Jim Hart
After escaping from Acalanes, I matriculated to Stanford where, except for track, I did not fare well. Deciding that a little adult education was in order I started by joining the Marine reserve followed by joining the Marine regulars via boot camp in San Diego . Thanks to a thoughtful First Sargeant and a few retained smarts I was sent to the US Naval Academy Prep at Bainbridge, Md. and on to the Academy where I graduated in 1961. Right after graduation I married Marilyn Wylie (Acalanes Class 0f “56) and we became military vagabonds for the next 19 years. Our duty stations included Quantico, Pensacola, Camp Lejeune, Naval Post Graduate School, a wonderful 1967-1968 summer and winter vacation in Hue-Phu Bai Vietnam followed by Quantico, Camp Pendleton, Japan, Hawaii and finally back to San Diego where I retired. Even though I was on deployment or an unaccompanied tour all this time, Marilyn and I had two great kids Tim and Therese both of whom are now married and have given us equally great three grandchildren. After retiring in 1980, we moved back to Walnut Creek where I had jobs at Northern Telecom, Fluor Mining and Metals, Atari and finally PacBell from which I retired in 1991. All this time Marilyn taught school at the K -3 level as well as raising Tim and Therese.
For outside interests Marilyn has concentrated on her passion of art in most all mediums. As for me, I have always been a “Track and Field Nut”, a calling which Marilyn simply tolerates (I think). Prior to Navy I competed on the east coast AAU circuit and at Navy lettered four years and was privileged to win their first Track and Field trophy. I later coached at Pensacola J.C., put together a Marine team while in Hawaii, competed in the National Masters Track and Field program as well as with the PacBell Team as part of the U.S. Corporate Athletic Association Track and Field Program. During these times I also coached field events at Ygnacio Valley High School and just retired as field events/head coach at Northgate High school. I’m currently a Pacific Association Track and Field U.S.A. Official.
Thursday, July 9, 2009
The Exciting Life of James Hart
Wednesday, June 3, 2009
The Cowboy Life of Robert Samon
.
Bob Samon’s Cowboy Life
Bob was born April 2, 1936 in Berkeley, California. He attended grade school in Orinda and after graduating from high school, he attended the University of California at Davis.
Bob’s life-long passion was anything connected to horses and ranching so after college, he came to Battle Mountain, Nevada where he worked as a buckaroo for the W.T. Jenkins Land and Livestock Company, owned by long-time Nevada ranchers, Louise and “Cap” Marvel. He spoke happily of going out to summer range with the wagon in springtime with his string of horses and the other cowboys and coming back to the ranch only after the fall work was done.
When the Company was split up, Bob worked for several ranches including those of Tom and Rosita Marvel in and around Battle Mountain and the “25” Ranch in Battle Mountain. He managed cattle, ran hay crews, and continued honing his skills as a horse trainer.
In between ranches, Bob owned and operated his own training and show horse business in California and Nevada. He also managed the performance horse program for Wilbur D. May at the Double Diamond Ranch.
In 1978, he married Nancy, his wife of 31 years, and they settled in Washoe Valley where they reside today. Bob worked in warehousing and construction and continued developing Samon Quarter Horses. He and Nancy bred, trained, and showed their own cutting horses to numerous championships while Bob continued training outside horses, giving lessons, and judging.
Bob’s specialty was starting colts. Having spent several summers with Tom Dorrance, the originator and master of natural horsemanship, Bob applied many of the techniques he learned from Tom to produce young horses with good minds and solid foundations.
His other love was helping people with their own horses. He especially loved working with kids and guided several young cutters to National High School Rodeo finals.
He was a founding member and past president of Western Nevada Cutting Horse Association and a long-time member and past president of Nevada Reined Cow and Cutting Horse Association. He was also a long-standing member of the National Cutting Horse Association, the Nevada Farm Bureau, and the American Quarter Horse Association.
He had a son, Emitt of Las Vegas, Nevada. His was a proud legacy of a disappearing way of life. He will be greatly missed, but he made an awesome ride!
.
Bob Samon’s Cowboy Life
Bob was born April 2, 1936 in Berkeley, California. He attended grade school in Orinda and after graduating from high school, he attended the University of California at Davis.
Bob’s life-long passion was anything connected to horses and ranching so after college, he came to Battle Mountain, Nevada where he worked as a buckaroo for the W.T. Jenkins Land and Livestock Company, owned by long-time Nevada ranchers, Louise and “Cap” Marvel. He spoke happily of going out to summer range with the wagon in springtime with his string of horses and the other cowboys and coming back to the ranch only after the fall work was done.
