( I had a new shoulder replacement in September so I am still a little limited, so this typing effort may be a little clumsy)
I finished my six years at SLS and entered the St. Paul Seminary for two years of philosophy ( so my BA degree is in Philosophy and Latin - not the most marketable degree if you are not ordained) and then went on for two years of Theology. I spent two months bumming in Europe with a classmate in 1969. In fact we were at Lourdes when Neil Armstrong walked on the moon. I returned to the states to begin a year off from school and began working at a treatment center for emotionally disturbed children.
I worked there for five years while I went to graduate school to get a degree in social work. I began working for Douglas County ( Superior, WI) in 1974 as a social worker. I was fortunate enough to transfer to Juvenile Court after 4 years and began working with delinquents. It was a great job working for the Judge ( who would also take me golfing at Northland Country Club) and I liked working with that population. I still get approached by some of those "kids". It is nice to know you made a difference in their lives.
I married Barbara Flint in 1970 and my daughter,Carrie was born in 1971 and my son Steven Rees was born in 1974. I held a second job tending bar for 6-7 years to make ends meet, so when I had a chance to return to Human Services as a supervisor, I did in 1980. I supervised Child Protection and was actually on national news as the County spokesman when a newborn was abandoned in the local mall. I became the deputy director and then the Director of Human Services around 1994.
In 2001,I applied for the position of County Administrative Coordinator. After serving in that capacity for a year I became the first County Administrator in Douglas County. I supervised twenty different department managers ( in name only when you think of elected officials like the Sheriff and Judges) responsible to a County Board of 28 people. It was an interesting and challenging job, as it was my responsibility to hire and fire and handle the politics involved. I walked into a controversial 44 million dollar building project, so it was a baptism by fire. I was in that position for 8 years. It was challenging but also a great opportunity that also gave me a comfortable retirement. I retired in 2010 after 36 years with the County.
My marriage, unfortunately, did not work out ( more my problem than hers) and I was divorced in 1991. I remarried in 1998 to Mary Perrault. Mary had three children, so we have 9 grandchildren between us. The last 15 years have been really great. We moved to Duluth because we had 5 acres in the woods and decided to build a simple retirement cabin there. It grew to something much bigger and elaborate, but it is a pretty spot on a hill above Lake Superior and life is good even if it includes an artificial hip and shoulder.
My daughter, Carrie, is married with two children and lives in Superior. My son, Steven, has been in the military since he was 18. He has had three tours of duty in Iraq and three in Afghanistan. He is there now, with over ten years of combat and hazardous duty. He is a Green Beret medic and it is his calling, that band of brothers thing. Two Purple Hearts and a Bronze Star for valor. He was married four years ago and his wife, Jill, is a nurse, who was just elected to her college Hall of fame as a soccer player.
My recent operations are the result of too many years on a basketball court and baseball diamond. I may have been the "secret weapon" at SLS, but I went on to play on some good basketball and softball teams into my late forties. Last year I was still playing hand ball regularly at the Y. I still enjoy golf, cross country skiing, hunting, and bird watching. Mary and I have been blessed with opportunities to travel and have spent time every winter in Arizona and Mexico. We have been to Europe twice and last winter vacationed in Costa Rico. Still hoping to visit friends in New Zealand one of these years.
This contact has reminded me of the fun and classmates of those youthful days at SLS. I am saddened to see so many have passed. Guy Thorn and I took a two week camping trip with two other classmates into the Canadian Rockies in 1967. Joe Kolb contacted me several years ago and we had a chance to talk. (I was also contacted by the Milwaukee Archdioceses because of the abuse charges filed against Father Gale. But nothing ever happened when I or my brother, Bob, were at SLS. Bob was ordained in 1974, is a priest in Eagle River, Wi and retires next year)
I remember the plays, (actually had a lead in a comedy at St. Paul), the sports, writing class wills and prophesies with Don Becker, the SomeOther Brothers with Don (or was that in college?), the dorm riot that got us all grounded as freshman, and all the other craziness. It was a good time and place. And it helped make us what we are today. I still enjoy going to the symphony because of the classical music they used to pipe into the reading periods. What I know about art, I received at SLS. Still love old movies (some I may have first seen in the SLS gym).
Sorry to get long winded and nostalgic. But I am reminded again how blessed my life has been and it makes one grateful for the classmates of your youth.
