Russell Wikander:
CLASS OF 1967
Berkeley High SchoolClass of 1967
Berkeley, CA
California State University Class of 1996
Hayward, CA
Chabot CollegeClass of 1993
Hayward, CA
Garfield Junior High SchoolClass of 1963
Berkeley, CA
Thousand Oaks Elementary SchoolClass of 1961
Berkeley, CA
Russell's Story
Work life at age 16 as a grocery clerk, then contractor of general building, engineering, plumbing, solar, and acoustical, K-8 school teacher, currently a real estate property manager. Interests are traveling the world, geology, anthropology, metaphysics, electronics, fishing, carpentry, and architecture. As an Extra Class licensed Ham I volunteer testing for amateur radio licenses.
As a contractor of several disciplines I enjoy great pleasure from sense of accomplishments, and successes having worked through difficult diversity, the spices of life. I have looked for opportunities and jumped in when I could. I have built 5 houses, many kitchen and bathroom remodels, and love working with exotic woods.
A father of a son, and three daughters I am married 33 years to a wonderful woman Maureen! I live in Oakland California, and have traveled all over the United States, and Europe.
As a tall, and large man I did not want to sign any long term teacher contracts. It seems that such a man as I have been presents an image of a disciplinarian that has been seen as a solution to difficult class management situations. Yet, harsh discipline of difficult children was never my focus.
I am proud father of a son who works as a Millwright mostly focused on hydroelectric dams, and fish ladders in Washington State, and New York. I have a daughter that teaches 5th grade in the State of Washington, another daughter who has a degree in ecology, but works with children in San Francisco, and lastly a youngest daughter that is currently living in Portland Oregon. I have at this time 2 grandchildren that have grown up searching for their own paths of adult life. It is a real joy to talk to them, and the private talks experiencing their lives unfolding their own ways.
My adult life has been good. Looking back so much has happened so quickly, to quickly. I look forward to retirement where focus on family is a major goal. Sharing life with a wonderful wife is a real joy. The focus on now, and the future are positive goals, and perhaps acceptance of the struggles that are past and cannot be changed. Perhaps we can slow down and enjoy our life possibilities while we still have time.
Update 4/2016:
I find myself a retired man who cannot really retire. I love projects, and I have a lot of them. As a capitalist business man I see possibilities that I want to enjoy. Not so much for the money no, but for the joy of doing. I now love interior decorating, colors, and follow my life long love of wood. Oh did you know that I built a Kayak while I was attending Garfield Jr. High? My son brought out a mahogany speaker cabinet that I built in Mr. Jewet's wood shop. I was very surprised that that speaker is still around. I am surprised at how good it still sounds with its Silverstone woofer from a 1940's wire recorder, and a Calrad brand tweeter that...Expand for more
I purchased from the Heathkit store on University Avenue.
I find myself employing contractors to install hardwood floors, granite counters, updated kitchens and bathrooms. And color schemes more interesting to tenants than the beiges, or off whites so typically seen in rental income properties. It is fun to design with classic style materials saved from old projects of the past. I seem to be able to see beauty hidden in the old saved materials that other people rip out as the result of their focus on contemporary popular fashion. And what is perceived as new style seems to always be the use of current Home Depot materials. I find it very pleasant to see reuse of classic chandeliers and wall sconces. I like crown molding, chair rails, and higher baseboards. My preferred decorating is Victorian, French Provincial, and Art Nouveau. And, now more than air conditioning some of the units are getting computer controlled heat pumps which make the homes air conditioned perfectly the entire year no matter what the outside weather brings.
I still love music, and electronics. Apartment upgrades include Cat-5 wiring for high speed internet. Oh the internet makes so much available in many ways. I still love to restore audio equipment from the 1960- 1980 vintage. Yet, I love to have the latest electronic equipment, but also respect the best from the past with great pleasure. I have some projects to restore that have been waiting a long time. I seem to see through the defective persuasion that has affected people's notions and decisions of what they purchase and value. Some of the best is overlooked as people are focused by advertising, and sales persons. However history reveals so much.
And, I collect music. From Robert Johnson through Rock and Roll, Big Bands from the Flappers, start of dance halls brought on my the invention of the car which allowed people to meet long distances away from home. Music from Field calls to New Orleans and Chicago Jazz. I love Classical music and opera arias. And, most all of the music that I have listened to throughout my life still now into the future.
My son in Washington loves to fish, and so do I. I have been introduced to the art of fishing rod building. I used to attend yearly Lamiglas rod building shows in Woodland Washington, now no longer since new family management. It is a great pleasure to visit Batson Enterprises in Sequim Washington each year. Each year advancements in the use of graphite make rod building very exciting. Graphite is an exciting high tech material that is light, and so strong that the aviation industry is now making jet air frames and wings with it. And the use of physics is applied all the time to make the line cast so far through the guides that fishing reels may not have enough line as all the line is cast off with long casts. We fish for salmon in Washington.
Russell Eric Wikander
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