Paul Steward

Well, here we are 40 years from 1961. It's amazing how quickly the time has passed. One thing hasn't changed though; I'm still a procrastinator. While working on this bio I've been remembering some of the rationalizations I used for not getting an early start on term papers. But I've put it off long enough, so here we go.

I never did take high school seriously, and because of that, I received an empty envelope (no diploma) when I went through graduation ceremony with our class. I had to take a 5-credit class during the summer of 1961 to get my diploma. That fall I enrolled at IVC and found out that I was really tired of school. I dropped out after one semester (unbelievably stupid move). In 1962 I began working for Imperial Irrigation District and married my high school sweetheart. We had two daughters, Debbie, born in 1963 and Dawn, in 1964. To support our growing family, I began working a second job as projectionist at local theatres. By 1965 it became painfully obvious that my chosen partner and I were not, and never would be, right for each other. We divorced soon afterwards.

Somewhere along the way, I discovered that evening work allowed a lot of time to play, so I quit the IID job and mostly bummed around and partied the next five years. By 1970 I thought I had it all together. I met and married an Imperial girl (Harriet Butcher). I worked days selling supplies to beauty shops and continued working nights at theatres. In 1971 I was blessed with my third child, a daughter (Tuesday Lynn). The marriage began to sour a couple of years later. Not wanting to admit failure, I stayed in that marriage nearly ten years. It's not much fun to look back and see what a slow learner I was about the really important things in life, but then, I'll bet a lot of us made some choices that we cringe to think about now.

It was 1980 before I began to think about what I really wanted in my future and what to do with the rest of my life to achieve my goals. Recently divorced, I quit the theatre job and enrolled at IVC for spring semester. I found my calling in water treatment technology. In a few months I acquired my state certificate and began working for the City of El Centro water treatment facility. I am still working there, but I plan to retire in three years to be able to accomplish some personal goals. In July of 1980, I married my soul mate, Diana Roughton. We had met a few years earlier, when we both worked for the same theatre. The first year of our marriage, I lived and worked in El Centro while Diana stayed in San Francisco to finish her last year at SFSU. After graduation, she returned home to teach in the El Centro school district, and I continued classes at IVC to attain an A.S. degree. The past 20+ years have been the happiest and most productive of my life.

Since 1981, we have traveled extensively during the summer months, visiting Australia, New Zealand, Tahiti, Fiji, Italy, Greece, Germany, Jamaica, Turkey, Canada, Mexico, and several U.S. destinations. A trip to China is planned for July this year. In 1987, we bought a small vacation house in Puertecitos, Baja California Norte, where we try to spend three weeks a year.

My fourth (and LAST) daughter, Summer, was born in 1988. I am constantly surprised at the difference in my perspective of parenthood between my first child and my last. So many priorities have changed. Summer is now attending Wilson School, where most of us spent our Junior High time 45 years ago.

Born in El Centro, I lived there continuously until August 5, 2000, when we moved to rural Imperial. I wanted more space, Diana wanted peace and quiet, and Summer wanted her horse (Hopsing). I guess we all got what we wanted. My family and I have been blessed with love, good health and rewarding work. I now have five grandchildren. Three are girls, two are boys.

It has been terrific to read all the bios. Let's see more of them. Many thanks to you Jan, for helping start this and keeping us on task. I'm looking forward to our reunion and to more Bio's.

Paul Steward

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Subject: Paul Steward's Something Fun

1. LIVING ARRANGEMENT?

A wife, a teenage daughter, two cats, two Golden Retrievers and an umbrella

Cockatoo.

2. WHAT BOOK ARE YOU READING NOW?

Don't Sweat the Small Stuff by Richard Carlson.

3. WHAT'S ON YOUR MOUSE PAD?

Water conserving toilets floating over Los Angeles.

4. FAVORITE BOARD GAME?

Cribbage.

5. FAVORITE MAGAZINE?

Bottom Line.

6a. FAVORITE SMELLS?

My lady's hair fresh out of the shower.

6b. LEAST FAVORITE SMELLS?

Cigarette smoke. (We reformed smokers complain the most about smoking)

7. FAVORITE SOUND?

Giggling children.

8. WORST FEELING IN THE WORLD.

Not being able to help a child in pain.

9. WHAT IS THE FIRST THING YOU THINK OF WHEN YOU WAKE UP IN THE MORNING?

How much longer until Friday?

10. FAVORITE COLOR?

Blue.

11. HOW MANY RINGS BEFORE YOU ANSWER THE PHONE?

Sometimes I let it ring just so I don't feel like the telephone controls me.

12. FUTURE CHILD'S NAME?

There will be no more children in my life.

13. WHAT IS MOST IMPORTANT IN LIFE?

Love and family.

14. FAVORITE FOODS?

Tacos.

15. CHOCOLATE OR VANILLA?

Vanilla.

16. DO YOU LIKE TO DRIVE FAST?

No! I finally grew up.

17. DO YOU SLEEP WITH A STUFFED ANIMAL?

Sometimes she's an animal, but she's never stuffed.

18. STORMS - COOL OR SCARY?

Cool!

19. WHAT TYPE WAS YOUR FIRST CAR?

A 1940 Chevrolet.

20. IF YOU COULD MEET ONE PERSON DEAD OR ALIVE?

Leonardo Da Vinci.

21. FAVORITE ALCOHOLIC DRINK?

Rum and Coca cola.

22. WHAT IS YOUR ZODIAC SIGN?

Aries. (The old goat)

23. DO YOU EAT THE STEMS OF BROCCOLI?

Yes, I eat it all..

24. IF YOU COULD HAVE ANY JOB YOU WANTED WHAT WOULD IT BE?

I love the job I have, but I haven't always known what I wanted.

25. IF YOU COULD DYE YOUR HAIR ANY COLOR?

Why dye?

26. EVER BEEN IN LOVE?

Yes, and it gets better every day.

27. IS THE GLASS HALF EMPTY OR HALF FULL?

Half full.

28. FAVORITE MOVIES:

Something about Mary, Incredible Journey.

29. DO YOU TYPE WITH YOUR FINGERS ON THE RIGHT KEYS?

No, I'm a two fingered typist.

30. WHAT'S UNDER YOUR BED?

Six square yards of dusty carpet.

31. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE NUMBER?

Seventeen.

32. FAVORITE SPORT TO WATCH?

Football.

33. IF YOU COULD ASK ANY QUESTION ABOUT HIGH SCHOOL IN GENERAL, WHAT WOULD IT BE?

Why was the cafeteria food so awful?

34. HIGH SCHOOL REGRETS?

That I wasted so many years by not applying myself to obtaining an education.

35. HOBBIES:

Securities investment, travel, and silversmithing.

Paul Steward