George Korey:
CLASS OF 1960
San Fernando High SchoolClass of 1960
San fernando, CA
San Fernando Valley State CollegeClass of 1965
Northridge, CA
Valley CollegeClass of 1964
North hollywood, CA
Bellevue High SchoolClass of 1960
Bellevue, PA
Assumption SchoolClass of 1956
Bellevue, PA
George's Story
Life
My family left Pgh when I was 15 (1958) headed for California. We lived in the San Fernando Valley (North Los Angeles). Went to High School and College there. Didn't complete my degree because of Viet Nam -- Joined the USAF (1965). Served for almost 4 years as a medical lab tech. Met my wife Bobbi (civil servant) at USAF Hospital at Travis AF base (1967). We bought a home here in Pinole (just east of San Francisco and Berkeley) and still live here.
Shortly after we got married I got orders for the Philippines (Clark Air Base). Got my wife over there (illegally according to AF regs.) and she got a job in the hospital where I worked (USAF Hosp. Clark). We were there for 14 months until my term was over. We had rented our house out so we came back to the same home we left.
Went one quarter to UC Berkeley and realized I needed to work to keep up with the bills. Bobbi got a job at the local hospital, she is a Medical Transcriber (still does it part time from home). I got a job at Chevron Research Co. as a tech. in the research lab -- learned more there than all my years as a Chemistry major. I climbed up the corporate ladder there transferring to the IT company of Chevron and attained professional status as a Systems Analyst. Going on from there to supervise a team of programmer/analysts supporting some of Chevron's applications software.
After 28 years 3 months and 29 days I decided to retire (1998) at age 55. Bobbi retired too. Chevron was a wonderful company to work for and their stock plan (never matched less than $3 for every $1 I put in) and savings plan and pension plan seemed more than adequate to live on.
It has been 9 years (in 2007) since I retired. I have enjoyed it enormously. First thing I did was get my Open Water Certification (SCUBA diving). I was the oldest by far in the ocean dive part of the class. I was certified in the cold water of Monterey in 1998. That was the last time I dove in cold water. We have been diving in Fiji twice, Cozumel twice, Belize, Honduras, Turks and Caicos (twice), Bahamas, Bon Aire, Hawaii and I probably ...Expand for more
missed some.
We have friends in Tucson, AZ who are instructors and they arrange liveaboard dive boat trips for a group of us every year. Mainly because of them I kept getting more certifications (advanced open water, 6 specialties, rescue diver and finally Master SCUBA Diver.) Decided not to go on to the professional certifications (Divemaster and Instructor).
This year is the first year out of the last nine that we did not go on a dive trip. I was diagnosed with Prostate Cancer in Feb. I was very lucky that they discovered it very early and we had a local Radiation Oncologist who was an expert/pioneer in the HDR Brachytherapy treatments. After two sets of treatments a week apart I am rid of the cancer in all likelihood. They discovered it early because I had been getting regular PSA tests -- probably saved my life. This type of internal radiation via catheters has the least side effects and the best recovery. Their study shows 97% cancer free after 10 years and that includes people that had much more severe cancer to start with then me.
The best news of all came on July 7 2005. My daughter gave us the most beautiful grandson (Kody) who has now very much changed our life. My daughter Mia is a single mother so we do a lot of baby-sitting. Five days a week. Its a lot of work and kind of changes our freedom lifestyle, but we love it.
Please give me your life story and lets stay in touch. I would love to know what became of you and other childhood friends.
Addendum 2008:
While SCUBA diving in Belize (2007) I came up with DCI (otherwise known as the "bends") . It was a Nourological hit and unexplained (because all dive rules were adheared to). For a short time I was paralized in both legs. Fortunately no symptoms remain due to the quick action of the crew and getting into the hyperbaric chamber within one hour of the symptoms. We were very, very fortunate that we docked at the pier within two blocks of the ONLY hyperbaric chamber in all of Belize. After consulting with several Dive medicine MDs I was advised not to dive anymore. Very difficult for me.
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