When the Company was split up, Bob worked for several ranches including those of Tom and Rosita Marvel in and around Battle Mountain and the “25” Ranch in Battle Mountain. He managed cattle, ran hay crews, and continued honing his skills as a horse trainer.
In between ranches, Bob owned and operated his own training and show horse business in California and Nevada. He also managed the performance horse program for Wilbur D. May at the Double Diamond Ranch.
In 1978, he married Nancy, his wife of 31 years, and they settled in Washoe Valley where they reside today. Bob worked in warehousing and construction and continued developing Samon Quarter Horses. He and Nancy bred, trained, and showed their own cutting horses to numerous championships while Bob continued training outside horses, giving lessons, and judging.
Bob’s specialty was starting colts. Having spent several summers with Tom Dorrance, the originator and master of natural horsemanship, Bob applied many of the techniques he learned from Tom to produce young horses with good minds and solid foundations.
His other love was helping people with their own horses. He especially loved working with kids and guided several young cutters to National High School Rodeo finals.
He was a founding member and past president of Western Nevada Cutting Horse Association and a long-time member and past president of Nevada Reined Cow and Cutting Horse Association. He was also a long-standing member of the National Cutting Horse Association, the Nevada Farm Bureau, and the American Quarter Horse Association.
He had a son, Emitt of Las Vegas, Nevada. His was a proud legacy of a disappearing way of life. He will be greatly missed, but he made an awesome ride!
.
Sunday, May 31, 2009
Sharon Lee Cockburn Life Story
With the help of Selma Aweeka Brooks and Sharon’s sister Judie Cockburn I wrote Sharon’s life story, in brief, for her children.
A Tribute to Sharon Lee Cockburn
Sharon was born in October of 1936 in Sonoma, California. Her father was a Mortician who ran the Walnut Creek Mortuary on Locust Street. She had two younger sisters who she cared about very much. Judie was eight years younger and Carol was twelve years younger.
Sharon attended Walnut Creek Grammar School and then Acalanes High School with a lot of us. Sharon was always fun in school. She was friendly and smiled a lot. In high school she was in the performing modern dance group in her Junior and Senior years. This group put on two shows a year for the community. It was always as well attended as a school football game. She was also in Girls Athletic Association were she participated in the swimming, softball, tennis and other sports. Finally she was involved in a women’s group which raised money for charitable organizations through a Mothers Tea and fashion shows among other things. Sharon was one of the models along with one of her sister’s.
After high school she attended Diablo Valley Junior
College. The college was just starting and she attended classes in temporary tents that were set on the campus. After one year in college she went to work for one of the banks in the Bay Area. Her banking experience helped her for the rest of her life in getting jobs.
Sharon first married Fred Von Bargen who worked for Shell Oil Companies so she got to travel around the country a bite. Sharon had her first child, Kristen, in 1964. Sharon and her family moved to the New York area. Sharon was always a very good hostess and helped her husband succeed with dinner parties and special business events.
Sharon did not like the East Coast living she yearned for the West. So she and her daughter moved back to California were she started working in the Squaw Valley in the Tahoe area. While working she met and married Hewitt Clark. Hewitt was an Architect and developer in the Tahoe area. Sharon had her second child, Christopher, in 1967. Sharon’s family followed Hewitt as his building projects lead him to Hawaii, Carmel and other Western locations.
After awhile time got tough financially and Sharon returned to the Tahoe, Reno areas to find employment. She ended
up working there for the rest of her life.
Sharon’s family had a history of thyroid problems. The complications from this and other health problems finally took her life in 1986. Many of her classmates would have loved to have been able to talk to her one more time.
A Tribute to Sharon Lee Cockburn
Sharon was born in October of 1936 in Sonoma, California. Her father was a Mortician who ran the Walnut Creek Mortuary on Locust Street. She had two younger sisters who she cared about very much. Judie was eight years younger and Carol was twelve years younger.
Sharon attended Walnut Creek Grammar School and then Acalanes High School with a lot of us. Sharon was always fun in school. She was friendly and smiled a lot. In high school she was in the performing modern dance group in her Junior and Senior years. This group put on two shows a year for the community. It was always as well attended as a school football game. She was also in Girls Athletic Association were she participated in the swimming, softball, tennis and other sports. Finally she was involved in a women’s group which raised money for charitable organizations through a Mothers Tea and fashion shows among other things. Sharon was one of the models along with one of her sister’s.
After high school she attended Diablo Valley Junior
College. The college was just starting and she attended classes in temporary tents that were set on the campus. After one year in college she went to work for one of the banks in the Bay Area. Her banking experience helped her for the rest of her life in getting jobs.