I finished my six years at SLS and entered the St. Paul Seminary for two years of philosophy ( so my BA degree is in Philosophy and Latin - not the most marketable degree if you are not ordained) and then went on for two years of Theology. I spent two months bumming in Europe with a classmate in 1969. In fact we were at Lourdes when Neil Armstrong walked on the moon. I returned to the states to begin a year off from school and began working at a treatment center for emotionally disturbed children.
I worked there for five years while I went to graduate school to get a degree in social work. I began working for Douglas County ( Superior, WI) in 1974 as a social worker. I was fortunate enough to transfer to Juvenile Court after 4 years and began working with delinquents. It was a great job working for the Judge ( who would also take me golfing at Northland Country Club) and I liked working with that population. I still get approached by some of those "kids". It is nice to know you made a difference in their lives.
I married Barbara Flint in 1970 and my daughter,Carrie was born in 1971 and my son Steven Rees was born in 1974. I held a second job tending bar for 6-7 years to make ends meet, so when I had a chance to return to Human Services as a supervisor, I did in 1980. I supervised Child Protection and was actually on national news as the County spokesman when a newborn was abandoned in the local mall. I became the deputy director and then the Director of Human Services around 1994.
In 2001,I applied for the position of County Administrative Coordinator. After serving in that capacity for a year I became the first County Administrator in Douglas County. I supervised twenty different department managers ( in name only when you think of elected officials like the Sheriff and Judges) responsible to a County Board of 28 people. It was an interesting and challenging job, as it was my responsibility to hire and fire and handle the politics involved. I walked into a controversial 44 million dollar building project, so it was a baptism by fire. I was in that position for 8 years. It was challenging but also a great opportunity that also gave me a comfortable retirement. I retired in 2010 after 36 years with the County.
My marriage, unfortunately, did not work out ( more my problem than hers) and I was divorced in 1991. I remarried in 1998 to Mary Perrault. Mary had three children, so we have 9 grandchildren between us. The last 15 years have been really great. We moved to Duluth because we had 5 acres in the woods and decided to build a simple retirement cabin there. It grew to something much bigger and elaborate, but it is a pretty spot on a hill above Lake Superior and life is good even if it includes an artificial hip and shoulder.
My daughter, Carrie, is married with two children and lives in Superior. My son, Steven, has been in the military since he was 18. He has had three tours of duty in Iraq and three in Afghanistan. He is there now, with over ten years of combat and hazardous duty. He is a Green Beret medic and it is his calling, that band of brothers thing. Two Purple Hearts and a Bronze Star for valor. He was married four years ago and his wife, Jill, is a nurse, who was just elected to her college Hall of fame as a soccer player.
My recent operations are the result of too many years on a basketball court and baseball diamond. I may have been the "secret weapon" at SLS, but I went on to play on some good basketball and softball teams into my late forties. Last year I was still playing hand ball regularly at the Y. I still enjoy golf, cross country skiing, hunting, and bird watching. Mary and I have been blessed with opportunities to travel and have spent time every winter in Arizona and Mexico. We have been to Europe twice and last winter vacationed in Costa Rico. Still hoping to visit friends in New Zealand one of these years.
This contact has reminded me of the fun and classmates of those youthful days at SLS. I am saddened to see so many have passed. Guy Thorn and I took a two week camping trip with two other classmates into the Canadian Rockies in 1967. Joe Kolb contacted me several years ago and we had a chance to talk. (I was also contacted by the Milwaukee Archdioceses because of the abuse charges filed against Father Gale. But nothing ever happened when I or my brother, Bob, were at SLS. Bob was ordained in 1974, is a priest in Eagle River, Wi and retires next year)
I remember the plays, (actually had a lead in a comedy at St. Paul), the sports, writing class wills and prophesies with Don Becker, the SomeOther Brothers with Don (or was that in college?), the dorm riot that got us all grounded as freshman, and all the other craziness. It was a good time and place. And it helped make us what we are today. I still enjoy going to the symphony because of the classical music they used to pipe into the reading periods. What I know about art, I received at SLS. Still love old movies (some I may have first seen in the SLS gym).
Sorry to get long winded and nostalgic. But I am reminded again how blessed my life has been and it makes one grateful for the classmates of your youth.
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