Retirement
A few weeks prior to my retirement from Texas Instruments on March 30, 1989, I started looking around on what I was going to do with my leisure hours. I certainly did not want to spend all my time playing golf, reading, playing bridge or otherwise “wasting” my time and/or my talents. After discussions with Rev. Tom Matthews, I decided my talents and interests would best be served as a volunteer at the NETWORK of Community Ministries.
The NETWORK is a non-profit community service organization supported by a coalition of over70 churches, religious, civic, social, and business organizations serving the Richardson Independent School District. Its purpose is to respond to human needs and to “provide short term assistance for long term independence” by providing counseling, job leads, food, rent and utility assistance, and other needs of our clients. There are over 300 volunteers and two paid staff members with a budget exceeding $400,000 per year. Last year, the NETWORK distributed over 300,000 pounds of food and provided over $200,000 in financial assistance to qualified needy families.
However to properly prepare myself for community service, Lonnie and I first took a vacation to Singapore the first of April to visit old friends. And then, I started my volunteer work.
But I didn’t devote “full time” to NETWORK. For the first year or so, I was an interviewer and interviewed the clients to determine their needs and verifying their statements. My regular shift was Tuesday morning, but I substituted a lot when someone was out for whatever reason. It still gave me plenty of time to do other things.
In May, I accompanied Doug to work with his Florence, AL church, to help build a new Baptist church near St. Louis. It was a very good experience for me and for the first time since Doug had graduated from college I got to spend some quality time with him. From St. Louis we went on to Rockville and arrived the day after a tornado had hit the town. We spent the next several days cleaning up the fallen trees at Dick’s. Then on to Indianapolis to the Indy 500.
The next month, we went with John and his family (including Brooke and Janie’s mother) to Puerto, Vallarto, Mexico for a vacation in John’s time-share apartment and we spent a glorious week basking in the sun and sightseeing.
In July, Kristen Lawrence, the 19 year old daughter of a friend from TI’s plant in Freising, Germany, came to visit us for a month and we were kept busy showing her the sights of Dallas and Texas.
In August, all of my family, with the exception of Brooke who had a conflict and couldn’t join us, went on a week’s vacation on a houseboat on Lake Eufaula, OK. Twelve of us on one boat was a little crowded, but we all had a good time.
And then, in September, 1989 at Elmer’s request, I left for a two month special “consulting” assignment in the Far East to audit the purchasing operations at all of TI’s sites in Singapore, Malaysia, Philippines, Taiwan, and the three in Japan. In addition, to the audits, accompanied by Patti Glenn, we conducted a 4 day training session on “Sourcing” at all the plants except those in Japan. I had previously established a “consulting” business and negotiated a flat fee of $6400 plus all expenses. Although the fee was all profit and I truly enjoyed the travel and the assignment (actually, later I told Elmer that I would have done it just for the expenses), I learned from this experience and did not work so cheaply in future consulting jobs!
Upon my return to Dallas in November, Lonnie and I attended our first Elderhostel program at Pickwick Landing, TN (just a few miles from the Shiloh battlefield and only an hour from Doug’s home in Alabama. The program included: Big Bands, the Shiloh battle, and the Tenn-Tom waterway from the Ohio River down to the Gulf). We have attended several Elderhostels since, but I believe this first one was the best as I enjoyed all the subjects.
Since Lonnie did not get to go to the Rose Bowl with us when we had our law suit, I arranged for a trip for the Rose Parade on January 1, 1989. The tour included some sightseeing but the main event was actually working on a parade float and then reserve seating at the parade itself. As you may know, those floats are made entirely from real flowers from which the pedals are glued on one at a time.
Lonnie’s father passed away on January 14, 1990 at age 95 after a long and full life. However, during his last few months, he had required almost constant care and finally was moved to the hospital for the last few days. On the evening before he died, he had played dominos with Lonnie and won!
