Hauptmann Kauffman
February 1st, 2008, 12:05 AM
My grandfather’s life
As I look at my grandfather, I can see how, against impossible odds, he rose above the challenges and the turmoil he was born into, to become a very successful contributor to society. He always strived to achieve the highest goal possible, and never gave up. No matter how bleak things look. From the very early years of his life, to the present day, he always did his best.
The Early Years
My grandfather was born in 1938 In Boulder, Colorado. There were 5 children in his family, his dad worked in a fluorspar mine in a small mountain town called Jamestown. His earliest memory is of playing behind the log cabin that he lived in with his three brothers. There was no running water and no electricity in the cabin. When he was ten, the family moved to the Skokomish Valley near Shelton. They lived there until he was 16. He worked during this time setting chokers, picking roots, blowing stumps, working in the hay, and in a grocery store. By the time he was 16, all his hard work had paid off; he could buy his own car, and did so. It was a 1949 Chevrolet. Grandpa graduated from high school when he was seventeen and joined the air force. By the time he was eighteen, he was in Okinawa maintaining nuclear weapons throughout the Far East. He traveled to Japan, Korea, and other countries in the region.
Middle Age Years
When grandpa got out of the air force at 21, he worked for awhile in a plywood factory and then started college. He went to college for eight years, and worked his hardest, finishing with a PHD in Business Finance. He worked for a construction company and as a night watchman to pay for college. He worked full time and went to school full time. After finishing his studies, he moved to Alaska to teach there. By then, he was married and had two daughters. He taught in Alaska, Canada, and Hong Kong before he was fifty. He lived in Alaska for twenty years. During this time, he taught at the University Of Alaska and worked as an investor for the State of Alaska as well as a consultant for native corporations. During this period, he learned to sail and has since sailed across the Pacific several times and off the coast of South America. When he was fifty five, the family moved to Olympia and he taught business management and maritime topics at Evergreen State College. He skippered the college Annapolis 44 Yawl until he retired. He has a 100 ton USCG Masters License. Even after he had achieved all of these amazing things, he strove to be an even more active, accomplished person.
Senior Years
The family lived on five acres off Delphi Road in Olympia. His daughter and I lived in a small cottage and grandpa and grandma lived in a house nearby. Grandma died in 2002 of cancer and shortly after that, we moved into Olympia near Capital High School where we still live. Today he serves as the master of different boats and is a Captain in the Olympia Police Harbor Patrol, helping to improve that organization. He carves wooden masks, and writes poetry. He is now one of the three commanders of the Olympia Harbor Patrol with Twelve Captains and Twenty crew members under him. He is the training officer for the Harbor Patrol. After all these years, he hasn’t stopped, and I doubt he ever will. He strives to accomplish everything possible for him, no matter what the odds. And I have no doubt in my mind that I will be exactly like him, and do my best in every field to be the best I can be. Thank You.
As I look at my grandfather, I can see how, against impossible odds, he rose above the challenges and the turmoil he was born into, to become a very successful contributor to society. He always strived to achieve the highest goal possible, and never gave up. No matter how bleak things look. From the very early years of his life, to the present day, he always did his best.
The Early Years
My grandfather was born in 1938 In Boulder, Colorado. There were 5 children in his family, his dad worked in a fluorspar mine in a small mountain town called Jamestown. His earliest memory is of playing behind the log cabin that he lived in with his three brothers. There was no running water and no electricity in the cabin. When he was ten, the family moved to the Skokomish Valley near Shelton. They lived there until he was 16. He worked during this time setting chokers, picking roots, blowing stumps, working in the hay, and in a grocery store. By the time he was 16, all his hard work had paid off; he could buy his own car, and did so. It was a 1949 Chevrolet. Grandpa graduated from high school when he was seventeen and joined the air force. By the time he was eighteen, he was in Okinawa maintaining nuclear weapons throughout the Far East. He traveled to Japan, Korea, and other countries in the region.
Middle Age Years
When grandpa got out of the air force at 21, he worked for awhile in a plywood factory and then started college. He went to college for eight years, and worked his hardest, finishing with a PHD in Business Finance. He worked for a construction company and as a night watchman to pay for college. He worked full time and went to school full time. After finishing his studies, he moved to Alaska to teach there. By then, he was married and had two daughters. He taught in Alaska, Canada, and Hong Kong before he was fifty. He lived in Alaska for twenty years. During this time, he taught at the University Of Alaska and worked as an investor for the State of Alaska as well as a consultant for native corporations. During this period, he learned to sail and has since sailed across the Pacific several times and off the coast of South America. When he was fifty five, the family moved to Olympia and he taught business management and maritime topics at Evergreen State College. He skippered the college Annapolis 44 Yawl until he retired. He has a 100 ton USCG Masters License. Even after he had achieved all of these amazing things, he strove to be an even more active, accomplished person.
Senior Years
The family lived on five acres off Delphi Road in Olympia. His daughter and I lived in a small cottage and grandpa and grandma lived in a house nearby. Grandma died in 2002 of cancer and shortly after that, we moved into Olympia near Capital High School where we still live. Today he serves as the master of different boats and is a Captain in the Olympia Police Harbor Patrol, helping to improve that organization. He carves wooden masks, and writes poetry. He is now one of the three commanders of the Olympia Harbor Patrol with Twelve Captains and Twenty crew members under him. He is the training officer for the Harbor Patrol. After all these years, he hasn’t stopped, and I doubt he ever will. He strives to accomplish everything possible for him, no matter what the odds. And I have no doubt in my mind that I will be exactly like him, and do my best in every field to be the best I can be. Thank You.