Sharon first married Fred Von Bargen who worked for Shell Oil Companies so she got to travel around the country a bite. Sharon had her first child, Kristen, in 1964. Sharon and her family moved to the New York area. Sharon was always a very good hostess and helped her husband succeed with dinner parties and special business events.
Sharon did not like the East Coast living she yearned for the West. So she and her daughter moved back to California were she started working in the Squaw Valley in the Tahoe area. While working she met and married Hewitt Clark. Hewitt was an Architect and developer in the Tahoe area. Sharon had her second child, Christopher, in 1967. Sharon’s family followed Hewitt as his building projects lead him to Hawaii, Carmel and other Western locations.
After awhile time got tough financially and Sharon returned to the Tahoe, Reno areas to find employment. She ended
up working there for the rest of her life.
Sharon’s family had a history of thyroid problems. The complications from this and other health problems finally took her life in 1986. Many of her classmates would have loved to have been able to talk to her one more time.
Thursday, May 28, 2009
A Dialogue
October 2008
“You’re late.”
“I know; I couldn’t help it.
“Why didja havta go and be late? You know how I hate for you to be late.”
“The trip took an hour and twenty minutes. I couldn’t use my cell phone to warn you because I’d be even later. You know the new rules.”
“The beer’s warm, the dinner’s cold, the candles ‘er melted. All my work—wrecked. I wanna leave this mess and go out for dinner. Pretty please.”
“At least you don’t have to clean the house again. May I help you repair the evening? You microwave the dinner, find new candles in the drawer under the counter where I put them last week, and I just happen to have brought cold beer in my little cooler, here.”
“Wow, Sam. Thanks.”
“I brought you something else.”
“You did? What is it? I told you I wanted to stop collecting THINGS.”
“Well, light the candles, sit down, and check this out.”
“Ahhh! The bag is so small. And look at this teeny box. Sam, you didn’t...Oh! There’s my dream ring!”
“I couldn’t help it. The jeweler just happened to have the perfect stone in the perfect setting, just like you described to me from your dream: A huge amethyst set in gold, with a tiny diamond star. Won’t protect us from a quake on the Hayward Fault, but at least it’s pretty. And it doesn’t take up much room. Try it on.”
Tania Hudd Selden
October 2008
“You’re late.”
“I know; I couldn’t help it.
“Why didja havta go and be late? You know how I hate for you to be late.”
“The trip took an hour and twenty minutes. I couldn’t use my cell phone to warn you because I’d be even later. You know the new rules.”
“The beer’s warm, the dinner’s cold, the candles ‘er melted. All my work—wrecked. I wanna leave this mess and go out for dinner. Pretty please.”
“At least you don’t have to clean the house again. May I help you repair the evening? You microwave the dinner, find new candles in the drawer under the counter where I put them last week, and I just happen to have brought cold beer in my little cooler, here.”
“Wow, Sam. Thanks.”
“I brought you something else.”
“You did? What is it? I told you I wanted to stop collecting THINGS.”
“Well, light the candles, sit down, and check this out.”
“Ahhh! The bag is so small. And look at this teeny box. Sam, you didn’t...Oh! There’s my dream ring!”
“I couldn’t help it. The jeweler just happened to have the perfect stone in the perfect setting, just like you described to me from your dream: A huge amethyst set in gold, with a tiny diamond star. Won’t protect us from a quake on the Hayward Fault, but at least it’s pretty. And it doesn’t take up much room. Try it on.”
Tania Hudd Selden
The life and times of ROBERT (BOB) SMITH
After leaving the carefree years at Acalanes behind, I attended J.C. and Cal. Hearing that the ladies liked men in uniform, I joined the submarine reserve while furthering my education. That was a fortuitous decision as, on a whim, I took the 2 ½ day exam in an attempt to win one of two fleet appointments to the Naval Academy that was apportioned to California. It worked and this country boy headed for Annapolis not knowing what was in store.
After graduating from Canoe U. (US Naval Academy) with the class of ’60, I spent a short tour of duty on the Academy staff as an instructor and company officer. Then it was off to Pensacola where I earned my wings of gold in March of ’62. The adventure had just begun.
I elected to fly anti-submarine hunter killer aircraft and had an interesting
6 ½ years on active duty. Flying P2 and P3 patrol aircraft, I saw night turn to day while airborne during the atomic bomb tests in the South Pacific. I danced with the Northern Lights North of Barrow, Alaska just off the Russian coast. I tracked Russian submarines off Okinawa and in the Mediterranean and saw Viet Nam up close and personal.
