Bio Summary:
[submitted by Polly on behalf of both]
Oct. 1, 2010 –
Following Hanover High School, I [Polly] attended the University of Vermont, majoring in Physical Education. It happened that when I was home from school for vacations, I often got together with John Rand. During our junior year of college, things got a bit more serious.
John was attending Norwich University and majoring in Mechanical Engineering. Before we graduated in June of 1969, we had plans to get married. As with all the graduates from NU, John received a commission as a Second Lieutenant in the US Army. Vietnam was looming over our lives.
We got married in June right after graduation, and John was able to get a deferment for a year before becoming active in the army. We moved to Kittery, ME where he worked at the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard.
Active duty started in June of 1970. After spending the summer at Fort Belvoir in VA, John had orders to come back to CRREL in Hanover to work for two years, with the commitment of an additional year of obligation to the Army. Beyond engineering, his duties included notification officer and assistance to the family of those who had given their lives in the war.
In 1972, John was able to leave the Army and start civilian life. He continued to work at CRREL. Our first son, Tyler, was born that year, and we bought a house in Cornish, NH. Our second son, Tim, was born in 1974. We thought of Cornish Flat as a temporary place to live, and assumed we would return to Hanover or Norwich. After 38 years here, we have no plans to leave.
Our lives as small town residents were very active. The Cornish Rescue Squad was created, and we both became participants as Emergency Medical Technicians, and Level One Firefighters. John was Cornish Fire Department Chief for six years.
I started a career as a Physical Education teacher when our second son Tim, was four years old. I taught in Plainfield Elementary School for 23 years. When John retired in 2001 I retired also.
John’s work has been largely oriented towards the South Pole, Antarctica. He has made countless trips there since his first one in 1970. He is still working as a consultant to the National Science Foundation and continues to spend some time each year going to Antarctica.
Our sons are now married and we have been blessed with four wonderful grandchildren. It is our greatest joy to spend time with our family. Tyler followed in his father’s footsteps and is a Mechanical Engineer at the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard, and Tim is a Law Enforcement National Park Ranger, now stationed at the Great Smokey National Park.
As with many of our classmates, our parents have required time and effort. John’s parents died in the 90’s, and my parents have lived with us during the winter months in the past.
Now that we have more time on our hands, John is building a house in Georgetown, Maine. It is a challenge that he wanted to tackle, and it has been an interesting activity for us. We plan to use the house as a three-season getaway. The outdoor activities are abundant and enjoyed by family and friends.
Polly (and John) Rand
PO Box 203
24 Cornish Stage Road
Cornish Flat, NH 03746
