GOLDEN K members Joan Jouppi and John Corson at the Monday morning meeting. Corson spoke about his career and travels.

By JOAN JOUPPI

For The Daily News

KINGSFORD — On Sunday we turned the clocks back an hour, yet as Golden K members gathered on Monday morning, the weather made it feel as though nothing changed — sun shining and temperatures in the 60s.

Mary Jane Nelson, chairperson for November, quickly brought the group to their feet. Visitors welcomed were Kathy Arnold, director of Dickinson Iron Community Services Agency Retired Senior Volunteer Program, and her “new” assistant Kendra Trulock. Pauline Hill was also welcomed as longtime friend of the GK seniors.

Kathy Jo Anderson happily picked up her winnings from the 50-50 and the Happy Dollars reflected some sort-of happy sports-minded seniors wishing their teams could have been a little more exciting. Happy birthday to Myrna Ward on Nov. 11 and happy anniversary to Sue and Jim Benzing on Nov. 6.

One of our very own, John Corson, was the guest speaker. He has been a longtime member of the Golden K and will be leaving the area shortly for a warmer climate and more time with his family.

Corson has shared many stories, adventures and humorous anecdotes with this group. Today he shared an overall review of his working life. He has traveled the world over. He spent three decades working as a civil engineer, beginning in Los Angeles, traveling into the Philipines, Thailand, Panama Canal, Egypt and the South Pacific Islands, just to name a few.

While busy working in Malaysia on one of his last jobs in civil engineering, he noticed his friend appeared to have a much easier job. Corson decided he would like that job and decided to become an environmental impact analyst, or EIA. Corson was not one to let opportunities pass him by just because he did not have all the experience and knowledge required. He went to a library, took out a book on EIA and began to study. He was on his way to his third and final career change.

His first assignment in China was unexpected. The Asian Development Bank astonishingly accepted his company’s proposal to do a feasibility study on a $3 billion railroad extending from Xian to Hefei. The bank had received proposals from different countries yet chose to accept Corson’s company’s offer. This was a surprise because a U.S. Air Force plane had just accidentally bombed the Chinese Embassy in Belgrade, Yugoslavia. Grabbing their visas and choking down their surprise, the team headed for Beijing.

Not all of his projects went smoothly. Working with other governments required that all of their regulation protocols be maintained. Respecting countries’ environmental practices, sacred land flora and fauna, and the preservation of wildlife and fish habitats had to be considered. Measurements of air and water quality and working with all the individual organizations within that country was part of his delicate job of balance and resolution. In the United States, it is not uncommon for an environmental report to hold up projects for five years or more.

At that time, China was the leading railroad-building nation in the world. Wrangling out the details, they solved complications efficiently and kept the projects on track. Corson made things sound easy, but in reality there were many trying days and difficult decisions. There was always a myriad of organized, concerned groups whose questions needed answers before work could proceed.

Traveling from one site to another, from Michigan to Romania, Azerbaijan to Mongolia, and Namibia to Yugoslavia, his life was challenging and rewarding. Still traveling, we wish him well as he spreads his tales in a warmer climate.

The Golden K meets every Monday at the First Presbyterian Church in Kingsford. All are welcome.