Then...       and       Now

William A. Weschler

wweschler@cyburban.com

Nyack Class of 55 pencil

School/College Highlights -1959: graduated RPI with BSEE and commission as 2nd Lieutenant, USAF. None of this was easy, but nevertheless a great experience! Unfortunately, I watched a number of friends fall by the wayside. Wish that it were not so. Some graduate school and many work related training courses, all boring.

Military Highlights - 1960, 61, 62: 1st Lieutenant (Captain USAF Res.). Ground Electronics Officer: Biloxi Mississippi, became second in command at a Radar Bomb Scoring site (SAC) in Minneapolis MN. Gosh it got cold there. Remember the Berlin Airlift? We had vacation then as all the bombers were fully loaded with nuclear weapons, and couldn't make practice bomb runs. I taught Airmen electronics to pass the time. Left the service in 1962 - illness in the family and I was needed at home. Otherwise, they would have sent me to graduate school.

Marriage and Family Highlights - After one of the more successful computer dates in the early days, Married Marjorie Joan Schwarz of Larchmont, NY, Sep. 1967, and gave up my crew cut. Lived in Larchmont until recently. Adopted two children as infants: Shari 1970 and Keith 1973. Shari now married to Christian Rubeck, resides in greater Baltimore MD, pursuing a career in fine art - have some fun, see her website: http://www.artinmind.org/

Keith, taking longer to settle down, lives in Yonkers, works at Greenwich Hospital, and attends Nyack College in White Plains, completing his degree in Organizational Management. Keith was a great soccer player in his teens, traveling twice to Europe for tournaments.

Lost all parents on both sides. Margie has a brother John, sister-in-law Terry, Nephew Jamie and Nice Julie, residing in Scarsdale. We're otherwise short on family. No grandchildren yet, but we're hoping.

Homemaker and/or Career Highlights - 34 Years in Diagnostic Health Care R&D. (Shades of what the "Traveling Medicine Show would portend.) Most of my time was in Tarrytown, NY, for Technicon Instruments Corp., the pioneers in laboratory automation. Jobs ranged from Jr. Eng. To VP Engineering. Introduced many automated systems for the clinical laboratory: Hematology, Clinical Chemistry, Immunochemistry, and all analyzing body fluids. Most recently was Director Diagnostic Instrument Systems for Roche Molecular Systems - introduced the first automated clinical laboratory system employing the famous DNA technology used in the O.J. Simpson case (PCR.)

Now, as a career change I work from home as an independent contractor in the real estate industry, performing prepurchase home and commercial property inspections for banks. Headed towards my own business.

Travel/Vacation Highlights - The islands of Nantucket, Martha's Vineyard, Block Island, British Virgin Gorda and Tortola, and St. Thomas, St. John USVI all rank high as places we have visited more than once. We are fond of cruising in the Caribbean. Also, we are fond of taking the "children" along too. I have been a frequent visitor to Switzerland (work related), France (also work related) and less frequently to the UK, Belgium, Italy and Japan. Plan to take the family to Switzerland and Italy next May. Have used untold frequent flyer miles.

Hobbies/Sports - I remain an avid do-it-yourselfer. Happiest when piloting my small powerboat in the Sound, or hitching a ride on someone else's sailboat. Spent a week, or so as crew last summer and this with friends from CT on their boat. Always glad to hike and get in the outdoors. Margie is fond of the beach, and has converted me from being a landlubber, so we tend to hang out there. Raising miniature dachshunds - we have populated many of the Eastern seaboard states, and one of our puppies was photographed with Barbara Bush in Kennebunkport. Jogging, snow skiing, water skiing and tennis have become a thing of the past. These days, it tends to be devotion to the Nordic Track machines and walking. Oh well.

Civic/Church/Political Activities - Although a much stronger point for Margie than for me, I have been on the vestry at St. John's Episcopal Church in Larchmont. Margie spent many years in the Mamaroneck School district PTA, culminating in becoming district wide president. Now that our kids are grown, she has become a licensed real estate broker. We both tend to work very hard.

Achievements/Awards/Outstanding Events - Mostly boring work stuff. Life itself has been outstanding.

Anything at all that you may want to say - Only that I still tend to be quiet, wish I had not been so quiet back in those days at NHS. I sincerely hope that everyone has enjoyed at least as good health as I have and is enjoying life to the fullest. The very warmest wishes to you all.

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