Claudette Couch:
CLASS OF 1967
Madawaska High SchoolClass of 1967
Madawaska, ME
Claudette's Story
After high school! Oh my, where to begin! After graduation, I continued to work at Daigle's Drugs for a few months, and in August 1967, I headed out to Philadelphia. I was fortunate to have an older sister, Betty, who graduated in 1961, who had married her GI sweetheart, moved to PA, and started her family. Being the youngest of four children, my mother was not too eager to let me leave home unless I was going to be close to or living with family. I had been accepted at several business colleges in Philadelphia, but ended going to a college in Swarthmore, Pa. in the evenings for 2 ½ years, because I wanted to work during the day.
Since my sister's husband, Jim, came from a GE family of employment, I was able to test out at the Switchgear Business Division on Elmwood Ave., Philadelphia, and got hired on the spot in October, 1967 as a Receiving Clerk. I was making $87 a week, and I thought I was so rich. Ha! Because I didn't have a vehicle, I commuted back and forth to work with four older men who were absolutely hilarious and quite the gossip mongers. That was an education in itself at 18! I was always on top and up-to-date as to what was happening at GE due to their info.
Eventually, my brother-in-law, Jim, bought me a car. His mother's 1961 Ford Comet (my very first car), which lucky for me had only 22,000 miles! What a steal! I finally had wheels, and some freedom, but first, I had to get my license to make my freedom a reality. I passed first time around! Since my brother-in-law had financed my car, he became my banker. I owed him car payments every month until I paid the car off, plus car insurance, room and board, and paying my college. So much for $87.00 a week salary!!
During my years in Philadelphia from 1967 to 1970, I can honestly say that those were my wild and partying years. I hung out with people who were older than I was and I never had a problem getting into clubs or drinking establishments, ID's were easy to come by and were taken care of for me, etc.
GE Switchgear employed 7500 people, which made it easy to meet a lot of people to party with. There was always some place to go to have a good time, and always a weekend party to attend. Atlantic City, Margate, Wildwood and Ocean City became my spring, summer and early fall stomping grounds, where we managed to rent houses for part or all of the summer, or a block of hotel rooms to share in the spring and fall. And, if we didnt have a paid place to stay for the weekend, someone was always willing to let us crash in their rented house/living rooms as long as we brought our own sleeping gear. At times there were 8 - 10+ people crashing for the night, rather than sleeping on the beach. During one of my Margate weekends I met a very special, and wonderful person. We had a very special bond for a year or so, but eventually went our separate ways. I married, he married and he was later killed in a Bonnie and Clyde type raid in Delaware. He was a state cop. He is one I should have never let go or get away!
In 1970, I moved to CT to marry Ron Boucher, my high school sweetheart. He had just completed two years in the Army, Airborne, 82nd Division,E-6. Ron and I started ...Expand for more
going out when I was sixteen years old and met at Daigle's Drugs where I worked. He lived in CT and came to Maine on the weekends to visit his grandparents (Martin last name) who lived in St. Agatha, ME. When I moved to CT in 1970, I was able to transfer to GE in East Hartford, so I continued my seniority with them.
In 1972, Ron quit Pratt & Whitney, and began his college education at UCONN on the GI Bill and got his Bachelor's Degree in Wild Life Biology while I worked to support us. Jamison, our son, was born in 1973. Our blessing! We were thrilled beyond words to have this bundle of joy in our life. We had a busy and wonderful life... Ron is a 7th Degree Black Belt in Isshinryu so we did the Karate tournament circuits on many a weekend and he sparred professionally. I was lucky to have a built-in Karate instructor, and while pregnant with Jamie, I took karate classes to keep in shape and have an easier delivery. Jamie, our son, started with Karate when he was 4 years old (did he have a choice?)and also has his black belt, but no longer keeps up with it. Unfortunately, Ron & I grew apart, and divorced in 1981. Good man, great father; we married too young. He remarried in 1982 to his childhood friend,(next door neighbor).
I stayed single until 1987; remarried to Ken on July 4th that year after being together for five years. That same year I left GE after 20 ½ years. From 1981 to 1987, while working for GE as a Franchise & Customer Relations Manager, I worked in Melville (LI), NY, Englewood Cliffs, NJ, and Stratford, CT. Those were grueling and fast moving years, being on the road, traveling to these locations, maintaining a staff and workload. When I left in 1987, it was great to finally get off the merry-go-round!
After GE, I went back to college, and worked part-time as a contractor at many different companies, such as Coca Cola, Mosey's Corn Beef, St. Francis Hospital, Electro-Methods, UTC and others. It was enjoyable, but I wanted to get back into the game. Started to work at UTC in 1989, and have been with them since as an Administrator. Worked a short time at Pratt & Whitney, and have been at Hamilton for the last five years, which are all part of United Technologies.
In the meantime from 1987 to 2006, Ken and I while together and through marriage, accumulated six homes between the two of us, and became landlords in addition to our full time positions. There was always something to fix, take care of, or remodel; especially the four lake houses. It was time consuming and all encompassing, and took over our life. After 24 years together, we divorced in 2006.
For the most part, we had a good life, did a lot of traveling, cruises, had a lot of toys; camper, motorboats, canoes, snowmobiling, motorcycles (Harley & Gold Wing), sports cars, etc., etc., but at the end of the day, those things mean nothing. They are just things!! Love and commitment take you to the end and the home stretch together.
Finally completed my college degree after all these years of starting and stopping (I m a late bloomer), and continue to work full time. I keep busy, involved and continue to make my life work. I m good at making lemonade out of lemons!
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