Jerry Hotho:
CLASS OF 1973
Centennial High SchoolClass of 1973
Gresham, OR
United Electronics InstituteClass of 1974
Portland, OR
Jerry's Story
During my senior year I was also attending United Electronics Institute. I moved out on my own, fell in ?love? with Carron Coleman, got engaged to her, but never sealed the deal. Along the way, I graduated with an AS in Electonics Technology and started my career in the IT world.
My first job was with a Vancouver, BC based company that provided software to chain and independent pharmacies. I relocated with them a couple times, going to Seattle for several months in 1976, Detroit for a year and finally settling in sunny Florida in 1978. Seattle was wonderful, I had a great time there since I was there for late spring, summer and early fall. Jim Koppert and Dan Fehrenbacher came up several times and we had a grand time partying. Of course a few hearts were broken, including mine, but that was all part of the ride.
Detroit was another story. It was a confirmed 1 year gig, setting up a new office with the assurance that I would be able to move on. Detroit was pretty miserable with one of their worst blizzards on record while I was there. We set up a satellite office in Cleveland, and that was the good times happened. Although the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame was not there yet, you could feel that is was inevitable. I visited it later and it was very moving. If you ever get to Cleveland, it is a must see.
When my year in Detroit was up, I opted to move to their new site in Tampa, Florida in 1978. I found my own personal paradise. Funny story... My mom remembers one day when I was very young watching "Flipper" and saying that "I want to live in Florida". Well, that sure worked out nicely.
After living in suburban Detroit, I was ready for some space. I chose to live out in the country. (yes, Florida is not all surf and sand). The nearest real grocery store was about 10 miles away. I changed jobs and began working for a computer hardware manufacturer. I was enjoying life to the fullest when after a couple years, I met the next love of my life, Allison Wangbichler. She was visiting a mutual friend and she just happened to live in a suburb of Detroit! How weird is that? Anyway, she moved to Florida and we had a really good run, but regretfully I screwed it up soit ended. So sad.
I changed jobs again to work for Berk...Expand for more
ely, CA based insruance software company, while still living in Florida. There was this girl in our Atlanta office that I spoke with frequently. She had a deep sultry Lauren Bacall voice. after several months of phone teasing (sight unseen) we finally met at a Christmas party in 1982. A whirlwind romance ensued and I wed Susan Gardner in July 1983.
We moved to Indian Rocks Beach after realizing that if you live in Florida and are not near the beach, you may as well be in Kansas. Just look about half way down the west side of the Florida peninsula and find the farthest west point. Thats us.
Susan is from Sayville, New York on Long Island. I swear the first time I went there I was expecting the Archie Bunker row houses we all saw in 'All In the Family". I was pleasantly surprised and it did not take long for me to feel at home there.
We have two amazing children. As of June 2008, Mathew just graduated from Florida Southern College with a BA in Religion. He intends to go to seminary get his masters with the intention to teach (not preach). In the meantime, he is going to see what he can do with his passion - photography.
Madison is ready to start her sophmore year at the University of South FLorida - Saint Petersburg. She aspires to be in event management and is shooting for a Busiess degree with that focus. Her spare time is spent cooking healthy meals and decandent desserts.
Over the years we began a three year cycle of taking our vacations in Oregon, then New York and finally one at home near Florida. For a while the Oregon trips were replaced with Missouri once my parents retired there. However, after my dad passed away, my mom moved back to Oregon. These trips gave us opportunites to vist most of the Atlantic, and all of Pacific (including BC) as well all the southeastern states.
We just recently spent a week on a Western Carribean cruise celebrating our 25th anniversary, Susan and Maddy's birthdays and Mats graduation. We partied in Grand Cayman (the drinking age is 18, so Maddy was able to legally imbibe), visited Mayan ruins in Mexico, zip-lined through the jungles of Belize and scuba dove in Roatan. Now that we are home, we are all just settling in the routine again with all the family under one roof.
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