Robin and me at Lake Tahoe, June, 2011
Pat, Robin, Kylie and Mariah, South Lake Tahoe, June 2013
Robin and granddaughters, Kylie, Grace, Isabelle, Lauren
Robin and Pat in Dallas, May 2011
Charlie in Dallas Cowboys hat
Gwynn
Gwynn and Papa Pat
Children, Kelly and Ryan
Daughter Amy Hester, Granddaughter Gwynn Hester, and my wife, Robin
Grandson Jack, HS football
Jason Collins in big brother's helmet.

 

 

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Left Japan in late May 1964, just after graduation.  Went to San Leandro, California in the San Francisco East Bay.  Started college that Fall, University of the Pacific, Stockton, California.  Graduated with a BA in History, minor Political Science.  I started Law School in the Fall of 1968, but no longer had a college deferment, so was in the process of being drafted when I decided to enlist in the Army to have a little more control over what I would do in the Army. I entered the Army on August 29, 1969.  Basic Training at Ft. Leonard Wood, Missouri, Advanced Individual Training in Artillery at Ft. Sill, Oklahoma, then off to Combat Engineer Officer's Candidate School at Ft. Belvoir, Virginia.  Commissioned July 30, 1970.

Active Duty assignments:  Aberdeen Proving Grounds, Maryland, Ft. Lee, Virginia, Sacramento Army Depot, California.  Had a year tour in South Korea, July 1972, with 8th US Army, Korea Support Command, Waegwan, South Korea.  DEROS (for those who know what that means) July 10, 1973.  Had my second assignment to Sacramento Army Depot and decided to start law school again in an evening program while still on Active Duty.  Left Active Duty on August 29, 1976, but stayed with the Army Reserve system and then moved over to the California National Guard.

While still on active duty in the Army , I had the good fortune to spend 2 months in Egypt, Lebanon and Jordan.  That was a great experience in which I learned to love the Middle East but also acquired an understanding of the rights and wrongs of all sides in that dangerous region.

I graduated from law school in May 1977, passed the California Bar Exam, and was admitted to practice in December 1977.  While in law school, I was married and we had twin children, a boy and a girl, born Oct. 14, 1975.

I worked for an older lawyer in Roseville, California, for a few years, then practiced law with a friend for a few years.  I enjoyed trial work, both civil and criminal,  and I particularly enjoyed criminal law on the defense side.  Sadly, due to the pressures of school and early law practice, I was divorced in 1979.  Happily, I remarried on April 15, 1983 to a wonderful woman who also had boy - girl twins, the same age as my twins.  The house was full of energy when we had all four of the kids on weekends and in the summer!!

Private law practice was a constant scramble for me, a very structured guy who was concerned with providing a solid basis for my numerous children and wife.  Fortunately, a friend who worked as an attorney for Allstate Insurance called me in February 1984 and said Allstate had an opening in Sacramento for an insurance defense attorney.  Because of my trial experience, I was hired by Allstate on March 12, 1984.

Meantime, I was continuing with the military with the California Army National Guard.  I was assigned as an Intelligence Officer, then a Plans Officer, then as an Operations Officer in the Army Guard.  I helped formulate operations plans that were exercised during the 1980's.  My unit worked with the German Army, in realistic exercises in Germany and in California.  I enjoyed these jobs very much and still maintain friendships with my California National Guard friends and German Army friends.  Of course, we are now all retired from the military!

 My Allstate trial attorney career continued, also.  I was a trial attorney for 11 years with Allstate, then moved into management in 1995.  I managed two small law offices in Northern California until 1997.

My wife, Robin, and I were empty nesters when I was offered a transfer to the Dallas area in May 1997.  We have lived in Coppell, Texas, just northwest of Dallas, near the DFW Airport.  We were excited about our move to Texas.  With all the kids in college, we wanted to explore new places and to travel.  Dallas is centrally located in the US and has a huge airport.  Robin and I love travelling, so we began travelling to a different place every weekend.  We tried to see as much of Texas and the surrounding states as possibly.  We went back to California often, up to the Seattle area since a daughter moved there, get to the East Coast occasionally, and were able to get to England a few times..  We still enjoy travelling.  In a state as big as Texas, we still have much to see.

Robin retired in 2001.  She is now enjoying volunteer work with our church and other organizations, and loves her friends in the Coppell Women's Club.  I am still working, currently as Texas Managing Attorney for Allstate.  I still love trial work, but now the best part of my job is bringing along young Allstate attorneys, helping them become good trial lawyers, and helping them achieve their career goals.   I do not know when I will retire, but it will be a difficult decision for me to leave a job that gives me the satisfaction of helping others.

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