Bio, 2014: Ralph Curtis
After graduation, I went to OSU and graduated with a BAEd in 1969, taught one yr 69-70 of High School at Haysville, KS, (at $6k gross, just enough to learn that public teaching was institutional poverty) and so returned to OSU for grad degree and a bump up a few steps up on teaching scale. Taught elementary PT at St Francis while getting my MA, with four majors to broaden teaching credential, finished in 1974 and found with school funding crunch, I’d priced myself out of teaching field. Worked at OSU ‘74-80 managing their dorm and married student laundromats while doing doctoral work, low wages but hey, a 50% discount on tuition.In ‘78 joined USAR at 44th Evac in OKC and then went FT in ‘80, BCT at Ft Leonard Wood (fort lost in the woods) then to White Sands Missile Range for weather observator and did support for landing of Space Shuttle Columbia, ‘83. Learned Russian at DLI Monterey in ‘84, then shipped to Hell-On-Wheels, Ft. Hood, TX. Then deployed to Ludwigsberg, Germany in ‘86 (also Nuremberg and Darmstadt) until ‘93. Was there for collapse of Communist East Germany, saw cutting of Hof border fence to reopen Munich-Berlin Autobahn and German Reunification. Had ‘90-91 out for Desert Storm: Air war in Saudi Arabia and land assaults in Iraq & Kuwait, 2 ArComs, Defense of SW Asia Medal, Saudi and Kuwaiti Defense of Kuwait medals, and Distinguished Unit & Valorous Unit awards. Returned stateside in ‘93 as cadre at DLI until ‘95 with 15 yrs active service, 60% hearing loss, knee and back injuries and at 49, the oldest NCO in battalion, I retired to San Francisco Bay area and took up voc rehab with vets recovering from addiction to PTSD to Traumatic Brain Injury for next 18 yrs. Retired in ‘13.
Along the way experienced two marriages, four children: currently 42-37 years old and eight grandchildren spread from OK to Australia. I was ordained a deacon in ‘97 and priest in Orthodox Rite in in 2001 for prison ministry in Santa Clara County jails. In ‘08, I married for third (and absolutely last) time and live in Fremont CA with oldest son, daughter-in-law, & 3 grandkids close by in Sacramento. I find myself daily outstripped by advances in technology (whatever happened to tape cassettes and VHS??) to amusement of son working for Intel.
Special SHS MEMORIES
Mudge (Johnnie Maude) Meachem, Sr English, an all around great lady.
Mr. Shenadoah, Sr. Chem & Driver Ed; for his birthday,chem class gave him a headdress, bow with rubbered tipped arrows, and rubber tomahawk (so polititcally incorrect!) and wearing it, he went across hall to scalp Mr. Mihura and came back crestfallen, “Somebody beat me to it,” regarding Mihura’s lack of hair.
Wiley’s Wagon dismantled by miscreants and re-assembled on roof over school entry.
Senior Class gift planter and sign, Home of the Pioneers, with sign taken down by student vote years later because it made people think it was a rest home.
Sitting in chem and Spanish classes Nov 22 as principal came on with bulletins on the shooting of President Kennedy and cancellation of that night’s football game.
Practice teaching at SHS, spring ‘68 and being amazed, 1. at how young all the students looked and 2. at all the changes, new wing for Middle School.
Sorry I won’t make reunion so many hassles last time flying in 2003, swore off it for life. The skies aren’t so friendly with going through metal detectors with plates, screws, and braces, cramped seats with bad knees, and even with dual hearing aids not being able to understand a word of the public address announcements.
Many thanks to Ann for making it happen and wish all the best for the Big Fifty Reunion.
©2009 Stillwater High School Class of 1964