Bloom,+Ray

4820 Green Hill Ct. Anacortes, WA 98221 360 293-8550 ray.bloom@comcast.net
 * Ray Bloom**

**1969: **Graduated from WSU in 1964 with BS in Civil Engineering.  Received commission in Navy and served 3 ½ years in a Seabee Battalion.  Returned to school and got a MS in Civil Engineering at Stanford in Dec. 1968.  Now working as project engineer on a road building job in Petersburg, Alaska.  Still a bachelor.

**1999: **My life is an example of sameness: · Same wonderful wife, Carolyn, 30 years this December and the best thing that ever happened to me. She retired from teaching this year. Was a senior English teacher. I am reminded that I received my worst grade in high school from Miss Cady in senior English. Carolyn also supervised the Senior Prom each year. Even though my high school social accomplishments were marginal, I have now attended 18 Senior Proms.  · Same great kids—Ed, 28, is a family practice doctor in his third year of residency. Steve, 26, is a fourth year medical student. No daughters-in-law or grandkids (they do not seem to be necessarily connected anymore), but we haven’t given up.  · Same job—consulting civil engineer in Ketchikan. Have a small firm with a couple partners. Plan to retire next year.  · Same house. Bought it when we moved to Ketchikan 21 years ago.  · Same favorite pastime, cruising on our boat whenever weather and time permit.
 * 1979:** A few weeks after our last reunion, I met Carolyn Williams, a school teacher, in Petersburg, Alaska, where I was working for a road builder. We married four months later and are now the proud parents of Ed, 8 years old and Steve, who is 6. We moved from Petersburg to Juneau, lived there three and a half years and left Alaska for good by moving to Kennewick, Washington, where I worked on a nuclear power plant. After commuting 25 miles each way for four years, we decided Alaska wasn't so bad and moved to Ketchikan. Here, I commute six blocks to an office overlooking the waterfront, where I work for a consulting engineering firm. Carolyn says she has moved enough, so I think we will be here for a long time.

I sold my interest in our engineering business in 2000, but continued to work there part time when not traveling or boating.
 * 2009:**

Since Ketchikan got about 160 inches of rain a year, when we moved to Anacortes in 2002, it was like moving to a desert. After arriving in Anacortes, I continued to work part time in Alaska and went up there about once a month until giving it up after about three years.

Carolyn and I love Anacortes. I always thought if we left Alaska, we would move to Mount Vernon, but have never regretted moving here. It is a beautiful small town with many recreation opportunities for “Seniors”.

The best part of living in Anacortes is the fact that after we moved here, both our sons ended up relocating to Bellingham. Both of them are blessed with warm and gracious wives and each of them has given us three wonderful grandchildren, who now range in age from six months to seven years old. We are fortunate to be part of their lives and are able to see them every week or two.

