Page 18 - Senior Link Magazine Spring 2020- Online Magazine

HONORING SENIORS
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Senior Senior

Mike Gilpin

What Matters Most

by Aurora Buchanan

with his siblings, enlisted in hosted a program for single military
the Navy after Pearl Harbor. men. It was at this event that Mike
Once his father returned met his future wife, Carol, whom he
from the war, he joined courted for two years.
the highway patrol, which
relocated his family to the After those two years, the Air Force
countryside. sent him to Japan. Carol and Mike
decided they would get married as
Mike loved living in the soon as he returned to the states.
country and missed it when They were married November 6, 1968,
ith a high of -12 degrees they moved to a city. He one of the happiest days of his life.
Fahrenheit, in a small town didn’t really like school, but after Six months later, he was stationed
Win northern Minnesota, he graduated, he worked in a series in Germany for the first time; Carol
on November 19, 1940, Mike was of maintenance jobs which he really joined him and, for 18 months,
born during an intense blizzard with enjoyed. Then the they toured all of
whiteout conditions and no refuge early draft for the Europe together.
from the bitter cold except for the Vietnam War began. They experienced
warmth of a fireplace and cups of hot many different
chocolate being shared with friends Before the draft could cultures, each with
and family members near. Michael place a rifle in his their own beautiful
Gilpin, known to close family and hand, he enlisted uniqueness. That
friends as Mike, was a kind, warm, in the Air Force, period allowed
gentle soul. Mike’s parents were both becoming a heavy Mike and Carol’s
second generation immigrants (his equipment operator, bond to grow even
dad’s family from Scotland, and his working on aircraft as stronger, enhancing
mother’s family from Poland) and a mechanic. He was their love for one
were raised in two small towns in sent to San Antonio for another. When he
Minnesota. They met in college, fell in 14 weeks to get his basic training, then was stationed in England, they toured
love, got married, and his father gave to Amarillo for technical training, then much of the United Kingdom together
up his dream of becoming a doctor on to Ogden, Utah for specific training for three wonderful years. It was a
to take care of his new family. When to be an aircraft mechanic. During his precious time in his life; not only was
Mike was a toddler, his father, along training in Ogden, a church group he getting to travel the world and

18 Lubbock Senior Link