Don Schap:
CLASS OF 1975
Crete-Monee High SchoolClass of 1975
Crete, IL
Illinois Institute of TechnologyClass of 1990
Chicago, IL
Hubbard Trail Junior High SchoolClass of 1971
Crete, IL
Fairhaven Elementary SchoolClass of 1969
Mundelein, IL
Copeland Manor Elementary SchoolClass of 1963
Libertyville, IL
Don's Story
I've decided to trim down my life's story... to keep things in perspective, as I am not running for the White House this year (2016), that's the "other Donald." Maybe next time, right?
In reflection... it sure seemed to take a lot longer to get to age 18, than it did to get to age 59, huh? Man, the days are flying off the rails, now. Blink... and you miss a lot.
A lot of special people are gone... a whole lot of loafers are left. I pity the world we are sharing these days. I'm not trying to be bombastic, but it seemed a whole simpler to fly from Chicago to Indianapolis, in 1975, than it does today. You could actually drive there, with all the waiting you have to do, in airports. No thanks.
After moving five times, as I grew up: from St. Claire Shores, MI; to Chicago Ridge, IL; to Libertyville, IL; to Mundelein, IL; to Park Forest, IL ... it seemed to take forever to grow up... and some would say that I'm still doing it.
I was awarded "Eagle Scout" in 1974 and was the only one to do so, in Troop 121, at Holy Family Episcopal Church, in Park Forest.
I moved to Florida in '75 and joined the US Navy, six months later. My brother, Dean, did also, and we got to see half the world, together, on the same ship (USS Yellowstone AD-41 1983-1985), by doing that. Over the next ten years (1975-1985). I had three ships (now retired) under me. Some of those naval adventures are recorded legend and history. I left the service having earned the "Enlisted Surface Warfare Specialist" designation, which was pretty rare at the time.
I got married, in Florida, in 1977 and my daughter, Julie-Allyson, was born in 1981.
I got my Honorable Discharge (1985), after ten years of good service. I got a divorce, also, because it takes two to Tango and with the god-awful distances involved, we did not get to dance that much. I knew my landlady better! Regardless, I headed back to civilian-life, to see what lay in wait for me, in my real hometown of Chicago (1986).
I got married, again, in 1987, to try and do the marriage-thing the right way, this time, and not be so stretched from one end of the world to the other. That had not worked out very well and I knew I could better.
I worked for the well-established Illinois Institute of Technology's Research Institute for several years,...Expand for more
as an "Experimentalist" and then moved on, in 1989, when the government-money practically "squeezed" the firm out of existence. Afterwards, I went to work for Xerox; Motorola; and Juno Lighting, in that order, for the next 18-years, the last two installing their new network infrastructures and creating a sound money-making operation. Juno's sales, alone, went from 20-million a year, when I started, to over 200- million, during my tenure of direct informational services support. It felt good.
My son, Kevin, was born in 1989.
Unfortunately, the one thing I had missed along the way in all this was getting that degree. The Navy had derailed me, in that regard, and it was tough to do it, piece-meal, raising a child and maintaining those 24/7 networks.
I went back and attended college, from 2008-2012... and had to work with 18-22 yo students. Believe me, with 1975 compared to 2012, there was only a few reliable persons produced that I'd ever want to hire as a manager. Overall, it was a real disappointment to me and I did try to inject a modicum excellence into my studies and all of my projects. To me, it's no wonder these "thumb-typers" are in so much trouble. I saw their value close-up... and their parents have really let them and all of us down.
My 28yo Eagle Scout son has completed and gotten his "hood" with an elite Masters of Science at the University of Chicago. His dedication to principle and excellence is a trademark that everyone can and should emulate, in my opinion. I say that with a modicum pride and appreciation of all his hard work and "clean" associations. I hope he realizes the good things that sticking-to-it can provide in a person's life.
Looking forward to my senior years... it is my fervent hope that our country will have a change of heart and go back to the qualities that made it so great, before. To see it sliding away, into the morass of virtual excess... seems so sad and ignoble. I know I tried to hold up my end of the log.
I apologize for not being real big on high school... I lived over five miles away, in the Will County portion of Park Forest, so getting back and forth was kind of a nightmare for me, back then. I went with the scouting program, instead, and made my bones there.
Anyway... a life lived and I wish you all well.
Register for Free to view all details!
Yearbooks
Register for Free to view all yearbooks!
Reunions
Register for Free to view all events!
Photos
Register for Free to view all photos!