Jeanne Ostnes:  

Graduated in January 1969... don't know how many remember the "Eat Your Heart Out" cookies, but they were delivered to Lathrop and I was off to work and pay taxes. I continued my employment at Bill's Drive In at Illinois and College Road. Thanks for all the quarters I received as tips. They sent me to the University of Alaska. The first semester it seemed like High School so went to New York City in January. I went another semester at the UofA, back to NYC to learn Japanese, then worked January to June in Juneau for the Legislature as a cook in the Legislative Lounge. The lounge was and is for the 60 Legislators only so it was an eye opener in there. Moving between the University, working in Juneau, traveling to New York City, and Japan I finally graduated in Northern Studies and History in 1975. I was about a 3rd grader in reading and writing Japanese. My two trips to Japan in 1973 showed me how a minority feels. Unbelievably I was taller than most and stuck out like a sore thumb on the streets. When I finally got those two degrees I realized my employment opportunities would have put me back into the life of the last 6 years of college. Mainly research and writing papers, so I trained to be a Paramedic my last year of college. I worked as an EMT and later a Paramedic working out the beginnings of Emergency Medical Service Systems in Alaska. The Trans Alaska Oil Pipeline was being built while I was in college. However, I did work in a Ft. Wainwright Warehouse doing Over, Short and Damaged reports during part of 1975. I also completed my Paramedic course and registered EMT class. In 1978 my name climbed to the top of the list and I went to Prudhoe Bay, Prime Camp. I worked there the whole year as a Swamper/Rigger. I had my own pick-up truck and spent the entire day outside or in the t...Expand for more