James Hazard
1965
My road must be one less traveled. I grew up in Canoga Park and had an idealic childhood. Grammar school was at Winnetka Elementary. By 6th grade, I had an unprofessed crush on our own Shirley Kraft and Janet Barnes. Sutter Junior High was next. In my first semester, I had to take corrective PE because a slight case of scoliosis was diagnosed during a 6th grade health screening. The lasting affect was to have a lifelong appreciation for kids with special needs. In the summer between Sutter and Cleveland, my big dilemma was: is it going to be surf or grease? Surf won out because I was convinced surf got all the girls (sorry Tony Gieser, with whom I spent some fun times with). Loving basketball, I was lucky enough to make the "C" Team. My most memorable Team was the "B" Team in 1964. I met lots of great classmates in sports. There were many great teachers at Cleveland that made me think I'd like to follow in their footsteps and the one who stood out the most was Mr. Giaccomazza. He made the mundane come to life and may have influenced me the most in getting my Secondary Credentials from CSUN in 1970.
As a senior, I met my first wife Brenda Henderson at a campus dance. She was in 10th grade and took my breath away. Our marriage, on 6/13/69 (a Friday the 13th omen no doubt), would not be characterized as a young couple growing together. By far our best product was our daughter Missy. We divorced in 1972.
Some notable things that happened in my 20's involved that phenomena of feeling invincible. While body surfing at Zuma in storm conditions, I managed to shoot out of a 10-12 foot wave onto beach front sand. I tucked at the last second and took a blow to the upper back. As I was pulled out in a riptide, I had trouble getting that first breath and finally surfaced to see two lifeguards motioning me to swim laterally ( I kind of realized then why no one else was in the water). Still having my one fin I was able to get my sorry ass to shore. Next came my motorcycle accident on leap year day, 1968. A very hard 1968 Buick did not see me and pulled out in front of me. Doing maybe 40 mph I tried to gun it past him, thinking he would see me. Wrong...he disengaged me from the Honda Trail Bike and sent this helmetless body over a curb and into some bushes. Not good! Miraculously, it was just a compound fracture of my left lower leg and contusions everywhere. Finally, to top things off that come in threes, I managed to be employed at Olive View Hospital and on duty during the February 9, 1971 earthquake. The two story Psych Unit I worked in collapsed down to a single story. If the 75 or so patients and staff had been housed on the first floor instead of the 2nd floor, we all would have certainly been crushed to death. No major injuries occurred. A notable thing that happened was being interviewed by the Weather Channel about the quake. Their "It Could Happen To You" series featured me being portrayed by an actual SAG member actor recreating the incident yet made me out this hero like I was Moses leading his people to the promised land. Zen music had me guiding people to the light at the end of the dark hallway. My boys who saw it laughed so hard they couldn't stand.
I married in 1974 and believed I was in it for the long haul...wrong. By 1990 things were unraveling. I have four terrific boys from the marriage. All are successful and have (with their wonderful wives) managed to give me nine grandkids who managed to make me smile just thinking about them. I retired three years ago after a long and rewarding career in Nursing: The last 15 or so years teaching Nursing at LA County Olive View-UCLA Medical Center.
I manage to stay very busy watching my grandkids, hiking with various "Meet Ups", road biking bike paths in the Santa Clarita area and volunteering as a Docent/Naturalist at Placerita Canyon Nature Center leading hikes for Elementary School kids and performing trail maintenance. In my spare time I also get in a round or two of golf. I've been single since 2000 and love my independence. Always a half full person.
As a senior, I met my first wife Brenda Henderson at a campus dance. She was in 10th grade and took my breath away. Our marriage, on 6/13/69 (a Friday the 13th omen no doubt), would not be characterized as a young couple growing together. By far our best product was our daughter Missy. We divorced in 1972.
