Michael Paul "Mike" McPhie

I moved to Washington, DC, half-way through my junior year at FHS, and graduated there at Surrattsville Sr. High (as a military brat, dad had been transferred from WPAFB to Andrews AFB). Worked at the Library of Congress for a year before going to Brigham Young University (BYU) here in Provo and ended up working for them for almost 11 years in the computer department, leaving as Lead Systems Programmer (graduating in 1975 while working full time). As a hobby, got my pilots license, went on to get my commercial, instrument, and flight instructor ratings, bought an airplane, and started a flight school. Left my job at BYU to successfully run my own business as a "flight club" for the next nine years, ending with a fleet of 13 light airplanes. Ended up selling all aircraft and moved on to starting a new business as a travel agency (specializing in cruises only). This is a franchise-type business named CruiseOne, where I still successfully run my own business (18 years now and counting). I should be thinking about retirement one of these days, but have no plans at present. So for now, I just plod along until a new opportunity presents itself--still in Provo, ever since leaving Washington DC to go to BYU.

I came to Fairborn and attended the sixth grade at East Elementary, went to Central Jr. High, and FHS through half of my junior year. I lived on the base at WPAFB the entire time my dad was stationed there. Those five and a half years bring some of my fondest memories growing up, and the many friends I made there. Although I loved living in Washington DC for all its attractions, it about killed me to move in the last year and a half of high school, leaving all the friends and memories I had built up so far. I will never forget the rowdiness a bunch of us caused in Miss Reed's Latin class (and the detention we all served). It was too bad I couldn't have finished at FHS (along with Bruce LeMar, who also ended up with me in Washington), but I will always feel a close kinship to Fairborn for the time I had there and the many cherished friends I made.