LaurenceHolbrook


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PERSONAL BIOGRAPHY
Born March 30, 1946 South Weymouth, Massachusetts
Raised in a small town called Rockland halfway between Boston and Cape Cod on the Massachusetts south shore
Graduated from Rockland High School in 1964
Played the organ in various cocktail lounges such as DiBurro's in Haverhill and Camello's in Lawrence
Graduated from Lowell Technological Institute in 1968 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering (LTI is now a part of the University of Massachusetts)
Member Phi Gamma Psi fraternity
Married December 1967
Son born December 1968
June 1968, started working for Westinghouse Electric Corporation in Cheektowaga, New York (Buffalo area)
Daughter born in 1971
Divorced in March 1972, former wife and children went to New Hampshire to live
Besides working for Westinghouse, played in cocktail lounges in the Buffalo area. Cambria's on Filmore Avenue, Esmond's on Williamsville, Ruby Red's Bowling alleys on Transit Road, the Ship 'n' Shore in Pendleton, the Mitchie House on Route 5 in Hamburg and a host of other places I can't remember.
I don't remember the last time I played publicly. I generally stopped playing sometime in the early 80's, although I did play a couple short gigs later in the 90's in the Baltimore area and a private party or two.
Married second wife in June 1976
Son born in September 1980
Wife died from leukemia in January 1983, mother also died in January 1983
1984 went to work for a small company in Arizona
Short time with Talley Defense Systems. Made automotive air bag inflators.
Hired back into the Westinghouse Defense Center in Baltimore, Maryland next to the BWI airport in 1987
Father died in 1994
The Defense Center was bought by Northrop Grumman
I've always worked in the manufacturing department, usually in production control or planning and scheduling. Worked in Computer Aided Manufacturing and Tool Design. Developed programs to support the manufacturing department and special projects
I retired after 35 years of service from Westinghouse Electric/Northrop Grumman Corporation. I decided to live in a travel trailer, do some traveling around the country and some motorcycle riding. The trailer (called a 'toy hauler') has a garage for my motorcycles besides the living quarters. I have no idea if this is a good thing or a bad thing. It's just something to do. We are so accustomed to 'growing roots' and staying in one place that this lifestyle has been a real culture shock, especially to reduce everything I own into a 30X8 foot living area and have no permanent physical location.
It's hard to describe the anxiety that accompanies this lifestyle. How do you pick where to go next? And the challenges of stopping in an unknown area. Where to eat, wash clothes, buy groceries, shop, purchase prescriptions, get cash, etc. On the other hand, I can be where the weather is a little nicer, there are people to meet, things to see, places to ride a mot