Kurt Tollefson

With sadness a man that loved life and everyone, is gone. 12-18-2021

Tribute to Lion Kurt

—-

Kurt’s Bio

(Dear readers, We have been encouraged to be more or less fanciful in the creation of our biographies. I would caution you to take the following offering to heart or with a grain of salt as your judgement dictates.  I can only preface my story by noting that I grew up around airports and pilots of real or imagined renown who shared their exploits (fueled by hubris or the demon rum) at great length. My education in those realms was fueled by my imagination and naiveté. Having eschewed (bless you!) flying for a career at sea, I was exposed at a young and impressionable age to the sea stories and other tales of a group of individuals distinguished not only by the scope of their exposure to the world at large but by their proclivity to embellish any incident at great length. The stories, heard in shipboard mess halls, drinking establishments and dens of iniquity of renown (from Rio to Rijeka, Lagos to Luanda, Pusan to Portugal and beyond) often strained the beliefs of even the most junior of their companions. If you can’t beat em, join em became my motto. I have flown a few hangers myself and sailed more than a few ships up and down the bar over the years. As my fellow sailors used to sing while passing outbound beneath the Golden Gate…Bye, Bye, Mama, we’re off to Yokohama, and elsewhere…see you in the Hundred Acre Wood…under the name of Sanders…I’m trying to make it up to the bear..please send honey.

I was born on a table top in Visalieee (California, that is). Killed me a bear when I was only three (tore the stuffing right out of him…no more stuffed animals for me). My father was an instructor with the Army Air Corps at Sequoia field. He eventually ended up in the Air Transport Command. His career took us to numerous places including Santa Venetia and Novato. I attended eighth grade and High School in the latter location. I spent weekends and summers working at my father’s airport/flying school as gas boy, scheduler and sometimes de facto office manager. Prior to my HS graduation, I received a congressional nomination to the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy, a place that I didn’t know existed. I ended up applying, was accepted into the marine engineering program and (after somehow surviving Plebe year and associations with the likes of “Percy” Bardot, Salty O’Hara, Joe the wiper, Bosn’ Clooney, Dr. Nau {who had a penchant for “fingering” my fellow classmates and I at every opportunity}and a host of upper classmen bent upon my absolute subjugation) embarked on a journey that took me into a career and places I never envisioned. My entire second year at the Academy was spent aboard a variety of merchant ships as an engine cadet. I visited Japan, Taiwan, Korea, Thailand, Vietnam, Okinawa and made a trip through the Panama Canal, down the East coast of South America and up the west coast. I graduated in 1965 and embarked on a 9 year career at sea that concluded with the position of chief engineer aboard a container ship running between SF and Honolulu. I met my wife, Debby (the love of my life for these past 47 years) in 1969 on a blind date while taking the coastwise trip off between voyages to Vietnam on the Seatrain Carolina. We were married in November of that year. She joined the ship and sailed with me on a number of voyages. In 1974 I came ashore and joined the Maintenance and Repair Department of Chevron Shipping company providing technical support to Chevron’s fleet of US and domestic tankers. I served in a variety of positions. I supervised shipyard overhauls of approximately 20 VLCC/ULCC tankers (in shipyards from Durban to Piraeus, Lisbon to Singapore, Ulsan to Nagasaki and elsewhere), served as new construction manager for a fleet of tankers that were constructed in Japan and Rio de Janeiro, taught Quality and concluded my career as team leader/port superintendent for our office in Pascagoula at the Chevron Refinery. I retired in 1999. Since retiring, I’ve done contract work in the Shipping co. office, several 28 day stints on a tanker off Angola, a six month stint as owner’s rep on a ship in Jingyin , China and a 4 month adventure as drydock superintendent in Shekou, China.

I joined the Foster City Lions Club on the SF Peninsula in 1978. The club was and still is very active in the community and among the most active clubs in the local district that runs from San Francisco south to Palo Alto. I made many enduring friendships while working with my fellow Lions. I cherish the comradery that we built while pursuing our many community service projects. I also enjoyed meeting the diverse groups of Lions throughout our district during our frequent visitations to other clubs and attendance at conventions.

I remained a member of the club until we moved north after my retirement and return to Foster City in 2000. After arriving in Redding, I was fortunate that the Redding Breakfast Lions Club was the first club that I visited. They had me at “hello”. I’ve been honored to have been a member of the club for the past 9 years. I cherish the friendships that I’ve made and opportunities to work together with a terrific group of folks whose goals are to help the fellow members of our community. I enjoy travel, visiting our son and his family in Daphne, AL, golf, flying (when I can afford it), writing the great American novel (my first effort Memoirs of a Wandering Wastrel under my pseudonym of W. Mitty was an instant hit), Mountain climbing (sic), extreme senior sports (internet surfing sans virus protection, sewing for seniors, and competitive exposition). I’m still looking for a tall ship to fix..and a few new sea stories. (reminds me of the time I was lost in Labuan..).

Published July, 2016

Kurt and his wife Debbie moved to Alabama to be with their son and grandkids.  They are missed.