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The
following email from Bob Kirchhoff in Venezuela was posted at the
February 24, 2001 reunion.
| Subj: Brief
sketch for the reunion (Bob Kirchhoff) Date: 2/18/2001 5:28:56 PM Eastern Standard Time From: Bob.Kirchhoff@petrozuata.com (Kirchhoff, Bob) To: Bob In the following you will find a brief sketch of the last 40 years since St. Anthony. Hola! St. Anthony H.S. 40th Reunion, I am writing you from Puerta la Cruz, Venezuela where my wife, Shirley, and I currently live and work. Am real sorry couldn't make the reunion, we just got back from our Christmas trip to Colorado in January and only found out about the reunion 2 weeks back because of the efforts in tracking ex-classmates down. After graduating in 1961, went to Western Michigan for 1 semester, traveled to Nevada July 1962 and for the next 3 years lived in Reno, Las Vegas, and California while working on my Degree. Finally in May 65 when the money ran out again went back to EG&G Inc working full and part time while completing my degree - graduated from UNLV when it was still Nevada Southern University, in 1968 (Math). During this period began dating Shirley (we just celebrated our 34th wedding anniversary). We met, married, and had our three children in Las Vegas, NV before accidentally getting into the oil business. Took my first 'oil field job' back in 1974. I was working on a Masters in Business when a headhunter came around looking for real-time Systems Engineers. This appealed to me since had originally gotten into real time computers while working for EG&G Inc(1962-3&1965-74). That job took me to Libya, No. Africa. Shirley and the kids lived in Malta the first year, but then moved to Tripoli. We stayed (Nov. 80) practically until they kicked us Americans out (that happened in 1982). The 6 year stay in Libya was like living inside a History Book -going from a mostly free market system (lots of import/export businesses and commerce) to a total socialist state where everything was taken over by the Government down to the smallest mom & pop grocery stores. At the end of 1980, signed on with Conoco (Continental Oil Company) in Houston and have been with them ever since -celebrated my 20th last December. I'm a Staff Engineer and continue to Engineer and build Real Time Process Control and Monitoring systems for Oil field application in Conoco owned or partnered facilities. First came to Maracaibo, Venezuela in March, 1996 to start on the Petrozuata Project. Shirley has a Master's in English; but, she stayed behind to do her teacher certification so she could teach here. She subsequently taught at Escuela Bella Vista in Maracaibo until we moved to Puerta la Cruz in 1999. She is currently teaching at Escuela de las Americas. Her Spanish is much better than mine, which is limited to Si! No! (it's the same in any language), gracias, and Buenos (good). Oh, and hola (hi). Over the past 26 years, have worked internationally in Libya(6years), Egypt(1), Dubai(2), Scotland(2), Bahrain, and Venezuela(5), and also worked in Texas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, California, and Alaska. The work in Egypt and Dubai above occurred while the family stayed in Texas during the 80s. Our kids were with us in Libya, but we stayed so long in Kingwood, Texas (1980-91), our two older ones were in university by the time we were transferred to Oklahoma, the youngest was in college when we were moved to Alaska. Reading between the lines 6 of the moves have occurred over the past ten years. Our son, Robert, is an attorney in Houston. He has a house and a dog. Our daughter, Christine, is a civil engineer in Austin; she just began her Master's in engineering. She rents a house and has a dog. Our daughter, Stefani, will complete her Master's in Public Health at the University of Texas Medical Center in Houston in May, and is currently searching for a position as an industrial hygienist. She rents a house and has a dog and three cats. Colorado? In 1978, took Shirley to Colorado to visit my godparents. She fell in love with the Rockies, so we bought a house in Colorado Springs. We never lived in that house, and sold it last spring, when we decided to buy our "retirement home" in Monument, CO, 17 miles north of Colorado Springs. We plan to move in the summer of 2002. So, if you're heading out West in the future, be sure to e-mail and plan to stop by. Hope this rambling sketch helps catch you all up with the 40 years since St. Anthony. A number of you keep in touch my sister June Kirchhoff Marlett who also graduated from St. Anthony(1962). Again wish you all the best, please feel free to call or drop by if you are in the neighborhood. Current address/phones/email: Bob and Shirley Kirchhoff |
