Mark Creamer - UBSC

From: Mark <Mark.F.Creamer>
To: Jonesy <UBSC>
Date: Thu, 29 May 2008
Subject: UBSC photo for you

DearJonesy,

I stumbled upon your UBSC web site and was utterly amazed. I spent 3 outstanding years at UBSC as a programmer on the NCR mainframes in the mid 1970's working with Ray Willsea, Lance Everett, Dave Whorton, Chris Garcia, Mark Nichol, Don Nelson, John Bragg and others every day. UBSC will always be a special place for me, I met my wife to be at UBSC (the former Carla Huckfeldt), and just last week we celebrated our 30th anniversary. Chris Garcia and Dave Whorton were in my wedding, but sadly I lost touch with them 30 years ago and have no idea how to find them. It may be that I am the only person alive to have read James Michener's Centennial a dozen times, bought the miniseries on tape and then traveled across the country from Virginia where we have lived for many years to find the imaginary place (Orchard, CO). Colorado made a lasting impression.

The photos on your pages are amazing. It is really incredible to see so many familiar names and faces. Great to see that so many are still in touch with each other, to see that everyone has aged so well and succeeded in many ways. I was saddened to learn that UBSC is no more, and more saddened to see that Bill Hogue passed away. Carla and I always thought the world of Bill and Pat.

I'd like to make a contribution to your collection, it is attached. It's a mid 70's photo of the UBSC Men's Softball Team. The photo was taken in 1976, 77 or 78, in Greeley at the UBC tournament.

My housemates at the time were also UBSC'ers- Chuck Bustos (3rd shift Proof Manager) and Jeff Baer (computer room). Jeff was the photographer at my wedding (after a hitchhiker stole Chuck's equipment!)

Over the years I have sometimes told the story of how UBSC was such a cool place that the company budgeted beer for the softball team. I still remember all those cases of beer locked up in the cage downstairs, sitting along side the blank checks. Of course, nobody ever believes me. In later years I played on a few other teams, but it was never the same. That something special was missing. Maybe it was the altitude. Or the attitude. I've stayed in the software business but gave up playing ball because I just couldn't seem to recapture that UBSC camaraderie.

When I was rooting through my attic looking for this photo, I also came across a blue UBD/UBSC mail bag and some assorted photos that have UBC logo matches laying around on tables---wow, times have sure changed. When was the last time anyone saw corporate matches :-)?

Best,
Mark (& Carla) Creamer
Leesburg, VA
UBSC 76-78