St Paul Catholic School
SPHS Class of 1959
Classmates
Robert Stechschulte
Comments
While in high school, Fred Pirochta, Tom Mehrens, and I decided to go to Ferris Institute in Big Rapids. We all did and we all graduated. I got an Associates of Science Degree in Printing and worked for The Saginaw Valley Advertiser in St. Charles, Clinton County Republican in St Johns, and Delano Printing Service in Allegan before deciding to go back to Ferris and get a Bachelors Degree in Education. Then I worked for Crest Inc, in Owosso, Watson Printing in Traverse City, and Ferris State College. I taught for one year in the Detroit Public Schools and that made me decide I didn't really want to teach at the high school level. So I went to work for Edwards Brothers, book printers, in Ann Arbor for 3 years, the Wilton Co. in Grand Rapids for 1 year and finally Burroughs Corporation for 5 years. While working for Burroughs in Traverse City I got a call from Ferris State University and was asked to teach printing management for them. I took the position and stayed with them for 23 years until retiring at age 55 in 1996. I was in educational administration for the last 17 years after finishing a Masters Degree at Central Michigan University and attending the University of Michigan and Michigan State. I was on the Advisory Board to The Public Printer in Washington D.C., the president of the Grand Rapids Litho Club, the president of the Northwestern Michigan Club of Printing House Craftsmen, and Exalted Ruler of the BPOE Elks Lodge in Big Rapids.
In 1963 I married Carroline Robinson and we had three children. Mary Pat was born in 1965, Steven Paul in 1967 and Amy Elizabeth in 1969. We divorced in 1972. In 1975 I married Nancy Stickels and we were happily married for 33 years. Nancy died in 2008. I have six grandchildren; Mary Pat and Bill Compagnari live in Traverse City and have three children, Robert, Kyle, and Katie. Steven Paul and Kathy live in San Antonio and have a daughter, Sarah. Amy lives in St Johns and has two daughters, Emily and Allison. Emily had a baby girl, Natalie, in April of 2014 at which time I became a great grandfather.
For many years Nancy, the kids, and I enjoyed camping. When the kids grew up and left Nancy and I enjoyed traveling to Europe, Central America and have taken several cruises. When we retired, both from Ferris, we moved to Hilton Head Island, South Carolina, and then we moved to North Port, Florida. We have remodeled two homes and built 6 new homes. Nancy was a collector and author of a book on Detroit Publishing Company Post Cards. I enjoy bike riding. In 2012 I moved to Venice, Florida and am enjoying retirement. I walked to the bottom of the Grand Canyon in 2013 with my son, Steven. I have a good friend here in Venice, Ruth Hicks.
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