Louis Amundson:
CLASS OF 1969
John H. Francis Polytechnic High SchoolClass of 1969
Sun valley, CA
Western Bible CollegeClass of 1980
Morrison, CO
San Fernando High SchoolClass of 1969
San fernando, CA
Pacoima Junior High SchoolClass of 1966
Pacoima, CA
Beachy Elementary SchoolClass of 1963
Pacoima, CA
Louis's Story
Current (10/2010) The summer didn't go like we planned. On 7/22/10 I was awaken at 02:00 am w/ Chest Pain... Suddenly had an Acute Coronary Syndrome with Unstable Angina. Had a Cardiac Cath and was found to have 90-95% blockage of my Coronaries. That evening I underwent a 7-Vessel Coronary By-Pass. It's been a long recovery (to say the least) but I am now feeling better than I have in a couple of decades. Hope your summer was better than mine...
Life
Pastored Churches in CO, CA, IA and AK for a dozen years. Have been doing Emergency Medical Services for about 26 years now. Currently I am a Critical Care Flight Paramedic in Alaska, for over 18 years. We regularly deal with extreme conditions such as weather, remoteness, etc. Fly in Jets regularly and on occasion, turbo-props. The average Medevac is around 5-6 hours turn around. Usually 450+ miles each way. I've done Medevacs from Anchorage, Alaska to Tampa, Florida. I recently did a Medevac from Anadyr, Russia to Anchorage -- it was very interesting. All in all, everyday presents a unique challenge of one sort or another (for more see my workplace bio).
Married for 40 years now, we have 3 grown children and 6 grandchildren. We all have lived in Alaska now for over 24 years now. We enjoy family very much and cherish all of our time with them.
My wife, Madeline (Duffy), graduated form Poly in 1971. She also went to Pacoima Jr. High and Montague Elementary School. We married just before she started her senior year of High School -- she only and 1 semester left. We have lived in North Hollywod, Van Nuys and Simi Valley, CA after being married -- then moved to Denver, Colorado to attend College there in 1974. Then after graduation in 1980 we moved to Santa Barbara, CA for a year -- then in 1981 moved to Garwin, Iowa. After living in the midwest for 5 years in 1986 we moved to Homer, Alaska. Then in 1990 up here to Eagle River, Alaska where we have been ever since. We love Alaska and it has been nice to be in a place that is much quieter and simpler living in a friendly place. Life has been a journey -- an exciting one, and challenging one -- but never boring. If you've never travelled very much -- I would recommend it -- it can be a most interesting change.
School
Went to Beachy Avenue Elementary School from K-6th. Then on to Pacoima Junior High School for Grades 7-9th. Had fun, learned a little. Then went to San Fernando High School for grades 10 and part of 11. Learned as little as I could -- was strong in Biology and Science -- real bad a History and Math.
Then I went to Polytechnic High School for the rest of the 11th and 12th grades. My girlfriend, Madeline was starting there my senior year -- we got to go to school together. We are still together -- married over 46 years.
I was a "Low Rider" my 58' Ford was about 5" off the ground -- just at the legal limit. It had the "twice pipes" w/ pencil tipped rappers, Keystone Kustoms mags with red lights in the wheel wells. The rear side windows had the script painted "Diamonds and Pearls" one of my favorite oldies.
I barely graduated in Summer of 1969 -- began working as a Tow Truck Driver, then moved on to work for Pacific Telephone Company. Got married. Became a dad 15 months later, bought a house in Simi Valley in 1972 for $28,500. (Today it's worth nearly $500,000.) But we sold it 14 months later for $30,500. and moved to Colorado, where I attended Western Bible College (now Colorado Christan University), and continued with the Bell System transferri...Expand for more
ng to Mountain Bell Telephone.
College
I started at Western Bible College in September 1974, and graduated May 1980, with the B.B.E. I squeezed 4 years into six, since I was already married with one child. By the time graduation came, we had three children. While at WBC I worked for Mountain Bell Telephone in the evenings.
I Pastored the Harris Park Bible Church, in Harris Park -- for three years, until shortly after graduation. After then I went into the full-time pastorate with a Home Missions agency.
While at WBC, we developed many good friendships. Over the years we have lost touch with many of them, to our regret. We lived in the Married Student Apartments for 3 years -- and enjoyed campus life very much -- the fellowship and the shared meals together were some good memories.
The Instructors -- Jim Andrews, Paul Borden, Bill Boyd, David MacLeod, Lem Morgan, Jonathan Smith, Bob Shelley, Larry Carrier, Adrian House (and the others) had a dramatic impact on my life. I still utilize the study skills and tools of scholarship they embedded in my brain, and found that WBC had a much higher level of Educational Standards than most Bible Colleges. I realized this when I began to teach at Alaska Bible Institute. Their Academic Dean told me that my Syllabus was far too demanding. It was about 1/4 of what the average WBC course required -- and I had to pear it down a little more. I appreciate so much the Seminary level training at Bible College prices.
Workplace
I have been a Critical Care Flight Paramedic since 1998 in Alaska. We mainly fly in Jets, and once in a while need to utilize a TurbopProp. It is sometimes a real challenge -- but no two Flight are the same. I've been to every nook and cranny of Alaska -- very few places I haven't been to (a lot of the small rural villages don't have big enough runways). From the North Slope to the Bering Sea, from Southeast Alaska to the farthest Aleutian Island -- this State is the most beautiful and awe inspiring place you could ever see.
I also worked on the Exxon-Valdez Oil Spill Clean up back in the 80's, as a Medic-Safety Tech -- on the Kodiak Islands Task Force. That was quite an experience -- to say the least. Made lots of money, working 18-20 hour days for weeks at a time, living on small boats (Salmon Seiners) that were hired as RMV's (Roving Medic Vessels). It was hard being isolated from the world and my family for 4+ weeks at a time.
I have also been involved in Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Education as an instructor of numerous courses over the years. I have had more education in EMS than you can shake a stick at -- thousands of hours of classes. I'm Licensed in the State of Alaska as a Mobil Intensive Care Paramedic (MICP), I am a Nationally Registered Paramedic (NR-P), I was a Certified Critical Care Transport Paramedic (CCEMT-P) -- and I am also the 182nd Certified Flight Paramedic (FP-C) out of less than 1800 in the world. I have my BCLS, ACLS, PALS, NRP, TNCC, ATLS and Alaska AeroMedevac Provider/Instructor certification (just to name a few -- for those involved in the medical field who know their meaning).
I was also the 45th EMT-1 Certified in Los Angeles County back in 1973. I've worked at Schaffer's Ambulance, Professional Ambulance and Newhall Ambulance early on in 1972-74. Worked the Ambulance at Indian Dunes and Saugus Speedway for a time.
If you are interested in my travels, drop me a line -- and I'll let you know more or answer your questions -- if you are not interested I'll stop boring you!
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