Bio, 2014: John Matlock
I’ve really enjoyed reading every single bio you guys have sent in, and Marion has more than encouraged me to submit mine, so here we go.After graduating from SHS, I went to OSU on an athletic scholarship and played football for 4 years. I was 1 of 11 out of the original 140 in my freshman football class to finish, compliments of Coach Phil Cutchin and staff. During those 4 years, we did beat OU twice!!! I did my student teaching at Midwest City High School, where I was hire for the fall as assistant football coach, assistant track coach, head swimming coach and physical education teacher. Kathy Neill, also an OSU graduate, and I established one of the first coed physical education programs in the state. In 1977 I earned my Masters’ Degree in Secondary School Administration. Then in 1978 became assistant principal at Midwest City High School. In 1979 I received my Secondary School Administration Certification from OU (sorry). In 1980 I transferred to Carl Albert High School as first assistant principal. Then in 1986 went to Mid-Del Vocational Technical School (now Career Tech) where I spent the next 26 years first as principal, then director, executive director, and lastly assistant superintendent (ours is the only career tech in the state that does not have its own board, but operates under a district school board of education with its own superintendent). We started with 1 campus and an $800,00 budget and grew to 3 campuses and a $6,000,000 budget.
After teaching for a year in Midwest City, I married Susan Rippy of Stillwater and we had 2 wonderful sons, Scott and Ryan. Scott now lives in Stillwater, with his wife Anne and 2 of our 4 precious grandchildren - Porter, 7 and Lydia, 3. Scott works for an IT company and loves cycling, coaching little league,and working his VW Westie ..... Ryan lives in Denver with his wife Mandi and our other 2 awesome grandchildren - Mary, 3 and Jack, 2. Ryan works for Marriott as a hotel manager whose job is to straighten out failing properties and get them back on track.
When I met the love of my life, Marion, we discovered we were both at OSU at the same time, knew many of the same people, went to the same places, but to our knowledge had never met. After having been married for over 20 years and both retired from careers in education, we still live in Midwest City where enjoy our 4 dogs and they enjoy our pool. Marion loves visiting B&Bs and Ilove fishing and hunting.
Thanks to Dear Ol’ Coach Cutchin, OSU football. and numerous back, neck, and spine surgeries later, I have somewhat limited mobility due to neuropothy in my legs and feet. It doesn’t look like I’ll be attending the 50th, but have one for me!
LOVE YOU GUYS!
John
©2009 Stillwater High School Class of 1964