To make a short story long; it all started in the East End and Pomeroy School was a great place to get started. Mrs. Rouse laid the foundation that I have built my life upon. (Everything that you needed to know really was taught in kindergarten).

Cornell University tried to teach me something about engineering but I had to struggle through all of it day and night graduating with my BS in Agricultural Engineering finishing 2400 of a class of 2400.

After graduation I started working at Pall Trinity Micro, then went to National Cash Register, Brockway Motors, Carrier Corp, Donn Corp, PMI Industries, SnyderGeneral Corp, L’Airco, Inc. Airflow Company, Phoenix A/C, Inc. Mestek, Inc. and finally I am Chief Engineer, Integrated Products at Tecumseh Products. I helped start a couple of companies and I have closed many.

I was married to my first wife (Dorothy Reynolds) in 1968 and have two wonderful sons: Jeffrey and Michael. Jeffrey graduated from Cortland High in 1990 and joined the Army to see the world and he has. Michael graduated from Tully High and is a computer tech for BOCES in Syracuse. I have one grandson: Gabriel who is now 2 years old.
In 1988 I went to the 25th reunion and my life hasn’t been the same since.

In 1989 I had a parting of the ways with my wife (Dorothy) and I met Lorian Hines (CHS Class of ‘63) again. 1993 I married Lorian and we have been supporting each other ever since.

We are now living in Tecumseh, MI and get back to Cortland often to see her parents and our families. In addition to spending my time building, renovating, renting, selling real estate in central NY and Maryland I have been dreaming of retiring. It does come quicker than you think and this may be the year. I have been trying to learn how to use these personal computers for the past 30 years and as soon as I get something mastered they go and obsolete that and create something new (they do suck up all your time and money).

My travels have been mostly for business but I always try and get some site-seeing in wherever I/we go. Visiting the Spruce Goose Airplane built by Howard Hughes and being able to be inside of it and in the Pilot’s seat. Well I think you have to be an engineer to understand the tremendous feat that he accomplished. I have been an armchair enthusiast of model railroading since I was 14. I hope that all the excuses for not getting started with modeling will have vanished by the time I retire.

......Gary Austin