Robert Lindquist

What have I been doing for the last 50 years?? It almost seems like a blur, they have gone by so quickly, but here goes.

After graduating DMHS, I spent four years at Lehigh University picking up a degree in Engineering and a commission as an officer in the US Army. I received orders for active duty and an assignment in Korea, but didn't like that idea too much, so requested a delay, and started work as a research engineer at Maxwell House Coffee in Hoboken, where I met my first wife, Florence. Got married a year later, and received a new assignment with the Army, this time to Germany, where I spent the next two and a half years. Here was a kid who had never been farther away from NJ than Washington DC, and now found himself 3000 miles away, with a wife, and shortly thereafter, a son, Rob.

While on leave in Paris, my wife and I were doing the obligitory visit to the Louvre, and was about to take a picture of the Mona Lisa, when a voice from behind me says "M'sieur, you are not allowed to take pictures here", and turning around, found the voice belonged to Bob Hunter, who was taking some time off from his studies at the London School of Economics, and was bumming around Europe.

A few months later, while in Stuttgart, Germany to see a ballet, my wife and I ran into Ray Albers, who when I mentioned it to him, 45 years later, recalls nothing of the meeting. Oh, well.

My assignment in Europe was a great experience, and established a lifelong pattern of travel to many countries throughout the world, both for business and for pleasure. After returning home, went back to work as a research engineer for a few years, then changed jobs and industries, moving into the cosmetic industry. Had two more kids along the way, Lise and Rick, before transferring to Cincinnati as an engineering manager operation and spent five years there before changing jobs once more and moving to Los Angeles with Max Factor Cosmetics. I had done some international traveling with other companies, but it was with this job that I did some heavy duty international travel.

I had always dreamed of being a pilot, but my eyesight kept me out of the Air Force, so did the next best thing & got myself a private pilot's license and then, thanks to the GI Bill, picked up a commercial pilot's license, which allowed me to get a weekend "job," towing banners up and down the beaches of Southern California. It was a real kick!!.

Got divorced in 1986, remarried, then lost my second wife, Valerie, to cancer, was single for two years, and remarried (can't be without a woman in my life) for a third time to my current wife, Karen, six years ago

I have been a collector of primitive art, starting off when I purchased a piece of "carved log" in the Phillipines, which turned out to be a depiction of a local "rice god", a fertility symbol used to assure a good rice crop. Well, that single piece has grown into a collection of over 120 pieces from all over the world. Most of them are hung on the walls of every room in the house. Karen wants tom ove to a bigger house, since we are quickly running out of wall space. No way Jose.... The only way I'll move again is to go out the door feet first!

Ended up as Vice President of Operations for several west coast cosmetic companies, then took an early retirement at age 59, sold the house in LA, and moved to Flagstaff AZ, where I have been living happily for the last eight years. Karen and I spend lots of our time traveling, and plan to continue doing so, as long as our health holds out.

I've spoken to many of you over the last year as part of my work with the reunion committee, to the extent that my wife jokingly said "you don't need to go to the reunion, you've already spoken to everyone" True, but I wouldn't miss it... I want to see if I recognize any of you !!!