing suit. One day I was talking with my supervisor from the lifeguard stand and I saw a young boy, maybe 10 years old, walk out to the end of the nearby pier. I looked again after scanning the beach and he was gone. I saw a hand break the surface and then disappear. I swam out, grabbed the boy and handed him to my supervisor on the pier. He had seen what was going on and ran to help. The boy didn't know how to swim. He spit up water but recovered. I thanked God for allowing me to save his life.
In 1972, I graduated top of my class with a 4.0 g.p.a. from Tampa Technical Institute with Associate degrees (electronics and computers). I worked at Sperry Corporation in the research and development lab with some great engineers and traveled to many states, including several months on launch pad 39B at the Kennedy Space Center, Cape Canaveral, Florida. The first shuttle, Columbia, was on 39A (glory days for America). We developed a prototype "smart bomb" (you probably saw the bad guy's building being destroyed on your television with guided missiles) and conducted tests from the top of the pad.
Married Karen Wilson on January 3rd, 1981. Got open water PADI scuba certified, took boating courses and bought a Sea Ray offshore cruiser. We enjoyed exploring, fishing, and diving the Florida Keys and the upper Bahamas for the next twenty years. Bryan was born in June of 1984. He became my dive buddy in 2000 at age 16. I was given permission to accompany Bryan during his first open water certification dive. The dive master said he was a natural. Suffered a contract layoff with Sperry. Hired as the Production Lead Technician at Vernitron Corporation in St. Petersburg and was fired for refusing unethical orders. Took the case to court and won the case. Chose not to sue or return. Hired by Trak Microwave as a test technician. Developed a procedure to improve unit and system tests. Promoted into their Engineering Department. Suffered another contract layoff. Sometimes, keeping a job in defense electronics can be tough.
During the next two decades I worked for the Pinellas County School Board repairing electronic systems (fire alarm, intercom, security cameras, and p.a.), in all the schools. I found the work both challenging and rewarding as I was asked to train new employees.
Retired early in 2011 to take care of my 93-year-old dad in our home. He was my fishing buddy since my elementary days and we shared many great times together, including the Arthur Smith Fishing Tournaments in West Palm. I met Arthur Smith, who wrote "Dueling Banjos" for the movie Deliverance, on stage one year while accepting prize money. Near the end of dad's life, we would go see my mom in nursing homes several days a week for the last five years. He was a prisoner of war for a year in Germany during W.W.II and received many medals, including the Purple Heart. He stayed with us his last 18 months and passed in 2013. Mom passed a few weeks later. They were married over 70 years. The last year has been spent fixing up the house they lived in for 50 years in Tampa with my brother. We plan to sell it as soon as possible and travel in our trailer. I have a 3-month trip planned to circle the states this summer before heading to Canada and Alaska next year.
To be continued...with a little help from the man upstairs. God bless all you Knights. Live life to the fullest.
Finally finished the Tampa house after two years of work and sold it in June of 2015. Joined Facebook and began posting pictures of our travels. We celebrated with a fantastic three-week trip down the Blue Ridge Parkway in mid-July. The weather was cool, and we almost had the entire road to ourselves, other than some bikers. It was not much fun getting back to flooded Florida. At the start of our trip, I was given a book by the author, Larry R. Gillespie. He is my cousin and a close friend. I read his book and will read it again soon. The name of his book is " The COPING Strategy" (Choosing a Life of Wholeness in a Broken World). When my father passed, I wrote down some memories I had with him. As the funeral drew near, I knew I would not be able to speak. Larry graciously read what I had written and then added other memories of our parents that he shared. He is one of the finest friends I have and will ever have in this world; I feel fortunate to know him. Larry has traveled nationwide speaking as a school psychologist. Lord knows he does not need your money. Read this book. You will be glad you did!
To be continued...God bless you and may you find joy in your life.