In April, we took a 3 week tour of England, Wales, Ireland, and Scotland. We spent a couple of days with the Browns whom we had met on our New Zealand vacation and who had been to Dallas to visit us. The next month we went on another Elderhostel near Nashville where we took in the Grand Old Pry. Later we had our “annual “grandchildren vacation”, this time, to San Antonio
Since I had enjoyed my consulting job in the Far East for TI, I decided to let it be known that I was in the consulting “business”. I did a couple of little jobs for TI in 1990. In early September,1990 I was asked by B.J. Rone if I would come to Singapore and manage the Archive Corporation’s purchasing operations for three months. B.J. was active in this company, along with some other ex-TIers, and they needed help in getting their inventory levels under control. My fee was negotiated at $300 per day plus all expenses, including a return trip to Denver in the first week of October to attend a Dixieland jazz festival which had been long planned. After the festival, I returned to Singapore for the balance of my assignment. This assignment was somewhat difficult as the Singapore Archive management resented my presence. They didn’t like the LA home office giving them instructions let alone a complete outsider. Often I would call a department meeting and no one would show up! I finally got B.J.’s attention and he got their attention that I was there to help; however, it never was a good working arrangement.
Since my retirement, we had been attending several Dixieland jazz festivals each year. At the typical jazz festival there are 3-4 bands who play each afternoon and night non-stop except for changing the bands. The year 1991 was no exception as we went to festivals in St. Louis (with Louise), W. C. Handy Jazz Festival in Florence, AL, and the Summit Jazz Festival in Denver. In addition, I underwrote a Jazz Mass performed by Jim Cullum from San Antonio at our church to an overflowing crowd.
Our major vacation this year was a 3 week visit to Torremolinas, Spain with the Maddens. We rented a car and took in all the nearby sights in southern Spain. However, I spent most of my free time by the pool or the beach while Bruce (who is allergic to the sun) spent his time peering over the top of a book to the topless girls by the pool. I noted that he never turned a page, only peered over the top!
In July, it was my turn to host the family reunion. We prepared a very detailed event schedule which included: Six Flags, a Ranger baseball game, Wet ‘n Wild water park. With a highlight of a catered Mexican dinner at David’s place in Tyler. I had hired a dixieland band for entertainment. There were 43 family members in attendance. While at the water park, Louise who was 76 years old at the time, decided to go down the tallest water slide. When she hit bottom, the watching crowd gave her a big ovation!
Health-wise, I had a slight heart flare-up and underwent a cardiac cath which turned up some minor blockage; however, after two previous open heart surgeries, it was decided to treat this one with diet and medication and hold angioplasty in reserve for the time being. No concern on my part, although Lonnie watches my diet closely.
We also took in another Elderhostel, this time to South Padre Island. Bruce chose this Elderhostel and the subjects were: bird watching, Spanish and computer lessons. It was not my favorite Elderhostel. I don’t think much of bird watching. I don’t care how many lessons I have, I will never be able to learn Spanish and be able to tell if a desk or chair is a male or female. And the computer lessons were so simple that I could have taught them However, we did have good company and fellowship, so all was not lost.
In 1992, we started the year off with a Caribbean cruise out of New Orleans with a dixieland jazz band on board. I particularly enjoyed snorkeling with the sting rays in Grand Cayman. Lonnie didn’t!
In April, we went to England for a long planed vacation. We took in four musicals in three days while in London. Then on to Scotland to visit our friends. This was followed by a 3 week “if this is Tuesday, it must be Belgium” type escorted tour. Starting with the Floriade in Holland (a major flower show held only once every ten years and the tulips were in full bloom), down the Rhine River, through the Black Forest, Switzerland and Austria, on through Italy down to Sorento and including Rome, Venice, and Naples. Then back to London via Nice, Lyon and Paris. I had been to mainland Europe a couple times before but always on TI business with little time to take in the tourist sights. This time we saw “everything”.
In May, Brooke graduated from high school with honors and was accepted at Texas A&M (against the unspoken desire of her grandpa!)
We went to Boone, NC in June to attend a week of bridge instruction with lessons in the morning and duplicate bridge tournaments in the afternoon and evening.
