Stephen Kochis
The most recent photo of Steve.
Biography of Steve Kochis
Well, I spent the first year post SPH working at Kroger’s and partying. Jim Mack and I decided to join the Navy the following fall. I spent the next six years in various schools (2 yrs) and served on board a nuclear submarine as a missile technician the remaining 4 years. During the time in the Navy I married Betty (Reineck) and we had a Daughter, Jeri, born in New London, Conn. and a Son Randy, born in Honolulu. This was a great 6 years. We spent nearly 4 of them in Hawaii.
When I got out of the service in Oct. ‘67, I decided to use the GI Bill benefits and go to school. I started out in engineering but one night, late in my sophomore year, I found myself sitting on the floor of a chemistry lab staring at a beaker of clear liquid attempting to conduct a quantitative/qualitative analysis. I remember thinking "I hate this stuff and there nothing but more of it ahead." I had also reached my mental capacity, insofar as math goes, in calculus.....(thanks to Peggy Kramer, I made it through algebra..thanks Peggy : )). So I did a quick bit of vocational counseling on myself and decided to give psychology a go. Well,m I wound up majoring in it at BGSU. I discovered that there is not much one can do with a B.A. in psych, so I entered grad school in the school counselor program. During this time I started volunteering at a local drop-in center for adolescents. We had another daughter in 1969, Michelle. I was working part time as a machinist/elec. maint. in several plants and shops around Norwalk during this time as well. Betty was working full time, so we shared taking care of the kids responsibilities depending on who was home and when......what a crazy several years, now that I think about it. Anyway, at some point in time I was asked if I would accept the Director position at the drop in center, which I did. This tie in with the county mental health board and system eventually led to a job at the Huron Co. Mental Health Center. This is what I really wanted to do in the first place, so I dropped out of grad school and worked at the center full time.
We got divorced in 1974. The mental health center lost its contract to provide services in 1978. It was a terrible experience and the new agency asked me to come on board which I declined due to the manner in which it came into existence and the folks involved with the whole transition. What now?, I asked myself. Well I wallowed in self pity for as long as I could, then finally went back to work as a machinist.
Working as a machinist eventually led to working as a service engineer, at Stein inc. in Sandusky. Stayed there 15 yrs. and retired in 2003. That job turned out to be probably the best one. It required a combination of virtually all the knowledge and experience gleaned from all my past jobs and education. Plus, I got to travel all over the world and enjoy all that involves and get paid tooooo!
After two yrs. of retirement, I found a part time job that quickly turned into full time van driving Huron Co. Vets to the VA Hosp. in Cleveland 5 days a week and I love it!
I am now a grandfather of 4. My kids live in Fla. and Las Vegas. Michelle works in an IT department with a large healthcare lab. Jeri Lynn and family live in Vegas. Randy is married to Magi and works for a software developer in Vegas.
That's about it. So much for being a "mini" bio. Still single, still workin' and still riding.
Over all, it's been and continues to be a great ride!
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