Karen and I just returned from a 10-day cruise to Key West, the ABC islands, and Grand Cayman. We had an unbelievable time with new friends on board every evening. Karen did her beach horseback ride, and I snorkeled a lot in Bonaire and Curacao. My last scuba dive was in Grand Cayman swimming in a cave full of tarpon. Absolutely stunning beaches and underwater visibility. We rented vehicles and explored the islands on our own and stayed away from the crowds. I just finished another cruise album to add to our collection and have added a few more pictures to my photos on Classmates. In 2016, we will head across America and explore the states to the west of the Mississippi in our new diesel-pusher motorhome. We have decided to upgrade and love the Fleetwood Discovery 40E. My favorite album is Rumours by Fleetwood Mac. Very fitting. We will travel about 6 months each year returning to Florida to spend time with our son, Bryan, for the holidays and springtime. He just bought his first house with the 3-car garage he always wanted. Life is GOOD! We are so happy for him. We have always been proud of him. He is a fine police officer, and we hear this constantly from people we meet and in commendations from his superiors.
To be continued...live your life without regrets. Yesterday is behind you. God be with you in your travels always!!!
We purchased a fully loaded new 2016 Fleetwood Discovery 40e diesel-pusher on 4/28/2016 and love it. We spent several days in Ft. Desoto Park and Campground kayaking and fishing last week. Then we took it over the Skyway Bridge to Ft. Myers for lunch. That has to be one of the best driving views in Florida. We have learned so much about driving and operating the motorhome this past month and are looking forward to traveling full time soon. Life is good!
We toured all the states west of the Mississippi River in 2017 visiting as many National Parks as possible. Who needs to travel to other countries when God has given so much for us to see here in the best nation on Earth.
Our 2018 trip to Alaska in our motorhome was awesome. We entered Canada in early June and arrived in Alaska in early July. We spent two months in the Kenai Peninsula and enjoyed 10 days with our son there when he flew into Anchorage to visit us. I taught him how to fly fish and we spent a few days catching salmon in the Kenai River while avoiding a bear or two. Later, we enjoyed a perfect sunny d...Expand for more
ay deep sea fishing out of Seward catching halibut, huge cod, and rockfish. We met many new friends. Some we will see again but that time with our son will always be the most special memory of the trip, if not our lives. Returning to the lower 48, we entered Washington and explored some places we missed in our 2017 trip, like Multnomah Falls. We arrived in Florida in late October to visit our son, enjoy some fish we had caught together, and "recoup" after such a long journey. So good to be with him and Ace, his German Shepherd.
It is March now and 2019 finds us anticipating our Florida Keys adventure followed by the 13 states in the Northeast to complete the 49 states in our RV. So much left to see and new friends to meet. Our motorhome is at Lazy Days now getting covered maintenance while we are staying in our son's home with Ace. We are so blessed with Bryan and Ace and our time here helping him with his home. After we return from this year's trip, we plan to join a boat club so we can spend more family time together like we did years ago. I miss those days on the water with our offshore cruiser. Make the most of your time my friends.
2020 will be here before you know it (time seems to speed up as you get older) so, as a planner, I booked a cruise from Tampa to Barcelona next year in late April. Then we fly to London for a couple days, drive thru the Cotswolds to Bath and Stonehedge before arriving in Southampton several days later. There we board the QM2 (Queen Mary 2) for the westbound transatlantic return voyage to New York and fly home to Florida. I spent 7 years near London and literally hated to leave. One of those things on my bucket list was to return and share it with my wife. Another was to take another transatlantic cruise. The suite life :). Live and experience life with no regrets. God bless.
Karen and I completed visiting all 49 states in West Virginia a few days ago in our "Leo". Now in Indiana, we will leave for Mammoth Cave N.P. in Kentucky next week before heading to Cherokee, North Carolina for the colors of October. Then, a few stops in Tennessee, a birthday in Mississippi with close friends, relatives in Alabama, and more relatives in Florida. After our 5-month journey, we will be home in New Port Richey, Florida. We feel so grateful and blessed to have accomplished this 3-year undertaking. We look ahead to 2020 and the moments ahead. Share your time with pictures, God already knows.
Our 2020 trip "across the pond" has been planned thoroughly and we will be departing 3 months tomorrow (April 18th) on the Rhapsody of the Seas to Barcelona, Spain with stops in Bermuda, The Azores, and a couple other ports in Spain. A quick flight from Barcelona to London, pick up our car at Heathrow and drive to The Tower Hotel for a couple nights. Learning to stay on the left side of the road may prove to be challenging. A hop-on hop-off tour bus is the best way to see London. Then several days driving around The Cotswolds, Stratford-Up0n-Avon, Bath, and Stonehenge before turning in the car at Southampton and boarding the QM2 to New York. Another short flight home with our memories still fresh in our minds, as well as a few hundred pictures, we will return to Florida and more boating days with Bryan again. Tough life! Thank you, Lord.
