Hoot Meredith

Hoot Meredith & wife Alicia

Born September 21, 1943 in Albuquerque.   Dad was stationed at Sandia Air Force Base.  We moved to Campbell/Rosemary Lane after Dad completed his military duty.  My earliest memories include playing with Lynda in our front yard and watching Dad get the yard in shape.

Lynda was my first friend.  She describes growing up on Rosemary Lane as a page from Norman Rockwell.  There were lots of friends and fun.   Four of us were at the 55th Reunion – Lynda, me, Gail Perry and Paul Morey. 

The Rosemary Rascals

Dad had a second tour of duty as a pilot in the Berlin Airlift.  Mom, Nana and I joined him in Wiesbaden, Germany for three months.  While there, I learned to ride a ride a bike and was starting to understand German.   When I turned six, we had a chance to travel to Austria and France.  I remember the Eiffel Tower and lots of little cars tooting their horns as they raced around town. 

Back to Rosemary Lane, I attended Campbell Grammar School for first and second grade.  I attended Rosemary Elementary School for grades third through sixth and back to Campbell Grammar for seventh and eighth grades where I had to pass the civics test to move on to high school.  By the way, I think my education was excellent, good teachers and parents to help me through the tough parts.

Sports were my hobby then and now - football, basketball, baseball and swimming at the high school pool, what a treat.   Whether we were playing sandlot or organized games at school or little league, it was fun.  I had great teammates and coaches.  I also played clarinet through eighth grade and was second to Jim Beyer.  He could really play.  As for me, not so much.     

I attended San Jose State University after high school and graduated in 1966.  I was standing in chow line in Fort Polk, Louisiana in Basic Training when I received notification of my BA degree.

I picked apricots on Al Smith’s Ranch at Vasona Junction during high school and reconnected with him when I started my career with Orchard Supply Hardware (OSH).  Working at OSH was pretty much my entire career except for a few years as a sales representative.  I started as a cart boy in high school and finished as a store manager for stores from San Jose, Gilroy, Salinas, Sand City and Watsonville.  I had many great employees, customers and memories.

My first marriage ended in divorce, but we had a son, Matt.  He is all I could have hoped for.  He and his wife, Holly, live near Portland, Oregon.  We have four grandchildren and a great granddaughter due in December.

My Wife, Alicia and I met at OSH and have been married 43 years.  I am very lucky.  She has made me a better person, better than I deserve.   Alicia and I lived in San Jose before moving to Gilroy.  From there we moved to Seaside on the Monterey Peninsula and now live in Cathedral City near Palm Springs.  We currently own a Mom and Pop business that we manage from our home. 

My Dad passed away in 1993 and my Mom in 2009.  My Brother Tony, age 71 lives in Campbell and my sister Jane in Capitola.

Here are some photos.  First one is of Fred, me, Walt Gilbert and Jim Carter at Shelly Hancock’s house.  The next photo is Lynda, me and Tony at my Mom’s Memorial.   The next photo is Alicia and me in Palm Springs.

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All my best to all my classmates and a special shout out to Lynda and all the others who keep the ball rolling for the Class of 1962.  By the way, if you could use a good laugh from a dog’s point of view, check out a book written by Spencer Quinn.  He wrote Dog On It, A Bernie and Chet Mystery.

If you don’t mind frustration, there’s golf – believe me!