Suzanne Batcheller Hendricks

In the 50 years since high school: The first three were as a psych major at CSULB. Then, in 1969, Continental came recruiting on campus: I was hired as a “Hostess.”

Based in Seattle, my passions became: backpacking, camping, chopping wood, skiing, and wishing winters weren’t so long, and the beach so far. I flew military charters for the last couple years of VietNam. In 1977, I took a "one-year" transfer to Guam. There were only eight flight attendants based on the island; flying through the vast Pacific Trust Territory. Things have changed a lot since then - but I’m still here, riding out the ups and downs of the airline industry.

Life has been a traveling adventure. Emptying my bag, I found the currencies of six countries. I’ve roamed through much of Europe, Asia and Australia. I have walked among dragons on Komodo, watched giant leatherback turtles drag themselves from the sea to nest on remote Papuan beaches, and seen the frantic race to the sea when several nests emerged.
I spent a week hunting bears on Kodiak Island (shooting only my Canon), and I’ve ascended Mt. Suribachi (Iwo Jima) at least nine times. I met Elvis a couple times in his Las Vegas suite. I have walked in wonder through Petra, Jordan, and spent many days in Old Jerusalem with my own personal tutor.

As a certified SCUBA instructor, and diving enthusiast, I have traveled throughout Micronesia and the Pacific including voyages through much of Indonesia, Bali, Irian Jaya, Papua, Borneo, and Sulawesi. I once sailed up to an erupting volcano (Komba), watched red lava roll, then dived her windward flank. Working with the National Park Service I helped map shipwrecks in Guam’s harbor, and dived the USS Arizona in Hawaii. I have explored small cultural enclaves in seldom seen parts of the Pacific, and endured the occasional drama, and threat, of raging typhoons.

Concerned for the future of my opportunity-expanding employment, I became a labor leader/organizer/negotiator for several decades. Now that the messy mega merger between United and Continental is in its final stages, I am back to flying the line, and enjoying exotic layovers and lots of time off as I practice for a retirement that will never come...

David and I were married in 1975. In Real Life, Dave is a musician - despite having worked for thirty years as a RN. We raised two kids who are smart, talented, interesting, good looking, and employed. Crystal and Derek are doing a fine job of raising our 7 grand kids - all of whom are above average.

Life is good on our tropical island where summer never ends, and WWII still echoes in the jungles. The air is clean; the beaches accessible and excellent. Water temperature is seldom below 82 degrees, and I am often in it. I still windsurf when conditions are right, and snorkel, dive or swim other days. Currently, we are building a seaside retirement manor on the west coast where it is already tomorrow.

In the 50 years since high school: The first three were as a psych major at CSULB. Then, in 1969, Continental came recruiting on campus: I was hired as a “Hostess.”

Based in Seattle, my passions became: backpacking, camping, chopping wood, skiing, and wishing winters weren’t so long, and the beach so far. I flew military charters for the last couple years of VietNam. In 1977, I took a "one-year" transfer to Guam. There were only eight flight attendants based on the island; flying through the vast Pacific Trust Territory. Things have changed a lot since then - but I’m still here, riding out the ups and downs of the airline industry.

Life has been a traveling adventure. Emptying my bag, I found the currencies of six countries. I’ve roamed through much of Europe, Asia, and Australia. I have walked among dragons on Komodo, watched giant leatherback turtles drag themselves from the sea to nest on remote Papuan beaches, and seen the frantic race to the sea when several nests emerged.
I spent a week hunting bears on Kodiak Island (shooting only my Canon), and I’ve ascended Mt. Suribachi (Iwo Jima) at least nine times. I have walked in wonder through Petra, Jordan, and spent many days in Old Jerusalem with my own personal tutor. One year, I met Elvis a couple times in his Las Vegas suite.

As a certified SCUBA instructor, and diving enthusiast, I have traveled throughout Micronesia and the Pacific including voyages through much of Indonesia, Bali, Irian Jaya, Papua, Borneo, the Philippines, and Sulawesi. I once sailed up to an erupting volcano (Komba), watched red lava roll, then dived her windward flank. Working with the National Park Service I helped map shipwrecks in Guam’s harbor, and dived the USS Arizona in Hawaii. I have explored small cultural enclaves in seldom seen parts of the Pacific, and endured the occasional drama, and threat, of raging typhoons.

Concerned for the future of my opportunity-expanding employment, I became a labor leader/organizer/negotiator for several decades. Now that the messy mega-merger between United and Continental is in its final stages, I am back to flying the line: enjoying exotic layovers and lots of time off as I practice for a retirement that will never come...

David and I were married in 1975. In Real Life, Dave is a musician - despite having worked for thirty years as a RN. We raised two kids who are smart, talented, interesting, good looking, and employed. Crystal and Derek are doing a fine job of raising our 7 grand kids - all of whom are above average.

Life is good on our tropical island where summer never ends, and WWII still echoes in the jungles. The air is clean; the beaches accessible and excellent. Water temperature is seldom below 82 degrees, and I am often in it. I still windsurf when conditions are right, and snorkel, dive or swim other days. Currently, we are building a seaside retirement manor on the west coast where it is already tomorrow.