July was family reunion time in Branson, MO. I rented a 4 bedroom lodge on the lake which accommodated all 13 of us (again, Brooke couldn’t join us but was replaced by Becky West). We took in several of the shows and attended a George Bush rally at Silver Dollar City which was his first stop after the Republican Convention in Houston.
In October, we attended a Dixieland jazz festival in Osage, MO (Lake of the Ozarks). This time, instead of the 3-4 bands, they had 10 including 3 of my favorites playing almost continually for four days.
In December we went with the Maddens to the Texas Hill country to attend another Elderhostel at the Presbyterian Mo Ranch. The program featured German Christmas traditions.
We started 1993 with a trip to Key West, FL, meeting Dick and Freda there. Then we left Florida for a four week tour of Costa Rica and Guatemala....really beautiful countries with lots of sights to see and very friendly people. Jazz festivals this year included: Mid-America festival in St. Louis, and the Bessie Smith Jazz Festival in Chattanooga
In late June 1993, Roy Oyco who had been TI Philippines’ P&MM manager since I hired him in 1983 was promoted to a position in Singapore as PUMM manager over all of the TI Far East sites (excluding Japan). He had to assume his new duties quickly after his promotion. As a result, TIPI once again called on me to do some purchasing training. They had promoted Jack Cena from Facilities to P&MM and wanted me to train him. I left for Baguio I arrived July 15 and completed the assignment on September 1. During the first 30 days, I stayed in Don Mika’s house. Don was the Managing Director and was on home leave during that time. He had a big house with a live-in maid who did all my cooking. He also had a TV dish satellite which allowed me to pick up TV programs originating in the Far East (but, unfortunately, not ones from the USA). I had use of his two cars....one a bullet-proof armored car! Lonnie joined me in Baguio for the last month of the assignment and we moved to the Baguio Country Club Hotel during the two weeks she was with me and after Don and his wife had returned from their home leave. Again, my consulting fee was $300 per day plus all expenses (mine and Lonnie’s). With the profit from this assignment, I purchased the 1994 Oldsmobile 98 when we returned to Dallas.
Unfortunately, this consulting assignment caused me to have to cancel my previously planned trip with my two grandsons which had been set for the last of June and was for the three of us to visit all the national parks in the west. Also, Lonnie and I had to cancel our planned two week trip to London to take in all the musicals and museums.
In June 1994, we embarked on a grandchild vacation of a life time....a Caribbean cruise. Again, parents were not invited. The grandchildren were growing up fast, and Lonnie and I thought this would probably be the last vacation we took with them as “children”. We all had a great time and I think it was the kids favorite vacation. At least, they keep asking if we can go again!
In November, we were finally able to work our London vacation in which we had to cancel the year before when I accepted the job in Singapore. We were in London for two weeks. We stayed in a one bedroom apartment located only two blocks from a subway entrance. During this time we didn’t leave London, but took in all the major museums and other sights. We also saw ten different musicals during our 14 days there. We became quite expert in riding the “underground”. My niece, Sara Smith, who is a missionary in Kenya came to London for our last couple of days and enjoyed the sightseeing with us.
A personal highlight of 1994 was my election as Vice President of NETWORK. The president and president-elect must, by the by-laws, be ministers. So the vice president is the highest position available to volunteers. Some of my accomplishments at NETWORK the past three years which I served as VP, in addition to regular client interviewing and board meetings, has been the establishment of a recycle program whereby we collect empty aluminum cans and take them to a recycler for cash. Later, we included the pick up of steel cans and plastic bottles from each of the set-up of the recycle program whereby we collect empty aluminum cans for recyling each week from all the schools in the Richardson Independent School District (a total of 51 schools with a 90 miles round trip). Although we have to rent a truck for this work, RISD pays us $500 per month so there is a good profit from the effort. The two recycle projects returns about $5000 per year to NETWORK. I also took over the fall pansy sale for NETWORK and last year, we sold 534 flats for a profit of over $3400.
Up until 1997, I was volunteering about 10-12 hours per week at NETWORK. However, this year, for health reasons, I have cut it back to 6 hours and eliminated all physical work (such as the recycling efforts).
