Rocco Lardiere
1968
Name in High School: Rocco Lardiere
Favorite High School Memories: Too many to list. Above all, the warmth of classmates AND the heated classrooms – staring out at the rain outside. Perhaps I spent too much time staring out the windows, though.
Favorite Teachers: Mr. Sipple (gruff but a great guy), Mr. Murray (soft voice – we had to shut up or we couldn’t hear him), and Mrs Ashley (very patient).
Now…
2018
Spouse/Partner: Cynthia Nast
Children: Craig and David. Craig lives in SE Portland now, BTW.
Grandchildren: Finnegan Lardiere (2 yrs).
Occupation: Retired (in Feb 2018) after 37 years of launching rockets and satellites as an Avionics Engineer.
Favorite Pastimes: Classical piano, writing novels, travelling
Highlights of My Life Since High School: LA Philharmonic seats at Disney Hall, family stuff both in Portland and LA, travelling here and there (St Petersburg (Russia) and Beijing are personal highlights), watching rocket launches from up close, soccer with the boys years ago, and (coming soon) soccer with grandson Finn.
Looking forward to reconnecting with Portland Wilsonites, now that we have a vacation house in Happy Valley.
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Hi Rocket Man, sorry we didn’t have a chance to talk at the Reunion. We didn’t really know each other in HS…I avoided advanced math and science classes, and I didn’t see you in art class. Congratulations on a jet propelled career. I’m envious of your LA Phil tickets with Gustavo D —however our OR Symp with Carlos Kalmar fabulous as well!
Hi Rocco,
Congratulations on your recent retirement, although when talking with retirees, most of them remark about how busy they are and how much they are amazed how they got anything done while working. I’m looking forward to reconnecting with you this weekend.
Bruce
Well, retirement is a challenge in ways I did not anticipate. You think you are prepared and have such a long list of things that you want to do. What I have discovered is that you take life one day at a time and be open to new adventures, challenges, and friends! See you at the reunion.
Rocco,
We never knew each other in high school but I am so impressed that we have a rocket scientist in our class! Your picture looks so much like the scud missile fired over Riyadh, Saudi Arabia and not a good time.
I look forward to meeting you at the reunion in September!
Nancy
Nancy, nice to hear from you. Well, the rockets I have worked on are the really big ones that launch satellites and planetary missions. The photo was taken up near Vandenberg Air Force Base, and that rocket is going into orbit. They are a lot of fun to launch – but it’s always nail biting time at T zero. I look forward to seeing you at the reunion, and thanks for the comment.
Love your pictures, Rocco! And congratulations on your retirement! I hope you have the opportunity to do the many things you have planned with all that free time.
I am looking forward to catching up in September (or sooner if you are up this way)
Steve, nice to hear from you, and talk to you soon. As far as free time, I think you know I am involved with the movie that (astonishgly) has me in it. It was shown at Comic-Con and the International Science Fiction Convention last weekend, and boy is it fun to go to one of these very large conventions as a “movie person.” So – that has been one of the things to keep me busy lately. I am also working on a novel, and it was great to meet some very fine writers recently to get some tips. Number… Read more »