James (Jim) Shinn:
CLASS OF 1970
Interlake High SchoolClass of 1970
Bellevue, WA
James (Jim)'s Story
Spent 21 years in the Navy after Interlake with four west Pac cruises and a couple of tours as a nuclear instructor in Ballston Spa, NY. My wife and I met in Meridian, MS, where we were both stationed; married in Charleston, SC, 1989, my last duty station. We moved our trailer to Aztec, NM, and I left for Seattle, graduating from the UW in '94, only 24 years after initial acceptance, with a BSEE; UNM in '98 with an MBA. Worked for a variety of companies (8 or more?) in Los Alamos and a 1800MW coal-fired power plant near the Four Corners before finally finding the URENCO USA plant here in Eunice, NM, where I am a commissioning project manager. Between Los Alamos and Four Corners I did a stint as a substitute bus driver and temporary teacher. (I'm a good driver and a lousy teacher. Couldn't hold a job after I got out, don't know how I've held the one I have now.) Quit smoking in '82 and drinking the second time in '03. Picked up my NM PE and my first track championship in Cortez, CO, in '03, too. Funny what happens when you quit drinking. Also helps to be unemployed so you can work on the car. Picked up the second track championship in '06, another period of unemployment. So now we're looking at what we want or will do after I retire in the Spring, '16. Got my LA PE by reciprocity last week. We bought a fixer-upper duplex in New Orleans last November and should complete the renovation in three or four months. She's the on-scene field engineer and I'm funding; much as we may want to neither of us can quit swimming until we get this effort completed. Everybody should have one or more opportunities to ...Expand for more
build or renovate a house, especially one that had termites in the past. Too much complication too late in life. We have a nuclear family of mine and hers: Three girls and one boy between 30 and 40 years old each living their lives in ID, MS, TX and LA with 10 grandchildren. Be glad to hear from you. I think of Steve Johnson every now and then. His mom was our school secretary. He was killed crossing the Columbia River on a railroad bridge, if I remember correctly. The photo is from a stretch of lonely road west between Roswell, NM, and I-25, taken by my wife. Faithfully yours, Jim 4/12/2014
Well, time has a way of changing things. Company is letting me go the end of the year (Dec '15) due to the slow-down in constructing the uranium enrichment equipment. Sold the house in Andrews, TX, (Aug. '15) about 12 months into the oil field slowdown (and its getting worse). The duplex isn't finished after two years and we bought a house in Slidell last month (Nov. '15). Need to get renters into the duplex, at least one, to depreciate starting this year and cover the Slidell mortgage. Last $10,000 of work is in progress. Wondering what I'll be doing down there. Haven't started looking for a job as I want to catch up on the duplex punch list and move the remaining (2) storage units into the house. We had four 10'x20' units at one time. I am almost certain none of it is mine. Had the right shoulder and left knee operated on for tears due to moving. Turn 64 in a week. Don't "have" to take social security but I'm thinking. Hope all of you are doing well and not too far up any creek without a paddle. Jim 12/3/15
Register for Free to view all details!
Yearbooks
Reunions
Register for Free to view all events!
Photos
Register for Free to view all photos!