John Mifflin:
CLASS OF 1965
Newark High SchoolClass of 1965
Newark, CA
John's Story
Hello to all my past classmates that remember me from my past days at Newark High. After graduation in 1965 I worked for Pacific States Steel in Union City California and General Motors in Fremont. I was having a good time until Uncle Sam came calling so I decided to enlist in the United States Air Force. After completing basic training in San Antonio Texas and electronic technical school at Denver as well as apprentice training at Shaw AFB South Carolina, I received orders for Vietnam. In October 1969 I visited Sydney Australia for my R&R where I met a lovely girl and we decided to get to know each other better. I managed another R&R in December 1969 before leaving Saigon and getting an assignment to RAF Alconbury in the United Kingdom. My career field was Aircraft Electronics and specifically aircraft electronic reconnaissance systems on the RF-4C Phantom II.
In June 1971, I flew to Sydney Australia and got married. In April 1972 our Son Christopher was born at RAF Lakenheath. Christopher is now a career Marine based in Japan. He and his lovely wife Stephanie have three children, Emily 11, Paige, 9 and Jack 5. Stephanie and her family hail from Carlsbad California.
We left England in 1974 for South Carolina where I continued to work as an electronic technician. In 1976 I cross trained into Disaster Preparedness and after completing technical school in Denver, we were assigned to RAF Upper Heyford near Oxford England in 1977. Our son Nicholas was born in Oxford in 1979. Nicholas works as an Intensive Care Nurse in western Sydney and he and his beautiful wife Belinda have two little daughters, Matilda who is 4 years old and Abigale who is 2. Belinda comes from Australia and has lived in New South Wales and Western Australia.
After a 6 year tour, a great inspection result and a promotion, we were assigned to Air Force Space Command in Colorado Springs. My darling wife Laurel was left to sell a home, manage the packing, ship 2 cars, and ensure that our sons and our dog were safely on the Airplane to Colorado.
After 4 great years, I completed a degree in technical management and retired from active duty. We selected Sydney to live as I thought I owed my wife a little bit as she actively supported us all du...Expand for more
ring my time in the military.
After 22 years in Sydney working for 8 different companies in senior procurement roles, I am now working for Sydney Water Corporation, the largest water authority in Australia. I am leading a team of 5 who provide procurement support to the Operations and Maintenance Divisions.
My wife Laurel is a professional cake decorator, an avid gardener and a great support and role model for our family. Before we got married, Laurel was a primary school teacher.
So that is my story. A bit unusual but we all travel different paths. The main thing is that we accomplish something along the way.
Our photo was taken during March 2008 where we travelled back to the UK to meet up with some old friends and visit the old airfield which is no longer operational. We also met up with family and friends in the Utah and California on the way back.
For those that remember us, my twin brother Jim and his wife lives in Wisconsin and our younger brother Roger and his family are residing in Utah.
All the Best
John Mifflin
Update as of April 2011: I am now working for Endeavour Energy in western Sydney and am enjoying my new role in the Strategic Procurement Team where I manage a Building and Construction Procurement Category. My family are all doing well,
Updated March 2016
I left Endeavour Energy in July 2015 and am now back working under contract for Sydney Water Corporation as a Senior Sourcing Specialist. Tying to stay fit by lifting weights. Up to 110 kg approximately 240 pounds for a dead lift. My family are doing well and we are planning a trip to the States this year. Our oldest son has retired after 23 years in the Marine Corp and is now teaching school. Our youngest son is an intensive care nurse here in Sydney. We have six grandchildren, 5 girls and one boy. Two of our grandchildren are teenagers. Our family is doing well. My Mother has lived for some years with my younger brother and his wife. Nicholas & Belinda now have another little girl, named Charlotte. She is lovely and her grandparents spoil all of their grandchildren. Time goes by and we are all getting older and hopefully wiser except for spoiling our grandchildren occasionally which is the perogative of all grandparents.
Register for Free to view all details!
Reunions
Register for Free to view all events!
Photos