Claude Driskill

Home Page Arkadelphia Arlington Auburn BrownField CapeMay Cerritos Chula Vista Clark Delaware Edgemont Evergreen Fairhope Foley Fresno Fullerton Hagerstown Hamburg Heber Springs Irvine Huntsville Los Angeles Loudonville Mexico Millersburg MiraLoma Richmond San Marcos Sheridan Toulouse Winder Advanced Bibliography Looking For Memorabilia Memorabilia p.2 Salute to Pappy Timeline Riverside RC As1953 ADec1955 Amay1957 RMa1960 RMma1961 RMmj1961 RMso1961 RMja1961 RMf1969 RNmidN1982 RNmidFeb83 RNNov1983 Beahan Popplewell RivPhotos RivPhotos2 RROMEO Rohr1982 RNMay1984 RNJuly1984 RNAug1984 RNOct1984 RNMay1985 RNDec1986 RNDec1990 A92543 Riv72354 AA1957 RN101667 Riverside92682 HSER111987 Lynch Kitchen McKenzie GIWMcKenzie GSMcKenzie AJan1953 WPeters Rohr50years Aircraft Antenna Communications Computer Construction Marine Material Postal Rail Space RailTransit Paris Rockville SanDiego WashingtonDC ICarreno MCecena Nutt Lewis ADec1956 RMma62 RMw62 RMs63 RMs64 RMf65 RN62066 RN71866 RN5567 RN81167 RN111067 RMsum69 RN12574 RN22274 RN91578 RNmay84 RNmay93 TSUT91297 TSDUT91397 RMw63 RN111665 RMw68 Rohr Chula Vista 25th Anniversary Guest Book manor JAustin MBolles LBarto RBolles SGutierrez DKitt WKurtz CManuel Warters Wells Wjan45 ADaug46 tfaA51 Aaug57 Ajune52 Aaug57part2 Ajuly1952 Aoct52 Ajune1953 Anov57 Anov57part2 RMspring66 MTS1971 RNjuly71 BTfeb72 PE1974 TSDUT41494 RN12867 RN2268 RN61468 RMf68 RMspring70 Rohr1992 Rohr992 VPClassen WRJordan HVelez RTIPP XR1D RMnd58 RMjf61 RN22161 RMspring68 RMsummer68 RN22069 RN2369 RN22070 RNnov71 RNfeb72 RNjuly72 RNjuly73 21st695 TRC BARTnr RN2775 RN3775 RN4475 RN8178 RN121979 RDrown JNCopeland GFlannagan TSDUT32994 TSDUT42594 TSUT92397 TSUT92397c1 TSDUT92797 TSUT92897 Ajune56 RMsum64 RMf64 RMf66 RMw66 RMsu70 photos warbond1942 RCSPD64 DBessie ECzay CRDoss Evans IHamby CJPoole DRhodes PStevenson RN060569 RMma58 RMjf60 RMma60 RM1q65 RC68part1 RC68part2 Motori72 RIIar76 RN032879 RIIar78 RN83178 RNmay1988 TSDUT42694 JHolomon RLopez PRaney FHRohr BRobinson SSepulveda Witbeck RIVreunion110719 RACar56 Adec57 RMsum66 RRCN1257 RC64ar RRCN1256 Aoct56 Anov56 Afeb57 Amay1957b RMmj58 RMjf59 RMma59 ZReed Houston RMso60 arrc1962 RC67ar RN090368 RMw70 RMw70v19n3 PE012371 RNdec75 RN062077 RN041279 RN052579 RN072480 RN0782 RNmidN83 RNmidMay84 RNmidJune84 RNjun88 RBagley RMsum71 RCMP RN100465 IDagan VGirtman Foster LMatheny RMotl JoeRheim WLWashington Afeb52 A062356 RNaug84 RNsept85 Ajan58 RMja58 RMso58 RMmj59 RMja59 RCAR1970 IndustrialSystems RN030868 EJohnston activities RHines RMEwbank JDHawkins RNsept1958 WLevacy hammering RN122065 VanHulle RohrHomes RohrHomes2 RN111868 RN052170 RN092479 RN080880 RN033181 RN032360 RN040560 RNjuly97 JJudd RNoct1997 RN071568 SL071791 SL121097 RN111765 CDriskill RivPhotos3 EDriskill LBagwell LAT091370 Press091470 RNaug91 RNoct91 RNdec82 RNnov82 WN082389 RNmidjan83 RNmidoct83 WN090689 WN091389 WN081689 WN101189 WN102589 WN110189 RNmidmarch83 WN020190 WN080890 WN032890 WN102490 WN072088 WN88 WN081088 EKunz CVSN121654 RNfeb83 RN100564 RNmidfeb85 CasaGrande 1958handbook RN121663 RNnov90 Anov55 Aerospace DPurdy CJPfrunder Custom 3 1975AR Watts motel RN041960 RNmidOct84 WN020790 RNnov84 RNmidSept84 JMalloy CWMullenix RN082161 A050843 RNfeb83 RNmar83 RNjan83 RNmar85 RNdec84 RNjuly83 RNjuly89 RMjf62 Snov46 RC63AR RNfeb91 DeptsPrograms Bahler RMsum63 RMfall63 RNjune83 Houston RN070263 RNmidjul83 RNmidjun83 RN090959 RNmidMay83 RNmay83 RN082881 RNmidApril83 RN112581 RNapril83 RN071663 RN052059 RN021982 RMspring67 flight FHooper Aaug56 Daytona JVanAllen Challenge95

