Rick Starkey:
CLASS OF 1957
Westfir Elementary SchoolClass of 1957
Westfir, OR
Oakridge High SchoolClass of 1963
Oakridge, OR
Rick's Story
Life
UNANSWERED PRAYER: After I got out of the Marines in 1966 I came home to Oakridge looking for a job. Imogene Burns offered me a job driving one of her dump trucks but as it turns out she didn't win the bid on a job and couldn't hire me. So I went to city hall and applied for a position as a city cop after passing the physical and written tests I was told I that I was too honest to be a cop in Oakridge. . .hmmm too honest to be a cop??? that one suprised me. . .
Life has been very good to me since I left Oakridge in 1962. I spent a tour of duty in the Marines, was in VietNam in 1964 as an American Advisor, joined the Air Force in 1966 went back to VietNam in 1967 &'68 (must be the testosterone) couldn't get enough of that smell of burning napalm early in the morning!!
Stayed in the Air Force for 17 more years, finished my high school (I had quit in 1962 to join the Marines) went on to College, will finish my BA in Business and Hospital Administation this year!!.
Let's see what else???? Oh yes, I married a beautiful lady from Pleasant Hill, Patti (Candi) Vaughan in 1965, just celebrated our 57th anniversary together this past May!!, We raised three fine sons, (actually she did the raising I jumped ship and ran off to Vietnam where it was easier!!) one lives in the Seattle area, one in the Dallas Tx area, and one in Yucaipa CA.
We now have 5 wonderful grand children 4 grand sons and one grand daughter,
After the Military we traveled from Seattle to Tampa Florida, to Vacaville California, to Tarpon Springs Florida, then to Little Elm, Texas!! I am now retired, and have six Saturdays and a Sunday to get in all the fishing and golfing I can. My wife and I now live in Moore Oklahoma a suburb of Oklahoma City. If you happen to be in the area please feel free to stop by, our home is always open to friends. Please feel free to contact Candi and/or me through Classmates anytime,
School
Biggest crush in Highschool: Sonja O'Brian, Jean Stanley, Linda Garcia, Judy Shorey, and of course Linda Webber. . . . (who didn't have a crush on Linda??) Pre Highschool was Susan Godsey, Linda Clark and Mildred Jennings. Most inspiring teacher: EASY Ms Renner. Would I do it all over again, knowing what I know now. . . yeah. . . that would be fun. . . . Not knowing what I know now. . . hell no!!
College
My college, as has been the finishing of my High School, has all been through the Military Education Centers Overseas and in the states as well as some on-line courses. I have attended classes with the University of Maryland, University of Illinois, DeVry University, and hope to have my BA in Business and Hospital Administration by the end of this year.
Workplace
Never flipped burgers in my life. . .worked in gas stations, Steel Mill, lumber mills, heating and air condition company, and for a Landscape company (that lasted one day, just knew I was not cut out for that kind of work) .
As some of you know I left high school in my Junior year on March 16, 1962 my 17th birthday. Joined the Marines the next day, spent 4+ fun filled years with them. Joined the Air Force sometime late 1966, got out in 1968, worked for Popes for a while then went to Seattle to work for Bethlehem Steel for a couple years, went back into the Air Force in 1971 as a Medical Supply Sgt and retired in 1988 in Tacoma Washington. I went to work as the Warehouse Supervisor for Good Samaritan Hospital in Pu...Expand for more
yallup, WA. Left that job in 1997 to move to sunny Tampa Bay Florida, worked as Director Material Management until 1999 and was offered a job in Oakland CA, as Director Material Management for Kaiser Permanente Hospital. Was just getting settled in when HCA, my old Hospital corporation in Florida,, asked me to come back, this time to a hospital in Largo Florida, just a little North of St. Petersburg, that was in 2001. I stayed with HCA and Largo Medical Center for little more than a year and we parted ways, (mutual dislike for each other).
I left Florida and moved to the Dallas Texas area in 2003 where I was offered the position as Director of Material Services at Parkland Health & Hospital Services, a 1,000-bed teaching/county hospital. I remained there until 2010 when I decided to retire completely, I love Texas, I love the people, the culture, the music, the Texas pride, the Texas attitude. . . (two kinds of people in this world, Texans and those that wannabe Texan). My wife says I am simply a Texan that happened to be born in Oregon.
As you can see I have spent almost all of my adult life in the military and in Material Services in a Hospital setting as well as being on the move. Not very glamorous, but very fulfilling and rewarding. This is one of the reasons I can truly say: It is good to be me.
Military
I Joined the United States Marines March 17, 1962, just one day after I turned 17, was stationed at Camp Pendleton, CA "E" company 2nd Battalion, 5th Marines. Made the trip to Cuba during the Cuban missile crisis in Oct 1963. Was sent to Vietnam in 1964 as an American Advisor, where things got very ugly. Came home in 1965, married Patti (Candi) Vaughan (some "hottie" from Pleasant Hill who felt sorry for me) and was discharged in 1966.
Joined the Air Force in late 1966 (couldn't find a job). Was stationed in N. California for a few months. Went back to Vietnam in 1967 - 1968, was hurt defending Bien Hoa Air Base during the "Tet" offensive January 31st 1968. Was discharged, and moved to Seattle.
In 1971 I joined the Air Force again, this time as a Medical Supply Sgt and was stationed in N. California, Japan, Texas, Okinawa, N. California, (again), Wyoming, Philippine Islands, and retired in 1988 in Tacoma Wa.
While in the military my wife and I traveled a lot and accomplished a lot. She modeled in Japan, (told you earlier she was a "hottie" from P.H.) she also learned to speak the language quite well, (is also where she got the name Candi). As you can see we moved around a lot, but that is a good thing because we have met so many people from many walks of life, all have made impacts on our lives, some positive, some not so positive. We are still and will forever remain friends with most of them. They have become our extended family.
There is nothing that we have experienced that we would change, we have seen and learned a great deal in the past 57 years, we have seen people die, and but for the grace of God, could have been one of us, we have also been instrumental in saving lives as well. In 1975 I was put in a position where I ended up delivering a baby, what an experience! My wife and I, as well as our children have developed a love between ourselves and our friends stronger than most people could comprehend. There is nothing we would change. . .Life has been good to me, and my family, we are truly blessed. . . . It is good to be me!!!!!!
Register for Free to view all details!
Yearbooks
Reunions
Register for Free to view all events!
Photos
Register for Free to view all photos!