Linnea Goetze:
CLASS OF 1964
West High SchoolClass of 1964
Bremerton, WA
University of Washington - ArtsClass of 1970
Seattle, WA
Linnea's Story
In high school, I used a nick name, Lynne. No one would pronounce my name correctly. I was so very shy.
When a teacher got to my name on the roll call, there would be a pause, then a slow mispronnunciation. I didn't like being "Linda, Lydia, Lynetta, Lineene of Linai." I didn't want to speak up then; so, the West High School yearbook has me as "Lynne".
That changed, I used my Swedish given name, Linnea, when I attended the University of Washington. It was easier then on a more diverse campus.
If I could go back to registration, I would have majored in Business and in Law. Two fields that would have served me today. And, I would have studied much harder.
For skiing money. I worked at Virginia Mason Hospital in Seattle weekends. I was to be a TWA stewardess right after graduation in 1970, but a boy named Bob asked me to change my mind.
That changed and I stayed in Seattle to work at University District Safeco Insurance, took a turn at Frederick & Nelson's flagship store in the Designer Studio and worked for the manager of Crystal Mountain Ski Resort. My love of skiing was a perfect job match.
That changed. California and the sun called and I left Seattle when lots of others left, some turned out the lights as they did. In Oakland I worked for an architectural firm with three Bay Area offices. Vacations took me to Mexico, Colorado and Nevada, it was the '70's. When friends were getting married and settling down, I did, too.
I married one of the Architects, Richard Goetze, a principal of the firm. He was my best firend. I raised Richard's two and we had our own daughter, Caitlin, who is now 27, and a 2004 graduate of Western Washington University.
Richard and I returned to Bremerton in 1990. Our choice to live in America's Most Liveable City. And to my family home on 17th Street on the back field fence line of West High.
Richard and I ran our firm, The Architectural Desk, Inc. out of The Sinclair Building on Washington Street. Now gone. He was Planning Director for the City of Bremerton. Then...
That changed. What a journey this life has been. Richard battled Parkinson's Disease wi...Expand for more
th Diabetes and stroke. Last July he passed. Disease took away his business, leveled our pride and nearly claimed my own life. I had to keep things together.
So, I have the most unusual resume as a result of surviving in the job market, being more of a single mom than I ever dreamt possible, and upping my job skills. I've worked as a temp, a job coach and served as a reading tutor. I hold a Bachelor of Arts in Art and Art History, but that's just handy enough for me to enjoy the Seattle Art Museum. I learned to do everything possible on a Dell.
We live not far from where this story began, in Silverdale. I work with the Central Kitsap School District in their Facilities, Maintenance and Operations Department. I will be there until I retire. Oh does that sound OLD.
My hobies include ballroom dancing, walking my Miniature Schnauzer "Mojo" all around, gardening, cookiing and caring, knitting, and garage sailing. I keep active with our family. Wes' son, Nicholas lived with us for awhile between unemployment and before serving in the Air Force. Nicholas and his lady, Kaycee come home for dinner most Sundays.
Hindsight is clear. If I knew I would have had a big family, I would not have bought this little townhouse! I would have gone for that big ole rambler model. I did downsize.
I have gathered a wonderful family around me. Caitlin is my only daughter by birth, though I have other children I love dearly. Caitlin is a Marketing Account Manager in Seattle and was home from her Green Lake apartment just ahead of the winter storm for a white Christmas this year. She sometimes brings home her college friends for fajita dinners.
West High School graduates in my class of 1964 will remember me as shy. So I made up for it later. Girls from Troop 99 Totem Girl Scout Council that had "Bandaide" as their leader know my home. Yes, I am also a soccer mom from the Tracyton Soccer League. We made some of the best girls only birthday parties and New Year's Eve parties ever. Life is good.
And, that won't change. I am engaged to the love of my life, Wes Earp. We are planning a wedding in June of this year.
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