Rohr Aircraft Memories
a website for Rohr Retirees and Former Employees

home | Arkadelphia | Arlington | Auburn | Brown Field | Cape May | Cerritos | Chula Vista | Clark | Delaware | Edgemont | Europe | Evergreen
Fairhope | Foley | Fresno | Fullerton | Garland | Hagerstown | Hamburg | Heber Springs | Huntsville | Irvine
Los Angeles | Loudonville | Mexico | Millersburg | Mira Loma | Moreno Valley
Paris | Richmond | Riverside | Rockville | San Diego | San Marcos | Scotland | Sheridan | Singapore | Toulouse | Washington D.C. | Watts | Winder
Administration | Advanced | Aerospace | Aircraft | Antenna/Marine | Communications | Computer | Construction | Industrial | Material | Postal | Rail & Transit | Space
Bibliography | Guest Book | Looking For... | Memorabilia | People | Credit Union | Rohr Manor | Rohr Motel | Timeline
AeROHRcrafter | Rohr Magazine | Rohr News | Skylines | Talking Points | Weekly News | News Clippings

Claude Driskill
Rohr Riverside, Chula Vista and Arkadelphia
 
 
Claude was born on October 2, 1938 in Los Angeles, California to Willette and Ira Joe Driskill, a Singer sewing machine salesman. He grew up with six siblings. The family moved around and lived in El Cajon, Alhambra, Hollywood, Los Angeles, and then Lake Elsinore for cleaner air. The family moved briefly to Mira Loma before moving to Riverside for Claude's junior year of high school (p. 31, 39, 43, 44, 49, 50, 52, 59, 64).

Claude graduated from the old Poly High School (now RCC) in 1957. According to Claude, "My single favorite memory is how welcome I was made to feel by my new classmates when I first came to Poly as a junior. Everyone was so friendly and my initial uneasiness of beginning at a new school disappeared almost immediately." Claude was involved in the National Forensic League (Speech and debate) and Tennis. Claude said "I went to Boy's State as a junior. As a senior, I was elected to represent Southern California (and Poly) in the National Student Congress in Lexington Kentucky (p. 67).

In 1956, Claude's brother Joe began working at Rohr and later became a Foreman (p. 73).

In 1959, Claude "took a job at Rohr as an aircraft assembler trainee, earning $1.65 per hour" while going to college at night. After almost a year Claude left Rohr to focus on his job at the Arthur Murray dance studio becoming the Dance Director at the Riverside studio. Claude returned to Rohr and was hired as an Assembler before transferring to Production Control as a Dispatcher. He was laid off in 1962 as manufacturing requirements slowed down (p. 71, 73, 76). 