Some notable things that happened in my 20's involved that phenomena of feeling invincible. While body surfing at Zuma in storm conditions, I managed to shoot out of a 10-12 foot wave onto beach front sand. I tucked at the last second and took a blow to the upper back. As I was pulled out in a riptide, I had trouble getting that first breath and finally surfaced to see two lifeguards motioning me to swim laterally ( I kind of realized then why no one else was in the water). Still having my one fin I was able to get my sorry ass to shore. Next came my motorcycle accident on leap year day, 1968. A very hard 1968 Buick did not see me and pulled out in front of me. Doing maybe 40 mph I tried to gun it past him, thinking he would see me. Wrong...he disengaged me from the Honda Trail Bike and sent this helmetless body over a curb and into some bushes. Not good! Miraculously, it was just a compound fracture of my left lower leg and contusions everywhere. Finally, to top things off that come in threes, I managed to be employed at Olive View Hospital and on duty during the February 9, 1971 earthquake. The two story Psych Unit I worked in collapsed down to a single story. If the 75 or so patients and staff had been housed on the first floor instead of the 2nd floor, we all would have certainly been crushed to death. No major injuries occurred. A notable thing that happened was being interviewed by the Weather Channel about the quake. Their "It Could Happen To You" series featured me being portrayed by an actual SAG member actor recreating the incident yet made me out this hero like I was Moses leading his people to the promised land. Zen music had me guiding people to the light at the end of the dark hallway. My boys who saw it laughed so hard they couldn't stand.
I married in 1974 and believed I was in it for the long haul...wrong. By 1990 things were unraveling. I have four terrific boys from the marriage. All are successful and have (with their wonderful wives) managed to give me nine grandkids who managed to make me smile just thinking about them. I retired three years ago after a long and rewarding career in Nursing: The last 15 or so years teaching Nursing at LA County Olive View-UCLA Medical Center.
I manage to stay very busy watching my grandkids, hiking with various "Meet Ups", road biking bike paths in the Santa Clarita area and volunteering as a Docent/Naturalist at Placerita Canyon Nature Center leading hikes for Elementary School kids and performing trail maintenance. In my spare time I also get in a round or two of golf. I've been single since 2000 and love my independence. Always a half full person.
Jim the Hiking Trail Blazer
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Jim with his grandson, Bradley
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An earlier photo of Jim with his daughter, Missy.
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Jim at the end of a long bike trip
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Jim the Golfer
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Jim with two of his ex-girlfriends
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Jim with granddaughter, Hayden
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COMMENTS
Hi Jim, I am glad that you are such a great traveler on some rocky roads! I think that a smooth path ride would be on the boring side & I, like you have not seen bored yet!
Your granddaughter is adorable & you look happy, healthy & ready to party in October!!!! Looking forward to seeing you!
Gloria Dorcy-Watts
Your granddaughter is adorable & you look happy, healthy & ready to party in October!!!! Looking forward to seeing you!
Gloria Dorcy-Watts
Jim,
Thanks for filling us in on your adventure through life after high school. I so enjoyed connecting with you last year when we saw Coach Oken in Fresno. You were always one of the nicest guys I knew in high school, and getting to talk to you and get to know you better was so fun. I really enjoy your Facebook posts about your hiking and biking trips and you have a beautiful family. I look forward to seeing you again at the 50th. If you don't organize a hike, please come on the golf outing that Mike Young and will be organizing. Take care, my friend
Jeff Davis
Thanks for filling us in on your adventure through life after high school. I so enjoyed connecting with you last year when we saw Coach Oken in Fresno. You were always one of the nicest guys I knew in high school, and getting to talk to you and get to know you better was so fun. I really enjoy your Facebook posts about your hiking and biking trips and you have a beautiful family. I look forward to seeing you again at the 50th. If you don't organize a hike, please come on the golf outing that Mike Young and will be organizing. Take care, my friend
Jeff Davis
Great to read about your life adventures -- and life is an adventure! Wives, you've had a few, but really not so many in today's world. I love the biking, hiking, surfing aspect of your life! You do look happy with your granddaughter.
Good to see you at the reunion -- you actually look so much the same -- just mature! Best,
Chris Van Laar
Good to see you at the reunion -- you actually look so much the same -- just mature! Best,
Chris Van Laar