Today's Featured Biography

 
Arnold Loveridge

After leaving Springville High, I attended Brigham Young University where I earned my Bachelor's and Master's degrees in Mathematics, like everyone expected. My time at BYU was interrupted only by a 2.5 year mission to the Central German Mission, headquartered in Düsseldorf. However, in addition to my degrees and my training I also obtained at the Y - marriage to the most wonderful person in my life. Together we have raised 6 marvelous children (4 boys and 2 girls) who have in turn married brilliant spouses and presented us, to date, with 15 exceptional grandchildren.

My draft number was low so I joined the Army ROTC while at BYU and upon graduation entered the Officer Basic Training at Aberdeen Proving Grounds, Maryland, certain I was destined to be a platoon leader in Viet Nam. But fate had other plans. Half of our Officer Basic class were separated from the Army and transferred to Reserve units. I spent the next 8 years serving in the California Army National Guard.

My career likewise abruptly changed directions. What started out as a summer computer programming job ended up as a career in hospital and non-profit agency administration. Turns out I enjoyed management, particularly financial and operations management. Who knew?

For 30 years we lived and worked in the Long Beach, California area when a significant challenge and opportunity called begging me to move to Sacramento. My amazing wife stood beside me as we sold our home to our eldest daughter, dropped off our youngest son at college and moved 350 miles away from friends and family.

I am now retired while Carolyn continues to enjoy her second career as a child development consultant for the California State Department of Education, a career she could never have considered had we stayed in Long Beach. I volunteer a lot, take classes at the local colleges and university, and most recently battle my greatest challenge so far - Parkinson's Disease.

I have only fond memories of Springville High, mainly because of selective memory. The games, the dances, the assemblies all melt together but the good natured pranks stand out. Our "copper dollar day' and "bow tie Thursday" just helped us prepare for the turbulent college campuses of the later 60's. And who can forget the look on Mr. Burningham's face when, during a moment his back was turned to the class, all tables, chairs, and drafting equipment were whisked out of his second story classroom. For once he was speechless.

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