The BULLETIN CONVAIR ALUMNI ASSOCIATION, Inc. 3694 Leland St, San Diego, CA 92106-1003

Founded November 1970 4 April 2017

Regular Meeting – 21 February Board Meeting – 10 a.m. Program 11:45, Lunch 12:10 Entertainment:12:20 p.m., Drawing: about 1:30

April 18th --- Lynn Christian & Ray Spenser

THE BOARD

President Virginia Cobb

(619) 619-988-3589 vcmateja@aol.com

1st Vice President, Chaplain Jack Moreno

(760) 855-7996 jackwmoreno@aol.com

2nd Vice President Kathy Weathers

(858) 586-1417 KathyBAE@PacBell.net Recording Secretary Fredi Martinez

(619) 272=8008

Fredi@san.rr.com

Membership Secretary Dick Gilbert

3694 Leland St. SD CA 92106-1003 (619) 223-8848

Treasurer Mike Dutcher (619) 583-3962

Director Tabby Tabadisto

(858) 549-7203

Director Russ Hessler (858) 405-7207

russel.hessler@gmail.com

Director Leo Lipec

(619) 464-4920

COMMITTEE CHAIRS Benevolence & Lunch Mgr Leo Lipec

(619) 464-4920 Program Ted Berak (619) 281-2823 Russ Hessler (858) 405-7207 Historian Elisa Signorelli Elisasig45@gmail.com Restoration

Open Scholarship Marilyn Kistler

(619) 447-4204 Dick Gilbert

(619) 223-8848 Bob Johnston

(619) 465-1367 List Administrator Jim Arnott listadmin@convairalumni.org (541) 562-4002 Durable Medical Equipment & Drawing Bill & Doris Harger

(619) 659-8961 dme@convairalumni.org

Mail Preparation Dick Gilbert (619) 223-8848 Travel & Padres Baseball Carl Cobb (619) 203-2062 Christmas Party Chet Young (619) 465-0567

President’s Message – Virginia Cobb Goodbye to March and all of its madness and welcome April. Although April 1 referred to as “April Fools Day” is not a public holiday in any country, but it is celebrated globally! The origin is fuzzy and some say it started to mark the changing of the seasons, while other historians say it is tied to 16th century France, when the calendars were changed to mark the first day of the New Year from April 1 to January 1.Many adults hate this holiday but those folks that love pranks and trickery keep April fools day alive. Even Burger King advertised a Left Handed Burger in honor of April Fools Day. The only day of the year one may not get fired from the job for playing a prank on their boss. We had fun at our March luncheon, even though our bulletin was mailed late by the mail house and some of us did not receive the bulletin until the day before, the day and the day after the meeting…sorry about that. Dick Gilbert will straighten that issue away with the mail house. We had 72 members and friends at the March meeting and the room was filled with green, laughter and music. Talk about the good food…the corned beef was tasty and moist and with sweet cabbage..the salmon was grilled to perfection, all I have to say is Wow! It was he best luncheon food this year. Thank you Larry, for the good food with the beautiful venue. We have many sports that we all participate and enjoy. Even though it may just be as a couch potato or spectator. we advertise our sport of choice or team when we wear hats, shirts or other apparel. Some of us own all of the gear and continue to play or compete; like Dick Gilbert is a bicycler, Carl Cobb is a snow

ski racer, Lynn Hull is a sailor, Mike Dutcher, Tabby Tabidisto, Kathy Weathers are walkers (without a walker), But Tabby and Kathy are or were Charger fans. I wonder what they will wear this year to the luncheon? So put on your golf clothes, tennis shorts, hockey, baseball or football shirt, advertise your professional team preference or college team or high school letterman jacket if you can. If you can’t play the game any longer you can remember your past glory…even as the water boy. My neighbor was telling another neighbor, 'I just bought a new hearing aid. It cost me four thousand dollars, but its state of the art. 'Really,' answered the neighbor. 'What kind is it?' 'Twelve thirty!' Sometimes we don’t hear as well when using the telephone either, so come to meet our invited guest at the April meeting, she will sign you up to get a free phone that you can see the words written on a screen while hearing the caller speak. This is part of the federal ADA program. She will answer any questions. Oh, this program is available throughout the U.S.A. In next months bulletin contact information for your local area within the U.S.A. will be provided. Tom Leach will be available at the meeting with copies of his book “Fun at Work.” Tom will have a book signing table,

Please place our luncheon on April 18, 2017 in your calendar so that we can maintain our venue. See you at the meet ing.