I completed my active service career as an instructor pilot at Moffett Field in Mountain View, California. Even with all that flying, I still found time to marry a local lady who presented me with two beautiful daughters.
While delivering my best friend’s body to his widow in Texas, I flew in the cockpit of an American Airlines freighter and that hooked me on becoming a commercial airline pilot. In September of ’66 I left active duty and started my career as an American Airlines pilot. The pay was better, the food was certainly a cut above Navy box lunches, we stayed in nicer accommodations and, best of all, nobody shot at us.
Flying as a captain on 727, DC-10, 767 and 757 aircraft I saw a lot of this great country in addition to Mexico, Canada, Germany, France and the Caribbean. For most of the time I was domiciled at SFO and lived in Saratoga and Pleasant Hill. I did transfer to Texas once but couldn’t learn to speak the language and returned to California.
No complaints about my personal life either. Although my first wife, the former Barbara Kaufman (Las Lomas graduate), decided to take early retirement after 24 years of marriage, we had two great children and six wonderful, beautiful and intelligent grandchildren.
I had not planned to remarry, but I found a lady that possessed the two qualities I required in a spouse. She had poor eyesight and was a lousy judge of character. In short, she was one of the few women on earth who could live with a guy like me. Shirley and I met when she was office manager for Dr. Engel, a Walnut Creek dermatologist.
I retired from the Navy with 20 years of combined active and reserve time. And, I left American Airlines in 1996 after 30 years of service. The time seemed right to leave the rat race, move to beautiful Colorado and search for some good fishing holes. While waiting for the fish to bite I reminisce about the good times when Hoky’s was the place to be on a Saturday night. And, I take pride in knowing that, forevermore, I will be a member of the Acalanes class of ’54.
After leaving the carefree years at Acalanes behind, I attended J.C. and Cal. Hearing that the ladies liked men in uniform, I joined the submarine reserve while furthering my education. That was a fortuitous decision as, on a whim, I took the 2 ½ day exam in an attempt to win one of two fleet appointments to the Naval Academy that was apportioned to California. It worked and this country boy headed for Annapolis not knowing what was in store.
After graduating from Canoe U. (US Naval Academy) with the class of ’60, I spent a short tour of duty on the Academy staff as an instructor and company officer. Then it was off to Pensacola where I earned my wings of gold in March of ’62. The adventure had just begun.
I elected to fly anti-submarine hunter killer aircraft and had an interesting
6 ½ years on active duty. Flying P2 and P3 patrol aircraft, I saw night turn to day while airborne during the atomic bomb tests in the South Pacific. I danced with the Northern Lights North of Barrow, Alaska just off the Russian coast. I tracked Russian submarines off Okinawa and in the Mediterranean and saw Viet Nam up close and personal.
I completed my active service career as an instructor pilot at Moffett Field in Mountain View, California. Even with all that flying, I still found time to marry a local lady who presented me with two beautiful daughters.
While delivering my best friend’s body to his widow in Texas, I flew in the cockpit of an American Airlines freighter and that hooked me on becoming a commercial airline pilot. In September of ’66 I left active duty and started my career as an American Airlines pilot. The pay was better, the food was certainly a cut above Navy box lunches, we stayed in nicer accommodations and, best of all, nobody shot at us.
Flying as a captain on 727, DC-10, 767 and 757 aircraft I saw a lot of this great country in addition to Mexico, Canada, Germany, France and the Caribbean. For most of the time I was domiciled at SFO and lived in Saratoga and Pleasant Hill. I did transfer to Texas once but couldn’t learn to speak the language and returned to California.
No complaints about my personal life either. Although my first wife, the former Barbara Kaufman (Las Lomas graduate), decided to take early retirement after 24 years of marriage, we had two great children and six wonderful, beautiful and intelligent grandchildren.
I had not planned to remarry, but I found a lady that possessed the two qualities I required in a spouse. She had poor eyesight and was a lousy judge of character. In short, she was one of the few women on earth who could live with a guy like me. Shirley and I met when she was office manager for Dr. Engel, a Walnut Creek dermatologist.
I retired from the Navy with 20 years of combined active and reserve time. And, I left American Airlines in 1996 after 30 years of service. The time seemed right to leave the rat race, move to beautiful Colorado and search for some good fishing holes. While waiting for the fish to bite I reminisce about the good times when Hoky’s was the place to be on a Saturday night. And, I take pride in knowing that, forevermore, I will be a member of the Acalanes class of ’54.
Saturday, April 25, 2009
Saturday, April 4, 2009
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