Richard McKeever:
CLASS OF 1962
Hamilton SchoolClass of 1962
Hamilton, ND
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical UniversityClass of 2003
Phoenix, AZ
University of North DakotaClass of 1966
Grand forks, ND
North Dakota State College of ScienceClass of 1966
Wahpeton, ND
Richard's Story
Life
After UND 62-63, I attended a winter quarter at State School of Science JC, Wahpeton, ND. Married Gene Johnson in August 1964 and then attended Civil Engineering Technology for next two years at State School of Science.
Started out my career in Civil but soon trained into Non Destructive Testing, where I have stayed the rest of my career in some capacity.
I've worked for five companies over my carreer in St. Paul, MN.; LaCrosse, WI; Duluth, MN.; Wausau, WI; Phoenix, AZ & Mesa, AZ.
I've been married 3 times and divorced twice (15 years ea.for first two, and currently on 10th year with my current wife Liz). I've helped raise 6 children of my own and 3 step children. Stefanie, Mark, Jenny, Matthew, and Joshua with Gene. Thaymer and Tyler (step children) with Dara. Holly(step daughter) and Travis(son) with Liz. My adult children have given me 9 wonderful grandchildren (4 girls and 5 boys)
My jobs have allowed me to travel extensively and I have been in 48 of the 50 states. I guess Alaska and Maine will have to be my first stops in retirement. I have also travelled to England, Wales, Netherlands, Belgium and Germany in my work treks, where I managed to take vacation in conjunction with the work time and see the local sites and colour.
Of my carreer, I spent 15 years as a hands on technician/manager; 12 years as Radiation Safety Officer/Manager/Technical Expert in the Laboratory Testing business & 22 years for Boeing as a engineer/NDT Expert/manager. I have achieved lifetime membership in the American Society for Nondestructive Testing (ASNT) and have served as an officer 13 times in four different chapters.
I have al...Expand for more
so pursued additional education(night school classes), which led to a BS Degree in Professional Aeronautics with a minor in Flight Safety in 2003. I then continued in the Masters Program towards a MS in Technical Management. I completed the class work but was unable to complete the project due to my poor health at that time. Now I've changed my direction and I don't forsee finishing during my retirement years. All my night school was accomplished at Embry Riddle Aeronautical University's Extended Campuses.
Overall I have had a wonderful life with many twists and turns and much success. After 40 years of work without a break I'm looking forward to retiring in February of this coming year (07). I think having by-pass surgery this year spurred me to get out and start enjoying life in a different way. I love to bowl and golf and plan on continuing both. If your ever in St.Louis at the Bowling Hall of Fame you'll find my name on the wall of fame for a perfect game in league play (300); that's something I never would have bet on. Someone ask me what I was going to do now that I achieved a perfect game and I said shoot for a 2nd and an 800 series. Now I have to go after the hole in one in golf.
I love to hunt and fish also and have been lucky enough to take 7 elk, 2 mule deer, 2 antelope, 3 whitetail deer, numerous upland game birds, ducks amd geese. All of these have been consumed as food and I have now quit hunting ducks and geese as I just don't enjoy eating them anymore!! I intend to spend time back in ND so fully expect to again hunt white tail deer, pheasants, sharp tail grouse and pull in some more walleyes at the fishin hole!!
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