Mike Hodgkinson:
CLASS OF 1966
Steveston High SchoolClass of 1966
Richmond, BC
Steveston High SchoolClass of 1966
Richmond, BC
Mike's Story
After graduation, I signed on with the Canadian Coast Guard ship CCGS Vanaciuver as an oiler in the engine room. Had 2 trips to Weather Station Papa and decided I didn't like it. Joined the RCAF in Jan/67 and had my basic training in St Jean PQ ( Bill Hanney was in my course 6703..a surprise). Went to Clinton, Ontario for electronics and trade training. Came out as Teletype and Cipher Tech 223. Had my left knee run over by a Dodge Power Wagon while on a training exercise in Sioux Lookout, Ontario and had to go to Winnipeg for physical therapy where I met my wife on a blind date. We are coming up to 46 years this coming Oct. Was posted to North Bay, Ont to 707 Comm Squadron, where I worked in 22nd Norad Region HQ (in the Hole) which was built into a mountain there much like Norad HQ in Colorado. While there I went to San Antonio, Texas for training as well as Fort Dix, New Jersey. This required a "top secret" clearance from the USAF to go along with my Canadian clearance. While in North Bay, I was sent to the Middle East in early 1974 as a UN peacekeeper for 6 months. Was in Egypt (Cairo, Ismailia ), Syria Damascus) and Israel (Golan Heights and Tel Aviv) during my time there. Got out of military in May/76 and bought a house in Winnipeg where my wife is from and am still here. Have a daughter and 3 granddaughters, 10, 9 and 5.
Worked for Manitoba Telephones as a Data and later IIT tech for 30 years and took an early retirement package in 2008. Had a home business, building, repairing and refurbishing Proleg electronic Go-Kart controllers. This system enables go-kart track operators to control ...Expand for more
any or all the karts on the track. Have a friend who came up with the idea and he is one of the lucky ones to fill a niche and make a lot of money. My wife retired in 2014 as HR Manager for REHAU INDUSTRIES, a privately owned German Company who manufacture polymer products for auto,building,green energy and basically anything polymer. They have 115 plants in over 50 countries. Our daughter is the Corporate Controller for Palliser Furniture, a privately owned company with plants in Winnipeg and Mexico...one of the 50 best managed companies in Canada
My wife and I have been involved with a charity that supports a school and church in a poor village about 40 miles
from Puerto Plata in the Dominican Republic. The school provides education up to Grade 6, uniforms and a meal each day for approx 100+ students. We go for 2-3 weeks every Jan-Feb to work . Part of the charity builds new homes in the village. We are fortunate to have people in the building trades from both Winnipeg and a group from B.C. who go down on their own money and build 2 or 3 homes each year. These homes are not like ours. Yhey are built out of concrete blocks and cement...very common there.
Am now completely retired and still enjoy my grandchildren and love of cars. Currently have a 1976 Pinto station wagon, with a built 302 and early Ford AOD in iit Life has been very good to me.. My remaining family lives on Saltspring and I visit every few years. Have met up with Steve and Candi Ternent and Susan Kane when she has been to Victoria visiting her daughter. Have seen both twice in the last 6-7 years and it is nice to catch-up.
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