CHAPTER 8:  CIVILIANS AGAIN (1980-2001)

Notice the title of the last chapter covers the years 1971-1980.  When we arrived back in Illinois in January 1971 it was with no expectation that we would remain that long, nor still be here today. 
     We arrived at our new rather large rented house that May Thursday afternoon leaving us a few days to set up housekeeping before I had to report for work on Monday June 2nd.  Unfortunately, my last paycheck had arrived early and was held by our local mail carrier.  Not seeing anyone in a house with a curbside unlocked rural type mailbox he was concerned about protecting us from theft.  Little did he know we needed that money and it caused a bit of scurrying over the weekend to feed ourselves.  Even though I was hired at more money than in the Air Force it was still inadequate for the local area.  Here we were starting a new life and a new career at the bottom of the totem pole after 21 years of marriage.
    I went to work Monday morning and while updating the inventory, moving furniture, and searching for a colleague I actually taught a first year class.  My new found colleague and I spent the remainder of the summer and early fall restructuring the curriculum to meet the needs of an industry moving toward electronic and computer controlled manufacturing.
    We were able to bring structured planning and structured lesson plans to a program sorely in need of such changes. The changes were well received and enrollment which had taken a serious dive prior to our arrival began to soar to the point we were forced to seek an additional colleague so we could double our offering of first year classes.
   At the same time, some improvement in the economy caused our landlord to place the home we were renting up for sale.  Since we realistically realized we could not afford the house we were in, it required we do some quick looking which led to our home of the last 23 years.
This is longer than anyplace we had lived before. My wife insisted that I had not adjusted well to life outside the Air Force but after a dark day in September 1984 I questioned if I would ever be normal again.   It was on that day that we lost our son David, just short of his 19th birthday. It is not normal to bury one's child and every once in a while something pulls the scab off the wound even after all this time.  My greatest regret is that I "died" (my heart was ripped out) with him, ignoring the fact that we still had a wonderful daughter.  For this I will never be able to apologize properly.  She is now my pride and joy and the wonderful mother of the best grandson in the world.  I marvel at her strength in moving from an unpleasant marriage to the situation she finds herself in today.
     My career continued at Moraine Valley as we planned a new tech center and saw the plan come to fruition in Fall 1988. 
    For whatever reason, following loss of our son we fell away from church for some period of time.  I also fell into a depression (perhaps as a result of the untimely death of Mary's cousin and brother where I questioned my mortality) from which the Good God has helped me recover.  The best inspiration during that time came from surprisingly enough my gastroenterologist who commented that what is important is not how much time we have left but what we do with it.  Anyway, our wonderful daughter moved to Florida to share housing and expenses with a friend from this area.  Needless to say we were blown away when at Christmas time 1996 he asked for permission to ask her to marry him.  They were married in August 1997 and after many disappointing years of trying were able to have our first grandchild on January 2, 2003.  Do you think anyone later will believe his birthday is 1/2/3?  Of course he is the smartest little guy in the world and it is apparent even at 18 months that he has inherited his Dad's ability to take things apart and put them back together successfully ( a skill I wish I could learn).  Unfortunately there are times we are sure he has also inherited his mother's disposition (LOL). To backtrack, the year 1994 marked our return to our faith.  A family friend (who also is a nun) offered to come west to say the graveside prayers as we laid Mary's dad to rest joined by her Mom and our son here in Orland Park.
     Sister suggested that we attend mass that Saturday afternoon. Mary quietly explained that we had not been in years. Sister Florence took Mary's hand and said "Come on I'll take you."
Although we had since moved outside parish boundaries it just seemed comfortable to return to the parish we had been at some years before.  We have been back since and I am proud to be part of the choir, assist with the website, and accept a recent appointment to the Pastoral Council.
      By 2001 it had become apparent that times had changed, and maybe I did also, and it was time to go I retired from the college following the summer 2001 term and although I taught a bit part-time following retirement I have finally retired.
       The 1980 event I referred to as a re-tirement.  In other words let's put on new tires and go another 100,000 miles.
        As I sit here wondering how to finish this I realize only the good Lord can do that.  Only he knows what comes next but current plans call for us to visit Florida in August with an expressed purpose of seeking some space of our own to spend more Florida time.  Perhaps someday the move will be permanent.  Until then I will keep busy with this site, the parish website and my duties as newsletter editor and chaplain of Orland Memorial Post 111.  I will also try to get more time in on my small Lionel layout and at the two railroad clubs to which I belong.  Sometimes I wonder how I ever had time to go to work.  I also hope to provide one-on-one exposure to the Internet and computing particularly to those who are missing that connection to the outside world.