Bob Duckette, bobduckett@verizon.net
4528 29th Avenue Circle East
Palmetto, Florida 34221
941-729-8797; 727-409-0053-Cell
Upon graduating from LHS with the rest of you, I sort of just hung around for a few years-was tired of going to school, so decided against college, wanted a new car so bought a '65 GTO, played in a weekend band at Berkey, and waited for the draft to take me away.
January of 66, I got my wish and got drafted. Scheduled to leave on a Tuesday, friends had a going away party the Sunday before (Berkey Bar again) and on the first play of a touch football game, Kenny O'Neil slammed into me as hard as I've ever been hit, fell on my left arm and broke it. 3 month deferment which was enough time for me to get into the National Guard.
Did the 6 months, came back and tried to get into the music business. 20 years later, after hitting 46 states and who knows how many "Holiday Inn type lounges, I tired of the travel and ended up in Florida where my parents had moved when the state bought the infamous "Seward Store".
Part 2 of my employment history consisted of working for other people-20 years of self-employment was enough. I met my wonderful wife Kathy in 1987, we married in '89, celebrating our 20th anniversary this coming November. Worked various jobs-sold real estate for 3 years, did 5 years with Continental Airlines as an 800 operator selling tickets.
With this job, we did allot of great travel-again....three trips to Europe, 5 or 6 to Mexico, many to Vegas, which we still do today every year. Not big time gamblers-Kathy likes the slots and I like the city of Las Vegas, as I played there in my former life and love it there (2nd only to Florida). After 5 years on the phones, I took a job with Verizon doing payphone collections and repairs and on March 21, will celebrate my 11th anniversary doing that. As that industry slowly fades into the sunset, so will my days of being employed by anyone. 63 years old and counting-time to take a break.
Kathy and I are doing great in Palmetto, Florida-just south of Tampa. We recently built a new home and consider this our "last stop" Only two of us living here, but have 4 bedrooms which keeps an open invitation to grandkids and any and all of my friends in Ohio-c'mon down-the pool and spa are heated and the weather is always great!
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YONS HIGH SCHOOL - CLASS OF 1964 - 2009 MEMORY BOOK PAGE 51.