Bruce Odette

 

Personal:

 

Traveling 280 miles to the reunion.

 

I’m retired, but building a house.

 

Under the influence, twice dived 40 feet off the bridge of a submarine at Midway Island, barely missing outboard fuel tanks.  Learned the next day dozens of sharks were nearby and I was being considered for captain’s mast.  Fortunately for me, nothing came of it.  The event became legend but ended my further aspirations of athleticism.

 

Favorite travel experience: Tainan, Taiwan: Was served a whole raw fish and learned during the meal the fish was alive!  My host explained legend had it that they were honoring God by allowing the fish to see himself serving man.  It was fresh, though.

 

Know someone famous?  Spend a day with Jimmy Carter at Cherry Log, GA.

 

Can’t sing the alma mater; I’d really need help.

 

Veteran of the Cold War, North Pacific.  Do volunteer work honoring WWII Submarine veterans.

 

Happiness is contentment with life and Having children grow up and be happy.

 

Naperville – a nice place to have grown up.  My standard (as it appeared then) of a place to live and raise children.

 

Still looking for my hidden talent.  My autobiography would be “Bruce Odette: An Autobiography.”

 

I have some characteristics from both parents, but not much.

 

“Life is pleasant.  Death is peaceful.  It’s the transition that’s troublesome.” 
Isaac Asimov.

 

Favorite Naperville memory  - ice skating on the DuPage River, downtown.

 

Stores to revisit- Reiches, Broekers, Oswalds, Biedelmans.

 

Memorable teacher –the biology teacher.

 

Favorite prank- Letting pigeons loose inside Naper Theater.

 

Relive one hour of high school? Graduation.

 

The cool cars: Jack Haidu and me.

 

Fashion statements: Ducktails, fender skirts.

 

Favorite place to eat: Candy Kitchen.

 

Sundays were spent in church and at the beach.

 

I avoided cafeteria meals.

 

Favorite movie, music, etc. – Charlie Brown, Dream Lover, Poison Ivy, Anatomy of a Murder-James Stewart

 

Graduation memory- my parents’ joy that I actually graduated.

 

Eccentric character- Mr. Nadelhoffer.

 

First job: caddying and newspaper route.

 

Favorite tv program- Science Fiction Theater

 

Commercials that still stick:  LSFMT, You’ll wonder where the yellow went when you brush your teeth with Pepsodent, Brylcream-a little dab’ll do ya.

 

Heroes – Dwight Eisenhower, Audie Murphy.

 

Anybody in town that scared you?  Me.

 

Special memories: Senior Prom, YMCA dance classes.

 

Elementary school memory: Miss Thoreau, 1st or 2nd grade, Naper School.  Pretty redhead, long,long red fingernails, liked to tap them on top of my head to get my attention.

 

Spent the summer at The Beach or working.