Jim Pierce

Note: The above web address is not my web page but a link to my picture gallery. Enjoy.

August 2015

Fifty years since CHS

Family: Charlene and I met at the first OSU computer dance in 1966. She was an artist and adventurer. We married in 1968. Lisa was born June 1969 as my graduation present. Triplet boys (Eric, David & Aaron) were born Feb. 1971… Whew, quite a surprise. David died of SIDS as an infant. Aaron drowned in the McKenzie in the summer of 2004 at age 33. Charlene left in 1998, but we are still friends.

Lisa and Don Rainer have two sons, Devon (Jan 1998, for my fiftieth birthday) and Justin (Sept. 2000, Labor Day). They live near Portland, so Grandpa Jim gets to visit them often. Eric lives in Salem and has three children. Ian (August 1996), finished high school in May of 2013 and Marine boot camp in Dec. 2013. Austin (Oct. 1999) and Charisma (March 2002). They have all finished high school and post high school training of one sort or another. They are all out on their own and Grandpa Jim is proud of them.

Work: After CHS I got a degree in Chemical Engineering from OSU. I started night school MBA, but decided that family was more important. We spent three years in South Carolina fixing Celanese’s cellulose acetate plants. (The plant that employed over 2000 is now a housing development.) Then a year in Upstate New York building a GE silicone rubber plant.

I spent 34 years designing and building resin plants (for plywood and particle board) and formaldehyde plants all over North America while living in Eugene. You would think we would know how to do it by now, but things keep changing!! I retired in 2008 and don’t know how I had time to work…

Activities: The Love, Wonder and Grace of Mother Earth are enshrined in my gardening, hiking and mountain climbing adventures. Jogging, biking, swimming and stretches keep me in shape. I appreciate other places and cultures through travels and many exchange students and families. Space and other worlds (especially Mars) have always drawn me... it sharpens my interest in science, technology and the destiny of mankind… and DNA Life. Now I spend time writing my stories and philosophy… I know, weird for an engineer. My first book, Going UP was published in March of 2013. It is a collection of my Cascade Mountain climbing stories. Contact me if you want to have a free copy emailed to you.

Of course I have been involved in several organizations… Engineering organizations, space organizations, hiking, and outdoor organizations… to name a few. Since 1990 I have tried to keep track of the 500 Classmates on the CHS class list. It has been FUN… You are all grand and forward looking folks. Thanks for sharing your lives with me. After 30 years I passed this job on to Mike Franklin.

Wow, I need to think about that a while :-)
Okay, I'm still thinking :-)
Heck, it has been ten years and I'm still thinking.
There are soooooo many fond memories.
It was a goooood time :-)

I/we enjoy seeing and sharing with all of you at the annual CHS-All 60's gathering. See you in August.