DAD's STORY

Dad was born Raymond Joseph Larkin on 19 March, 1945.

Unlike mom and I, dad was born in the USA and not Europe, though some of his ancestors originally came from Europe.
His father was Raymond H. Larkin whose ancestors originated in Ireland. His mother Helen Larkin (nee Wiszowaty) was of Polish descent.
Dad was born in Flushing, N.Y. and raised most of his younger days in the town of Whitestone. He has an older sister named Patricia A. Larkin, and two younger brothers Robert T. and Richard P. Larkin.

He was living very close to the water, and spent many years fishing and exploring the ocean and rivers nearby with his father and/or uncle Fred. So it came as no surprise when he joined the US Navy when he was 20 years old.
Dad worked in the navy for 20 years and visited many countries and cultures around the world during that time.

While dad was in the navy, he worked in many places at a variety of jobs. He studied electronics for more than a year before going to his first ship, an oceanographic research vessel, the USNS Bowditch. He worked there more than 3 years operating and repairing numerous types of electronic aids to navigation such as LORAN, TACAN & a Satellite Navigation system. The ship usually spent about 30-35 days at a time at sea, and then 4-5 days in port at some city in Europe before going back out to sea for another 30-35 days!
In 3 years he visited many ports, including Norway, Spain, Ireland, Netherlands, Germany, Wales, Iceland, Italy, Azores islands, Malta, Portugal, Denmark, Scotland, and England. This also included sailing in the Mediterranean sea & Atlantic Ocean, where he crossed the Equator and also the Arctic Circle.

In December 1969, dad left the ship to go to a school to learn how to be a teacher, and then started working as a navy instructor in one of the same schools he had been to as a student 3 years earlier! He was teaching young sailors electronic theory, operation and repair for various navigation equipment used aboard submarines. This was in Damneck, Virginia where he also met and married his 1st wife Janet, a Cherokee indian.

In 1973 dad had to move to a city near San Francisco, California to go to a school in advanced electronics theory and circuit design. He graduated 1st in his class after 1 year of study! Then he got orders to another oceanographic ship the USNS Michelson. This ship was operating in the Pacific, and dad got to sail across the International Date Line. He also got to visit some more exotic lands, like the Hawaiian islands, Midway Island., Japan, Taiwan and the Phillipines. This tour lasted a little more than 1 year during which time Janet divorced him.

In the beginning of 1976 dad was transferred to another ship, the USS Simon Lake. This was a different kind; it didn’t go to sea very much! This was a repair ship for US Navy missile submarines. It stayed mainly tied up to a pier and could handle up to 4-6 submarines at a time. Dad had always wanted to work on a submarine, and this was as close as he ever got, going down to repair many types of electronic problems they had before they set sail.

In 1977 the ship in Rota was replaced by another repair ship, the USS Canopus. Dad tried to transfer to that ship, but had to sail back to Charleston, South Carolina with the Simon Lake and spend about 5 months there first. He finally got orders to the Canopus. This ship was in Rota, Spain, and there he met and later married his 2nd wife Ana. Anuska was born there in July, 1978. Dad had a new job now, as a QA (quality assurance) Inspector.
In 1979 dad left Spain with the ship and his new family to do the same kind of work in Charleston, SC. He also was promoted to Chief Electronics Technician there which had been one of dad’s primary goals when he entered the navy.

In 1980 dad and his family went to Memphis, Tennessee (near ELVIS’ home!) where he attended yet another navy school, but this time dealing with Human Resource Management. When he graduated, the family packed their bags and moved back to Rota Spain where dad got to practice his new skills working with COs (Commanding Officers) of different commands. He also made a trip to Bahrain (right next to Saudi Arabia) to work with a CO there as well.
In 1985 dad finally finished with the navy and retired. He told me that he had visited more than 20 different countries in the world besides all over the United States. (Maybe he has some viking blood in him somewhere!) (see world map)

He and his family stayed there in Rota Spain, and in 1986 they adopted a son who is named Raymond Abraham. Dad’s family got bigger! (but still no dogs !)

The marriage ended unexpectantly in 1989 when Anuska's mom Ana died from a heart-attack. Now dad found himself all alone, and had to raise his daughter of 11 years and son of almost 3 years all by himself.
He must have been a pretty good father/mother because I have met both of his children, and they are both very very nice. Anyways, dad remained a single parent for a very long time after that. He had many girlfriends, but no one was able to steal his heart until mom came along.

SLIDESHOW --

Even that wasn't suddenly! I believe they were seeing each other on and off for about 7 years, and it took a lot of time and finally a trip to Norway before dad decided to take the relationship any further. When he finally proposed to mom (the first time by email, the second time by phone) and the third time in person, he did it in style. He had to practice for about 2-3 months just to say 3 short sentences in Norwegian on his knees in the main concourse of Oslo airport!
But mom didn't disappoint him and said yes every time! You can read all about that and more in Mom & Dad's Story.