To report a retirement change or view

your personal data, contact the General Dynamics Service Center at:

1-888-432-3633 www.gdbenefits.com

For ex-GDE, call 1-866-321-6633

The CAA Bulletin is a monthly publication of the Convair Alumni Association, Inc, which is open to all former employees of GD

Corp. and its predecessor companies, includes Associates, Editor: Joe Moore, 5480Aztec Drive, La Mesa CA 91942

Phone: (619) 697-9379 – e-mail: jp03@cox.net

1

2017 China Trip Leaving May 10 – Carl Cobb

The China trip is on schedule to leave on May 10, 2017. So, some of us will not be with you during the May CAA meeting but when we re-turn, we will have plenty of stories to tell and photos to share. Any and all trips scheduled are extended to members, associate members, family and their friends. For further information about CAA travel, contact Carl Cobb at 619-203-2062 (cell) or 619-222-5015 (home). Where in the world is on your bucket list? Is it a Photo Safari in Africa? Expensive but worth it. Is it monkeys in Costa Rica? Is it the Yuca-tan Peninsula to visit the Mayan Ruins? Is it to visit Cuba? Russian Cruise (expensive but we will shop). Talk to me during the CAA lunch-eon meeting about your travel suggestions or email me at ccimports@aol.com (but do not expect an immediate response), An actual phone contact or in person is preferred. Based upon your input and volume of interest will de-termine our next destination, if any. February Drawing – Bill and Doris Harger March Drawing-Bill and Doris Harger Thanks to Virginia Cobb, Leo Lipec, Tabby Tabadisto, Kathy Weathers; RayStocktonGinaMaryRobinsonJamesKnottTabbyTabadistoCarlCobbNatalieMoynihanTedBarakMikeAustinMikeGermano

IT’S A MEMBERSHIP DRIVE! Do you know anyone who was a former em-ployee of Consolidated, Consolidated Vultee, General Dynamics Convair, General Dynamics Space Systems, General Dynamics Electron-ics, Data Systems, CSC, Martin Marietta, Lockheed Martin, Sundstrand, Solar, Goodrich, General Dynamics recently purchased ship-yard, GD/ VAFT, GD/CC, Hughes Aircraft, Ryan, Rohr and any related air or space Em-ployer in San Diego or an employee of a plant

that worked as a parts supplier for GD? If so, please invite them to join us and invite them to a check us out by coming to a luncheon. Whether they join us or not, they are welcomed to attend. In an effort to continue to grow and survive, we are reaching out to all groups of employees with the same or similar interests as ours and their friends. If you are not paid ahead, as many of you are, it’s time to use the renewal form in this Bulletin and do it. Our fiscal year is April 2017 through March 2018.. If you receive the Bulle-tin via USPS your dues status will be included with your address on the Bulletin. We thank all of you that have renewed but we have a few that have not renewed and to those mem-bers…expect to hear from one of us. We will pray that your failure to renew your member-ship is just an oversight and that you are well Dick Gilbert’s computer is in triage. At this writing we are waiting for a determination, so the membership report will be deferred to next month. Mail Room – Dick Gilbert (619) 223-8848 If you would like to help with this vital activi-ty, we would be delighted to hear from you. We do the mail-prep the Friday11 days before our meeting day, (which is on the third Tuesday of each month). The official time is 8 a.m., but several folks come early. We do the mail-prep at the Air & Space Museum facility at Gillespie Field Airport in Santee. It’s on Kenny Street on the north side of the airport. Join us for a donut and a little volunteer work. Treasurer’s Summary – Mike Dutcher Durable Medical Equipment (DME) Bill Harger (619)659-8961 To whoever donated the juvenile crutches, please contact Bill Harger so we may give you an acknowledgement in our next newsletter.. CAA Scholarships – Marilyn Kistler The deadline for applications for this years scholar-ship awards from the foundation is past and we will now be considering the applicants. A report and decision will follow and a report will be offered in a later issue. Thank you to all participants

2

Remembering our Friends – Leo Lipec (619) 454-4920 We need your help more and more! If you know of a member who is ill or recovering from Surgery call Leo so that we can mail a “Get Well” card. Al-so, if you know of the death of an ex-Convairite or CAA Associate member, call Leo and provide their name, age, survivors, name of company or with as much information as you have.

