Neil Wiley

Schools attended:  Out of AVHS I attended UCLA as a Chemistry major, sharing a dorm room with Jim Bacon my first year.  Being somewhat retarded in foreign languages, and in view of the UC requirement of two years of foreign language, I transferred to San Francisco State University after a couple of years and roomed with Larry Rasmussen.  It only took me 5 ½ years to graduate, receiving a B.S. in Economics in January 69.  I then started law school at UCLA, received my 1-A from our local draft board, and, being too tall and clumsy to dodge bullets, withdrew from law school joined the Coast Guard.  Despite the fact I would not have joined but for the draft, it was a good experience.  I wound up doing three years of active duty and 22 years in the reserves.

Profession:  When I was released from active duty in July 72 I went to work for a CPA firm in San Francisco.  In August 77 I reduced to part-time and resumed law school at UC Hastings.  I graduated in December 80 and returned to public accounting, by this time having a wife and two kids.  I remained in public accounting at KPMG and Moss Adams until June 2001 at which time I joined a small law firm in San Rafael, doing primarily tax work.  My timing was pretty good.  I exited public accounting slightly before the demise of Arthur Andersen, Enron, etc.

Marriages, Children and Grandchildren:  I married Ann Cummins (Palmdale High School “65”) in 69.  We had three children, one of whom died as an infant.  The other two are doing fine, but I haven’t yet fully succeeded in getting them to support me in a style such that I can fully retire.  I married Donna (aka “Gorgeous”) in 95.  She is a very nice person and seems to tolerate my oddities well.  Donna had two children by a prior marriage, one of whom we lost at the age of 26.  We now have three grandchildren.

Hobbies:  Backpacking, river rafting and procrastination.

Favorite memories of AVHS:  Rum and Coke, cross country, and Mr. Huffman (biology & track coach).  Mr. Huffman once told me that if I ever came in anything other than last in a race he would buy me dinner.  Apparently his motivation worked because I can remember actually beating someone in one race.  Mr. Huffman died about a year ago.  He was a fine person.

Changes to high school: The only thing I can think of which I would like to change during those years, other than possibly not being such a scrawny nerd (6’ 2” – 132 lbs.), is to make them more recent such that we would now be working on our 20th year reunion rather than on our 40th year reunion.  I think Sandi miscounted.

Plans for the immediate future:  Continue to have life insurance companies profit from my existence.

Outstanding accomplishment:  Avoiding being the recipient of a Darwin Award.