Jim Slagle:  

Worked summers as a teamster in a dairy in Chicago. I was able to afford the University of Illinois with summer money, babysitting, working in a library, dorm, and an Air Force ROTC scholarship. Graduated in June 69 and on advice from my AF Commandant, I went into ICBM missiles. I ended up working in three different missile systems and being an arms control negotiator. I started going over to the former Soviet Union in 1988 before the fall of Communism and went to places that weren't even on maps. With the GI bill, I managed to get two Masters degrees and a Doctorate. I would have loved to see Miss Cates face on that one. Probably the most important event was meeting and marrying my 1st Lt OBY-GN nurse practitioner, Marilyn. We have been married 40 years, have 3 kids, and 6 grandkids. I retired in 1995 as a Colonel with 26 years and went to work for The University of Arizona. I worked for the UofA for 18 years and I am now retired. Not being able to find the Big Dipper, I became the Assistant Director of the Large Binocular Telescope. Academics are wonderful people but they don't like the dirty work of construction, budgets, and time lines. I was really happy to be in charge of the construction management and completion of the telescope and support building of this telescope. I was always impressed with the genius of the people I worked with and the new innovations that were incorporated in building the world's largest optical binocular (two 8.4 meter mirrors) telescope. Living in Tucson, our lives are now revolving around our children and grand children. We tend to travel a lot. I became a bit of a car mechanic in my early years of the Air Force and we still have four cars for the two of us. I have spent some time rebuilding older mustangs with my son after I found out how much fun it was rebuilding an old corvette. Insurance was cheaper too. My best friend Marilyn and I like to travel so we pick places and go. UPDATE: My two daughters had two beautiful children to bring the total to six (6) grand children. Both my wife and I are so happy. Got to love it. Anyway, hope to see everybody at the reunion. I am looking forward to seeing everyone. NOTE: Grace Avonlea was born August. 2015.Mother and my grand daughter are doing fine. My 6th grandchiild was born in the first part of January 2016 (poor tax planning). Andy Junior - future All Star, and you. know, we have to love them! Newer Update: Went to a great 50th Reunion and saw so many great people. Willowbrook molded some fine people and it was so much fun to sit and talk and relive some old stories. Time has been kind to all of us each of us in different ways. I am going to try to get some reunion pics on line that my wife Marilyn took.. She surprised me with a unique Christmas present. We went up to Phoenix Speedway and I drove one of Dale Earnhart's many racecars for 8 laps. I know that after the two hour pre-driving class, coupled with the fact that they had 4 wrecks the day before, I was really consid...Expand for more