Pete Kloeppel:

After graduating from the University of Virginia in 1964 and serving as an Ensign and Lieutenant (j.g.) in the Navy, I was medically retired from the Navy in 1967. Thereafter, I became a double Hoo and graduated from UVA’s law school in 1970 and began practicing law in Norfolk as a law clerk for Judge Richard Kellam in the federal court.

After practicing law in Portsmouth until December 1998, I was told to retire by a pulmonary specialist at Eastern Virginia Medical School. Before retiring nearly all my work was litigation. In 1985, I lost two million dollar verdicts and the railroad, CSX, fired me. The rest of my career was spent as a railroad union lawyer, suing the railroads, and I was on the winning side of several million dollar recoveries. From 1995 to 2006 I spent eleven years on the Portsmouth School Board, serving as chairman for two years and vice chairman for three or four years.

Upon retirement in December 1998, I was put on the waiting list for a lung transplant and Pam retired to take care of me. After on false alarm in August 2000, I had a successful left lung transplant at the University of Virginia Hospital on June 15, 2001. My recovery has been remarkable. In August 2002, I returned to work on a part-time basis until August 2009 when I retired permanently. Pam and I are still adjusting to both of us being retired full time.

On August 29, 2010, Pam and I celebrated our 46^th anniversary. By the way, Pam is a triple Hoo and earned her doctorate the same year I finished law school. We have two sons. Pete Jr. is 40 years old, has an MBA, and is a bean counter for Wells Fargo Advisors in St. Louis. He is the father of our only grandson, a 9 year old who is already training to become a linebacker. Mark, our youngest son, is a 36 year old tax lawyer for Norfolk Southern Corporation and lives in Virginia Beach. He is still looking for Ms. Right, so please let us know if you know any candidates.

Pam and I are active in several public/community services and we like to travel. We work at collecting antique furniture, Chinese and Japanese porcelain and oriental rugs. Mark and I collect American coins and currency. The rest of my time is spent doing woodworking projects, taking golf lessons and completing “Pam projects.”

It has been a great life but certainly not one I could have envisioned when we graduated in 1960. It is probably the same with the rest of you.