Patrick Horton:
CLASS OF 1973
John Glenn High SchoolClass of 1973
Westland, MI
Patrick's Story
After graduation from JGHS; went into the U.S. Air Force and started Basic Training on June 29th. I spent not quite ten years in the Air Force, 6/29/73-6/18/83. I was stationed at Wurtsmith AFB (Oscoda, MI), Araxos AB (Araxos, Greece), Davis-Monthan AFB (Tucson, AZ), Ellsworth AFB (Rapid City, SD), and Vandenberg AFB (Lompoc, CA). I was also in the Air Force Reserves at Edwards AFB in California and Wright-Patterson AFB in Ohio; which was only part-time (three days every quarter). During my Air Force time, I worked primarily Law Enforcement and some Security; and I was a Law Enforcement Supervisor when I was Honorably Discharged. After I was discharged from Active Duty Military, I stayed in California for a few months before moving back to Westland. I was also a Reserve Deputy Sheriff with the Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Office in Lompoc, CA from early 1982 until I moved back to Michigan in late 1983. In 1984, I moved up to New Haven; north of Mt Clemens MI and worked at Selfridge Air National Guard Base as a civilian Police Officer and later Supervisor (Range Sgt, Training LT, & Shift LT). Twelve years later in 1996, I transferred/went to work for the U.S. Customs Service (which became CBP after 9/11) in Port Huron, MI I worked the border crossings at the Blue Water Bridge, Marine City ferry crossing, and Algonac ferry crossing. In 2006, I transferred to northern Montana working the border with Saskatchewan Canada. We were living in Malta, MT; approximately 200 miles north of Billings. The border crossing I was working at was 54 miles north of Malta. Six years later in 2012, I was promoted to CBP Officer Supervisor and transferred to Lukeville Arizona on the border with Sonora Mexico; and we lived in a town by the name of Ajo. The town is 40 miles north of the border crossing. However, by that time my wife was developing Respiratory issues (COPD) and included the suspicion of Lung Cancer. She had to be put on supplemental Oxygen full time (24/7) prior to our leaving Montana, and I felt it necessitated that I be closer to home should she to have a medical emergency. And being that I was the Shift Supervisor at the border, I could not just immediately leave the office.
She had already had to spend a couple of days in a Phoenix...Expand for more
area hospital. On January 31st, 2013 I retired from the Government with an almost total 40 years of service. A few months later in April 2013, I was hired to work at our local Justice Court in Ajo where I am still working as a Court Security Officer. My wife of 35 years recently passed away on September 1st 2020. We had been married since 1985 (2nd time for me) and had just celebrated our 35th Anniversary on August 21st (2020). She had suffered a severe Respiratory emergency at home and was in a Phoenix area ICU for almost a week when she ultimately passed away. Even though with the current COVID restrictions, the hospital allowed our four children and myself to be with her during her final moments. She had never regained consciousness after suffering the emergency at home. She had just been diagnosed with Lung Cancer (Non Small Cell) for the 2nd time at the end of July; along with a type of Fungal Mold Spore Infection in her lungs. She had undergone her first Cancer treatment (Keytruda infusion) just two days prior to her Respiratory Emergency. Her first bout with Lung Cancer was in 2015. We had one daughter together and he had three sons from her previous two marriages; and we have eleven grandchildren amongst our four children. They are living in in Michigan, Georgia, and Washington; with one granddaughter living with her mother in New Mexico. So I am newly Widowed and continue to live in Ajo, Arizona. Ajo is located in the far western end of Pima County; approximately 130 miles west of Tucson and 40 miles north of the border with Mexico. Ajo is a popular winter destination/home for residents from the northern states and Canada to spend the winter months away from their much colder homes. Phoenix is located approximately 100 miles to the northeast. The closest hospital & emergency center is located in the Phoenix area. We do have our own clinic staffed by a Doctor, Nurse Practitioner, and a Physicians Assistant. Ajo is located in the Sonoran Desert. I also continue to work at the Court. UPDATE: As of July 1st, 2022, I am now retired from the Court/Pima County. And on December 17th, 2022, I remarried my first wife Patty. We were originally married in 1978 and had divorced 41 years ago. I am now living in Marana, Arizona.
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