TSC Stories

One of my favorite memories is playing volleyball at Trinidad State when the program began in 1987. It gave me the chance to meet amazing new friends while enjoying a sport I love. We had so much fun, especially during our road trips!
TROJANS FOREVER
Toni (Turner) DeAngelis, '89

Harry Ruffel – Looking Back on a Great Career
A self-described ‘Army Brat,’ Harry-James Ruffel was born in Fort Knox, Kentucky. His family would follow his father’s military career, and by the time Harry was 12 years old he’d already spent half his childhood living in Germany.

“After my dad retired as an Army Major in 1967, our family would eventually settle in Long Island,” Harry explained. “During high school I made the decision to apply to Trinidad State. Growing up around the military and many types of firearms, I always had an interest in shooting. And after learning about Gunsmithing at Trinidad State, I knew where I wanted to be.”
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John McBee attended Trinidad State on an athletic scholarship and was on the track team. He ran the mile relay and 440. He recalled that Coach Wetzel helped to create a soccer club in Trinidad.  John joined the ROTC at Trinidad State and continued at Southern Colorado State College. After SCSC, he was commissioned as second lieutenant and would serve in the military for 26 years in a dual status capacity. He made Captain in the reserves and retired as a Sgt Major. John attended University of Arizona receiving a Master of Science in Education & Technology and earned his teaching certification from Cochise College.  He taught at the US Army Intelligence Center at Ft. Huachuca in Arizona for 10 years and then retired.

A Bygone Era - German POWs in Trinidad
By: Bob Christofferson, '65
In the spring of 1964, I had completed my first year at Trinidad State majoring in Law Enforcement Technology and was preparing to go to work at Central City Police Department for the summer. The Director of the cadet program notified me I had been selected along with five other cadets to assist with a program that involved a group of foreign dignitaries and their wives. We were assigned to escort several former German prisoners of war (POWs) to specific activities during Operation International Friendship, to be held from June 6-10, 1964.
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My name is William Flecksteiner, I attended TSJC, went thru the first Computer Maintenance Course taught by Bill McCarthy in 1963-1965.  There were only 4 students in that class – myself, Paul Montera and the Barbee twins. 

I graduated in May of 1965 and was hired by UNIVAC Defense Systems that summer. 

Married Donna Jean Cordova and started my carrier with UNIVAC.

Having worked for UNIVAC for a while, Bill McCarthy contacted me and inquired if I might be able to get UNIVAC to come to TSJC and possibly hire upcoming graduates.  I contacted my boss G. Grosse and he thought that was a great idea.   He had me contact Mr. McCarthy and set up a call between them.

It was a little time later that Mr. Grosse and myself went to TSJC, to set up a meeting with Mr. McCarthy and talk to the new students in the program, about possible employment opportunities with UNIVAC.

I returned to UNIVAC and continued working in the field with the Army at the Pentagon, then went to work with the NAVY in San Diego and finally with the Marine Corp in California. 

I went to Rhode Island and was working with the Navy again when I began to work with some graduates from TSJC (Paul McAnally, Romero brothers and fellow from Walsenburg Co).

I left UNIVAC when they were bought out by Burroughs and went to work for Lockheed Martin in Waterton Co.  At the same time, I became a Reserve Sherriff Deputy for Jefferson County in Colorado, serving 36 years.   I was offered a position at TSJC to replace Mr. McCarthy but turned it down, because at that time there were rumors that Colorado might do away with State Junior Colleges.  I’m glad that it didn’t happen.

I want to thank TSJC and the late Mr. McCarthy for their great teaching skills that enabled me to have a great career in the field of Computers…….
Wm E. Flecksteiner  TSJC 1965

Paul Draper
After two years of military duty, I came to Trinidad in 1963 as an electronics major. After graduation I came back for another year as a math major before transferring to CSU as a math major and going on to become a computer programmer. The highlight of my time at TSJC was when they acquired a Bendix G15 computer. With the encouragement of electronics instructor Bill McCarthy and math/science teacher Jack Kosovich, I spent many hours learning the basics of computer technology. Years later I saw this computer in the Smithsonian advertised as the first personal computer. Only one person at a time could use it, so I guess it qualifies as a personal computer. Control Data acquired Bendix and I later worked for Control Data as a business programmer and then as a systems programmer. Most of my career as a programmer was at Lockheed Martin, and I credit TSJC with starting me on my career path.

Donald Smith, Jr.
I was raised in the town of Aguilar. I was not too sure what I was going to do after graduation. If it was not for TJC, I'm not sure I would have continued to end up with a Master's degree that helped me throughout my career. I had an advantage as my father, Donald Smith Sr. was on the college board of directors and I knew a lot about the physical expansion that was occurring. That's when the college added dormitories and the new student center. I believe my father was on the board for 9 years and until he moved out of the area. He was the individual who presented my diploma to me in 1961. TJC was a great environment for me and so many others to advance in many careers.

Dean Kuehl

In high school in Mendota, IL, I wanted to be a gunsmith and wrote to a Wisconsin gunsmith to apprentice with him.  He wrote back and said: “Go West young man, I cannot shoot round here like I could in the past.  There is a program in Trinidad, CO for you.”

In 1951 my brother Bill and I entered the Gunsmithing program at TJC.  The class was special because it started in June in order to accept WW2 Veterans before their college GI bill expired soon.  In our second year we were joined by brother Don.  I was likely the poorest student in the class and had to play football for ½ tuition.  Bill and I had the draft board after us at the time of graduation.  Don was 4F (unfit for military service) due to bad eyes. 

Trinidad was stimulating and we all went on to other colleges and got degrees after the Army; Bill in AG and became a rancher in Wyoming, Don to the University of Illinois and got a Bachelors in Mechanical Engineering.  I went to the Navy and then to the University of Illinois, also in engineering and then to Albuquerque, NM and got a Masters.  Both Don and I worked at Sandia Labs until retirement.  My wife and I stayed in touch with Bill Prator and his wife Mary Francis until they moved to Bend, OR as the aged.  Their daughter lived there.  We also stayed in touch with Louis Mrace and his wife, Betty.  Trinidad gave us the start we needed as our early years did not suggest continued education.

While at Trinidad State, I worked for Bill collecting cast iron from abandoned mines until he had delivered enough to the local foundry where they made castings from molds he had for the barrel making machines.  My brother Bill and I bought copies of the castings.  I machined the casting for all three on big mills that students did not use.  My brother and I never used ours.

Bill Prator was a lifetime friend and passed away in Bend OR, where his daughter had moved both Bill and Mary Francis.  My brothers are both gone also.  I am 91 years old now.

• Dean Kuehl  4/19/33
• Bill Kuehl  4/27/30 to 4/22/61
• Don Kuehl 11/12/35 to 10/31/13