In August 1989, the Richardson City Council appointed me to the city’s Sign Control Board. This is the board that meets monthly to review all requests for variances to the city’s sign ordinances and grants or disapproves of the variance. For example, the ordinance states that pole signs can not exceed 20 feet in height. Some businesses think they require a taller pole (and some do!) We meet monthly and review their request and then pass judgment. The City Council can review our decision, but they seldom change the outcome At the end of 1996, I will have served on this volunteer board for over eight years, and it is my present intention to resign and move on to some thing else
Since my retirement (and even before), one of our major sources of pleasure has been traveling. We love to be active and go places and do things. I have now been to 49 of the 50 United States, missing only Vermont (which I am going to have to visit some day!). I have also been to 55 foreign countries on various business and/or vacation trips I have never had a vacation that I did not enjoy tremendously. My favorite type of vacation (which has developed over the years) is to go to one place and stay there for an extended period, with maybe side trips on my own. This is the only way you can really appreciate and get to know the various cultures and the people. Vacations such as the one we took through Europe on an escorted trip are great to see the tourist sights, but you can’t get to know the culture by staying one or two days in one place.
In March, 1995, we had a special “blessed event”. David and Nancy adopted “Casey”. She was born on March 25 in Lubbock and the parents (and the grandparents) were there. There is no doubt that Casey is the cutest, best-behaved, (and most spoiled) of all our grandchildren of 16 years of age or younger! She has also changed our normal weekend activities as we travel to Tyler as often as possible to see her.
In November, 1995, B. J. Rone (who was now “acting president” of Geo-Marine, Inc (GMI) in Plano called me and said he had another job for me. It seems that GMI was undergoing major changes through out the organization. For example, they had no purchasing department. If anyone wanted to buy something, he simply called the supplier and bought it! My assignment was to establish purchasing policies and procedures (none existed!), to hire a qualified purchasing manager, and to set up a computerized purchasing system. Since the office was only a few miles from my home in Richardson, I accepted the challenge with the conditions that I would limit my efforts to a maximum of 20 hours per week and that much of the policies and procedures would be written at my home. I also raised my consulting fee to $50 per hour ($400 per day on a regular 8 hour day). The terms were accepted and I completed the task on February 15, 1996 with an income of $8525. I do not expect any additional consulting contracts in the future (as I didn’t expect the last one!) as my expertise has not kept pace with the changes in computerization.
The year 1996 was almost a complete bummer. After attending the May high school graduation of Stephen in Lubbock and Michael in Florence (both with honors). I started a series of health problems of first one thing and then another: shingles, urinary track infection, accelerated and irregular heart beat (which put me in the hospital for a couple of days while they got the beat back on rhythm), then an infection in the knee, and finally the gout. Against Lonnie’s advice, we proceeded to go to an Elderhostel at Banff, Canada and then on to the family reunion in Rockville. I did okay at the Elderhostel, but when I got to Rockville, I was so ill that I spent most of the time in bed while everyone else had a great time. I asked Stephen to drive me home and we made the trip of 850 miles non-stop while I lay in the back seat. I also was forced to miss Brooke’s graduation from Texas A&M (with honors!) with a degree in psychology. She is now working on her masters degree at North Texas State.
In August, I was almost back to “normal” but the next month when I passed out again, Lonnie called 911 and the paramedics rushed me to the hospital emergency room. In addition to pneumonia, my blood pressure was dangerously low (40/26). Due to my previous two open heart surgeries, they hooked me up to a heart monitor which indicated that my heart was “pausing” for 3-4 seconds every so often. Not a good sign! A pacemaker was implanted which was to fix the “problem”. As I was being released from the hospital after 7 days, I passed out in a wheel chair on the way to the lobby. Lonnie had already gone down to get the car. Back to the hospital room for another 3 days while they got my blood pressure back to near normal. Finally, after ten days, I was released. Since then, my health has restored miraculously. I have my strength back, do not get out of breath so easily, and am not nearly as constantly tired as previously.
I feel that I have had more than my share of health problems over the years and am now looking forward to many years of good health. I thank the Good Lord for the latest medical technology and for His looking after me.