After graduation, some schooling, some partying , and some traveling, The Air Force brought me to California in the early 70's.  After realizing the military was not for me, I escaped, met a hometown girl, and got married all in 76.  I landed here in Northern California in a little town called Sutter, pop. 2000, a rural community at the base of the "Sutter Buttes"- the smallest mountain range in the world.

My wife, Letha and I have been married 32 years with three kids and one grandson.  Christopher Lee, 30 works in Sacramento for Sierra West Insulation as a production manager and salesman.  He also coaches at a local youth wrestling club, Yuba-Sutter Combat.  His boy Logan, who is 11, won the California State Championship in 07 in Greco-Roman and placed 4th in Freestyle. They went to Nationals in Green Bay and placed 4th and 5th respectively.  In the off season, Chris runs in destruction derby's in the local area with his buddies. 

Deanna Mae 29, our middle daughter graduated from Chico State in 2003 with a business degree and is a store manager for Walgreen's Drug Stores in Sac.  She and her beau, Matt  just bought a condo and are busy making improvements.  They also travel throughout the state on the constant quest for that perfect picture.  www.blaisdellphoto.com. 

Cassandra Lynn, our third is 24 and in Simi Valley, (LA area), attending E.A.T.M. - Exotic Animal Training Management.   www.moorparkcollege.edu/eatm/.  Cassie has the orangutan in the 08 individual pics. She will be graduating in May.  She's been an animal lover from day one bringing home stray puppies and kittens.  From 4-H to FFA, lambs, hogs, and steers, rabbits, pot-bellied pigs, rats, guinea pigs, turtles, birds, our house was home to all, except the steer.  Cassie has worked in vet clinics, animal adoption and rescue, and as a vet tech while going to school.  Recently, she was on the Ellen DeGeneress Show with Jack Hanna and a 600 lb. tortise.  They were also on Larry King Live with a group of animals.

For the last 28 years, I've been employed at a local high  school district as a maint. man/groundskeeper/school bus driver.  Hopefully, the next 6 years will slide by quickly so we can join the ranks of the retired with more time for gardening, golfing, and cruising on the motorcycle.

My wife, Letha is a homemaker and arts and crafts person.  She paints gourds, crochets, knits, makes Christmas wreaths, does home-canning, and shows her houseplants at the local county fairs.  I show the fruits and vegetables.  We also enjoy traveling the state, especially to the coast.  We try to make most of Logan's wrestling and football contests.

We did attend the Centennial in Lemmon last summer and also did Sturgis.  Missed the 10 year reunion, but made the 20th, missed the 30th, and not quite sure yet about the 40th.  Time will tell. Are we getting older or wiser?       coats.c@sbcglobal.net