Lee Shake

Greetings!

I enlisted in the U.S. Navy after graduation and served as an Aviation Electrician & Combat Aircrew man until my discharge in 1961.  In that time I got to see most of Europe, some of North Africa and made a port call in Yugoslavia.  I even got to spend a Christmas with fellow alumnus Pat Garrigan and her husband, Dick Morris at his Army duty station at Poitier, France, in 1960.

In 1961 I matriculated at the Chiropractic Institute of N.Y. in Manhattan and completed two years of the four-year course when I was involved in a serious motorcycle accident.

My life took a turn at that point and I went to work for Trans World Airlines where I met the young lady that I would later marry.

Carol Jean Prys and I were married on May 5, 1965 and we moved to Grand Haven, Michigan, Carol’s hometown.  I’ve had a lot of fun over the years with the tale that I moved from Great Kills to Grand Haven.

I’ve spent about half my adult life working as a Production Line Supervisor in a number of different industries.  In April of 2005 I retired from a company that made fuel injectors for cars and light trucks under the nameplates of Rochester Products, General Motors, and lastly, Delphi Automotive Products at their plant in Coopersville, Michigan.  We also made fuel injectors for automobile manufacturers in Europe, Japan, China and Korea.

Carol and I are the parents of three grown children, Adam, 36; Eric, 31; and Heather, 27.  Adam lives in Virginia.  Eric lives in Michigan, about 45 miles from us, and Heather and her husband live in Chicago, about 150 miles from us.

The oldest of 4 boys, I am an orphan.  My Father died in 1966 and my Mother died in 1993.  My three younger brothers and my older sister are all doing well.

I had a heart attack in 1994.  I’m still doing great. Carol and I took a “Holy Land Tour” to Israel in 1995, went White Water Rafting in 1997 on the Arkansas River in Colorado and visited the Grand Canyon in 2000.  Our motto is, “Do it while you still can, don’t wait until you can’t!”  We loved Israel and pray that it will someday be possible to safely visit that country again.

I bought my first REAL computer in 1988 and I’ve been on-line almost that long. 

As Lutherans by accident of birth and as Christians by firm conviction, my wife and I have been active Adult Bible Study teachers for many years. 

I am a Charter Member of AMVETS (American Veterans) Post #1994 in Michigan, where I Served as the Adjutant for 10 years, 1st Vice Commander & I am now the Post Commander. 

In High School I was a blabbermouth.  I haven’t changed all that much but today I am a blabber-fingers.  I am a writer, overly enthusiastic about (and unafraid of) voicing my own opinions.

I invite any and all THS ’57 alumni to do the same.  Share those parts of your lives that are poignant and meaningful to you, so that the rest of us may benefit from the wisdom that you gained through hard effort and pain. 

Carol & I have made three trips to NYC & DC for a wedding and sight-seeing, in the past four years.  We're looking forward to attending the 2007 Reunion, on S. I.  in October.