Claude then worked at an aluminum siding company, also sold insurance and was a promotional salesman for a major tobacco company. These jobs were constant reminders about the benefits of education (p. 76).

In February of 1965, Claude returned to Rohr Aircraft in Riverside and was hired on as an Assembler. Within a year he transferred into a trainee position in Manufacturing Engineering. "I went from trainee to Manufacturing Engineer; through various Industrial Engineering roles; to supervisor and then manager of several engineering organizations."

Claude "received an associate degree in English and History from Riverside Community College in 1970." He also attended UC Riverside and Cal State Fullerton taking engineering courses.
 
In 1979, Claude met Edna, who was working in the Parts Priming deparment at Rohr. They married in 1980 (p. 84).

By 1982, Claude was "manager of Industrial Engineer and Facilities at Rohr" (p. 86). Prior to retiring, Claude "had been working as an Improvement Specialist, helping the company implement the "Toyota Lean Manufacturing System"." Claude then became a consultant and worked at Goodrich (formerly Rohr) in Arkadelphi, Arkansas and then took an assignment in Chula Vista (p. 101). Claude finally retired in 2000 (p. 102).

In his retirement, Claude stated "I'm very busy as a retiree and don't know how I ever time for work. I now travel with my wife having visited Italy, Canada, Alaska, Hawaii and the east coast of America in recent years. I am an oil and watercolor artist ... and enjoy spending time with my wife, children, and grandchildren."

References:
Driskill, Claude. Memories. April 2002. Riverside, California.

Claude, 4 years old in 1943. Submitted by Edna Driskill, 6/30/2023.

Claude. Poly High School graduation photo, 1957. Submitted by Edna Driskill, 6/30/2023.

Claude, early 1980s. Submitted by Edna Driskill, 6/30/2023.

Rohr. Group includes Ralph Canterbery, Chuck Creekmore, and Claude Driskill (with HAIR). Submitted by Edna Driskill, 6/30/2023.

GE 90 Rohr Team, circa 1981-1982. Photograph includes Greg Allen (shirt with pencil protector, Jerry Van Hulle's boss), Gary Metzger (with a beard and sunglasses), Charlie Schonerman (wearing bowtie) and Edna Driskill (in the front, long sleeved dress), Claude Driskill (wearing dark jacket) to the left of the large sign. Tom Trogodes (holding the sign on the right side), Back row: Gabe Gutierrez (very tall, by the back), (5th from the right), Dick Moore (head tilted to the left), Dwayne Black (with a beard and sunglasses). Submitted by Edna Driskill, 6/30/2023.

Claude is on the right. Submitted by Edna Driskill, 6/30/2023.

Claude's Rohr anniversary pins. Submitted by Edna Driskill, 6/30/2023.

Claude, 1983. Submitted by Edna Driskill, 6/30/2023.

Claude is on the far right. Submitted by Edna Driskill, 6/30/2023.

Claude on the left, circa 1980. Submitted by Edna Driskill, 6/30/2023.

Submitted by Edna Driskill, 6/30/2023.

Submitted by Edna Driskill, 6/30/2023.

Submitted by Edna Driskill, 6/30/2023.

Submitted by Edna Driskill, 6/30/2023.

Submitted by Edna Driskill, 6/30/2023.

Submitted by Edna Driskill, 6/30/2023.

Submitted by Edna Driskill, 6/30/2023.

Claude's painting of the Mission Inn in Riverside, California. Submitted by Edna Driskill, 6/30/2023.

Claude, 2007. Submitted by Edna Driskill, 6/30/2023.

Opinions expressed on these pages are not necessarily those of the site owner. All content is ©2006-2024 Rohr Aircraft Memories unless otherwise credited or a vintage reprint. All rights reserved. Unauthorized use of material is prohibited. Contact Sue with questions or comments. Website address: rohrmemories.com Last updated: 02-20-2024

Submitted by Edna Driskill, 6/30/2023.