We had no choice but to postpone our trip due to the pandemic that has swept across most of the world. We will try again in May, 2021. Meanwhile, our motorhome is safe and covered and we are enjoying our stay with our son and Ace, his lovable German Shepherd, in New Port Richey, Florida. This time is special as we get to help Bryan improve his home while spending time with him and his incredible 3-year-old dog. We joined Freedom Boat Club and Karen and I take a boat out when we can, mostly by ourselves as Bryan works a lot. We cherish those days when the four of us can enjoy our day on the water and walk along a beach together. Good memories. Until the time when we can regain our freedom and go wherever we want safely, may God be with you all.
Christmas 2020 was magical. We wanted to see snow in North Carolina so we rented the best and highest cabin we could find for the week. The Eagles View Retreat just south of Bryson City delivered everything and more on our list. The magical part came later on Christmas Eve when it started snowing. It continued thru Christmas day with about 6" of snow covering the ground. Our son Bryan, his girlfriend Aly, Karen and I played in the snow and enjoyed watching both of their young male German Shepherds doing the same. The views from this cabin are unbelievable as was the cabin. This was the best cabin we have ever rented in the mountains with a sauna, hot tub, gazebo, huge wrap around deck, game room, and wood-burning fireplaces. The owners thought of everything, including the constantly changing led lights on the Christmas tree by the fireplace and the large deer statues outside. I hope to return here again with my family. Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year, Knights!
As it turned out, 2021 was anything but a happy year. We had to cancel flights and cruises due to the "vaccine" mandates. In any case, Karen and I support our son as much as possible taking care of his home while he accomplishes his professional goals in his department. He is a fine dedicated St. Petersburg Law Enforcement Officer. On July 29th, Bryan received an Excellent Service Award for an innovative, self-initiated act contributing to a valuable law enforcement accomplishment. Family always comes first, and we are here for him. We continue improving this home and taking care of his amazing German Shepherd, "Ace". We look forward to 2022 and have planned trips together in Florida. We pray for America returning to the land we love soon and wish all you Knights well in the new year. Stay in God's pocket.
It's 2022 now and our stored motorhome remains covered as we are still with our son and his dog in New Port Richey, Florida. The year seemed to fly by so we decided to rent a nice cabin near Bryson City, N.C. in October. We stopped in Mississippi and picked up a friend to join us for several days. We met Evelyn and her husband Bill as they were pulling into a Montana rv park in June of 2018. We bonded immediately and they invited us to stop by their home in Mississippi when we returned from Alaska. Several months later, we took them up on their kind offer and we really got to know each other. Bill recently passed so we asked Evelyn if she wanted to get away, relax, and watch the leaves change color with us. Some friends are like family and we consider her one. Now, Karen and I have joined Crunch Fitness Gym for 6 months. Every Monday morning at 8 a.m. we meet with our personal trainer to get back in shape...or something close to it again. LOL. To be continued. Life is an adventure. Go with God, Knights.
2023 was another bad Biden year as you know. We are still with our son in New Port Richey, Florida helping him improve his home and take care of his great dog, Ace. Karen and I still try to keep fit as we are both in our seventies. We have decided to sell our motorhome and use the money to partially buy our son's home as he wants us to keep enough money for us to go where and when we choose. He is starting to look for another home for himself, Aly, and Ace. It's a win-win as we will remain here and keep up this home for the remainder of our lives. I think it's true that a father is the only man who wishes his son does better than he did. Family means everything to us now. Stay in God's pocket, Knights.
It's now 2024 and like all Americans, we can't wait for November and the presidential election. We pray Trump wins by a landslide and returns freedom and prosperity to America. Until then, we enjoy our Freedom Boat Club time together boating with Ace on the sandbar at low tide out of Tarpon Springs. The 24' pontoon boats have plenty of space so are ideal for Ace and allow us to relax or do some fishing. Life is what you make it, I believe. Go with God, Knights. No regrets.
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