Jim McGee:
CLASS OF 1978
Bethel Park High SchoolClass of 1978
Bethel park, PA
Park Avenue SchoolClass of 1974
Bethel park, PA
Kennedy-King Middle SchoolClass of 1973
Gary, IN
Nobel Elementary SchoolClass of 1971
Gary, IN
Jim's Story
After B.P.H.S. -
Grove City College, 2 years, then transferred ...
to Penn State, graduated 1983, B.S.Mechanical Engineering.
Circumstances that summer 1983 brought me to southern California.
Got first real job in the area later that year, in aerospace.
Started at Loral, then switched to General Dynamics, and then Rockwell within 4 years.
Rockwell morphed into Boeing in 1996.
In late 1999 job moved to site in Huntington Beach, where I was for 20 years.
I've done a lot of road trips, exploring the West.
I enjoy staying active, hiking, running, skiing, ultimate Frisbee, softball, and traveling.
Married Kim, 2004. Beautiful local Orange County girl.
I have a great stepdaughter, who I helped get through high school and college.
Now she is on her own, doing well professionally, 30-something.
In 2015 my wife and I moved to a house six blocks from the water
(a small beach on a recreational harbor), another mile away from the Pacific Ocean.
Job was about 3 miles and a 10 minute drive away.
Life is good. Work is interesting, testing space hardware.
I'm thankful I don't have a job that sucks.
In late 2019 - early 2020, my job, still about the same but moved to a different place. Transferred to El Segundo, CA, 30 miles away with 10 times the commute.
A demanding waste...Expand for more
of time, 2+ hours extra per day in southern California traffic.
Job itself is still OK and I'm not quite ready to call it quits yet.
I'm (still) trying it for a while, planning to retire when it feels right.
Stepdaughter Lauren got married in December, 2021.
A frigid weekend outside, in the high desert of southern California,
In and adjacent to Joshua Tree National Park.
Lauren and her husband have no kids of their own.
But they've taken on guardianship for his eight year old niece.
An average third-grader, but from a special needs family.
We help too when we visit.
We're getting old, mid-60s now.
No doubt many of our classmates have retired, and plenty like me are still working.
My parents are both still alive. They're in their mid-90s now.
Generally healthy for their age, physically and mentally, and I'm very thankful for that!
For my classmates whose folks have passed, it's tough and I feel your pain.
I watched my wife's parents and oldest brother decline and pass (2015 - 2018); it's tough.
My parents and my younger sister (Megan, BPHS 1982) still live in the South Hills.
I enjoy every chance I get to visit back to the Pittsburgh area.
Looking forward to our next visit - at least once or twice each year!
To be continued, ...
(Revised November 30, 2025)
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