CAA Members/friends reported Ill: Joe Moore, our Bulletin Editor. He remains in and is recovering in a re-habilitation facility ( If you spot errors in this bulletin …it is because we are doing our best to fill in until he returns…all better.) Leroy Snyder is ill and was missed at our March meeting but word has it he getting his blood pressure under control. We hope to see you next month.

Condolences to Families of CAA Members We are pleased to report that we do not have any members that have been reported deceased since

our last issue was printed. Hooray! Condolences to Families of our Non-Member Friends Reported Deceased Leone, P. Jackson, 103 She was a Rosie the Riv-eter, as reported by her family member.

Esther Lavato, 91, She too was a Rosie the Rivet-er as reported by her Daughter

Juanita Kretschmer 93, worked at Convair, two daughters

Charles Perdue, 91, Convair, wife Joyce, 3 daugh-ters and two sons

Floyd A. Sandell, 99, Consolidated, Research Me-chanic before going off to serve in WWII

James “Jim” Kimball, 92, Electrical Engineer, Convair, wife Loretta, 5 children

Hard of hearing? Been tested? April 18 meeting, the CAA Board has invited

ADA Specialist, Toni Ficken If it is determined you have a hearing impairment, you may be entitle to receive a FREE telephone that is FCC regulated, caption encrypted, using a transcription process, The telephone includes a

feature that allows you to save captioned conversa-tions for later use plus several other neat features..

These phones are available FREE to qualified can-didates, under the federal program as distin-guished from another state program. We checked, and were informed that you are enti-tled to one phone from each program!

Toni represents Clear Captions, one of three com-panies contracted by the Federal Government to offer this absolutely free benefit including in-stallation in your home. Toni will give a 5 minute presentation, join us for lunch, but will be a available to answers questions and talk to you before and after the meeting.

The one requirement, as we understand it, is that you must be hard of hearing, Not just determined by your spouse…I believe that is called selective hearing; like when someone is talking to you and you listen but do not pay attention to what they are saying because you are not interested or busy do-ing something else. Or you just don’t want to hear what that person has to say. You know what I mean? Come to the meeting and she will explain the program. Toni does not sell phone cards, phone plans or represent phone companies or in-ternet providers. Toni’s expertise is confined to the free telephone distribution. We asked and she comes with references.

Thebookisoutandavailable

YouhaveheardfromTomLeachaboutthebookhewaswriting about Consolidated workers and their stories.Well, it is published and Tom will bring copies of hisbook to sell, to those interested, during the April 18CAALuncheon

Treasurer’s Summary – Mike Dutcher Fiscal activity for the month of February 2017:

January Balance $7,722

Income $1,529

Expenses $472

February Net $1,057

February Balance $8,779

Less Future Years Dues $6,040

Funds Avail $2,739

3

CONVAIR ALUMNI ASSOCIATION 3694 Leland St San Diego CA 92106-1003

Note

Please mail or bring in this entire page with your payment so that we can verify your name, address, and contact numbers, We welcome all former employees of aerospace & related industries and ship building.

Please Renew Your Membership -------------------------------------------------------------------------Cut Off Here ------------------------------------------------------------------------

2017AEROSPACEASSOCIATES&CAAMEMBERSHIPRENEWALLastName:_________________________________FirstName:_________________________MiddleInitial:_________

StreetAddress:_________________________________________________SpouseFirstName___________________City:______________________________________State:________________Zip+4:___________________________

PhoneNumber:(____)______________________e-mailaddress:__________________________________________ PleasePrintClearly

Make$8peryear($9afterApril1)checkpayabletoC.A.A. ForMembershipSec

Bringtoameetingormailto:RichardW.Gilbert MailUpdate_____________ ChkNo.__________

3694LelandSt

SanDiego,CA92106-1003.MemUpdate____________Amount__________

Note:IfthesecondlineofyouraddressisCAA4/18ormore,youarepaidupforatleastthenextfiscalyear.

PRSRT STD US POSTAGE

PAID PERMIT 90

SAN DIEGO CA