(last revised 12/12/08 )

I was born in Seattle, December 28,1956, and have lived in northwest Washington almost all of my life. I came to Ferndale (City of Ferndale,WA.Homepage )in 1972 when my dad went to work at the then new Arco refinery.Prior to that, Dad was a logger, and we lived first on Orcas Island, and several places  in Skagit County, with 5 years in Sedro Woolley.

After many years at Mt Baker Plywood in Bellingham, and a divorce from my first wife, I went to Alaska to work in a seafood processing facility in January of 1986

My good friend Rob Trumble introduced me to the production manager of Peter Pan Seafoods (rest in peace Nick) who agreed to hire me, but I needed to provide my own transportation. Rob hooked me up with a ride on the crab fishing vessel "Denali" which left Seattle in early January 1986.That was an adventure in itself, crossing the Gulf of Alaska in January on an 84 foot boat. I was seasick for five days straight. 

I worked as a production worker for eight months, then tried my hand at crab fishing in the Bering Sea on board the Denali. 

The next summer I  worked on the salmon tender Sea Lion in Bristol Bay with my Uncle Jim, and decided to leave the boat life to more hearty guys like Uncle Jim, Rob and another good friend, Les DeLong. Uncle Jim retired in the early 90's. Rob went on to become captain, and part owner of the Denali.Picture  Les has been captain of the Gayla Maureen for more than 20 years.

In 2005 Les and Rob both bought their boats and are now full owners.

Genieve was born in Manila, Philippines March 3,1960 and moved to Seattle when she was seven.

Gen and I were married November 26,1988 after we met in King Cove Alaska in 1986.Our first date was on a three wheeler in Alaska in April,1986.  Click Here for Picture

She became stepmother to Mike, born May 25,1975, Tana, born August 30,1977,and Eric born January 20,1982. Click Here for Picture

Ashley was born January 15,1990,and Carli was born September 21,1991

I became a production foreman for Peter Pan Seafoods   Peter Pan Seafoods Home Page in King Cove Alaska in January of 1988,and held that position until August of 1992 when I decided to try a business of my own. Unfortunately, my choice of business (a baseball card store) was a poor choice and nearly sent us into bankruptcy and divorce.

In 1994, I was offered my old job back in King Cove (thanks again Nick!) and returned there in June. I held the foreman position until 1999 when I was promoted to Production Manager for the summers, and remained a foreman in the winters. During this time I also began taking over the human resource duties.

In 2001, it was decided that someone was needed to take care of the HR duties full time, and I was named the first ever Production Personnel Manager for the King Cove plant.

I spent approximately three months in Alaska in the winter, and three months in the summer. I did a lot of my HR work from home when I was not in Alaska.

Gen held several different jobs in King Cove since she began in 1980, and when the kids started school, she only went to Alaska for the summers. Then she got her current job at the Bon Marche and hasn't been back for a couple of years.

Ashley spent the summer of 2001 with me in King Cove, and both Carli and Ashley spent the summer of 2002 there.

Mike and Eric have both spent several seasons working there since they were sixteen. Tana tried it for a couple months when she was eighteen, but decided that it wasn't for her. She works in the corporate offices of Haggen, a grocery store chain.

We have lived in the same house since 1988. When we bought it, it was a duplex and we had visions of getting into the rental business, but after a couple bad experiences with renters, and the financial difficulties that came from the card shop we decided to convert this 90 year old house back to a 2000 square foot single family home. Much work still needs to be done, as I am not much of a carpenter, and it always seems like we spend our money on more important things (like the 26' RV, and the 2002 Goldwing!)

We like to spend time in the RV. We like the state parks, and often go to parks that are close to home.

I rode dirt bikes as a teenager. Mostly other guys bikes, but rode a lot.

At 19,I had an old beat up 750 Norton Commando. I think it was a 69,but I'm not sure. In 77 I bought a 76 Suzuki GT750 with an ugly fairing on it. Click Here for Picture I rode that for a couple of years, sold it to my  brother in law, then traded it back from him a couple years later. Eventually traded it for a 70 Camaro.

When I started working in Alaska, I had three different Honda Big Red three wheelers.  A few years later, I bought a used Suzuki GS1000L. Click Here for Picture Rode it for a few years when I wasn't working in Alaska, and sold it shortly after Carli was born. I then went for about 10 years without a bike. In 01,I started thinking about bikes again. Although I had limited experience on Goldwings,I knew I wanted one. I walked into a shop one day, saw an 01,and knew I had to have one, but knew I couldn't afford it. For more than a year, I dreamed of getting a Wing. I spent hours on the internet looking at bikes on  Cycle Trader.com. Then, on June 6, 2002 walked into the Cycle Barn at Smoky Point. Before I knew it, the young salesman had me test riding one (a black one too!), and I rode it home that day. Click Here for Picture The problem was that I had to go back to work in King Cove on June 8, so the bike sat all summer while I spent even more hours on the internet, talking on message boards, looking at accessories, and wishing I was home.  I finally got to come home on August 30,and Washington had one of the nicest, driest fall seasons on record. For several weeks, I rode a thousand miles a week. As of the week of December 13,2002 I had about 10,300 miles on the bike.I have met a lot of fine people since I bought the Wing, and hope to meet many more.

On December 21,2002 Tana and boyfriend Travis Tjoelker announced that they are going to be married. Travis had told me of his plans a few days prior to his proposal. I told him at the time that there was no one that I would rather see Tana marry. 

Mike became a father in April 2002 when Dylan Michael was born. Click Here for Picture

Mike and Mayra announced during the summer of 2003 that they have another child on the way!

Tana and Travis were married September 20,2003.For me it was a very proud day. Congratulations to Tana and Travis. Click Here for Picture

Alec Damien was born to Mike and Mayra on March 3,2004. Mike and Mayra were married in August 2004,an are now living in King Cove. Congratulations!!!!!

April 24,2004 while on a trip on highway 36, near Hayfork, CA, I failed to negotiate a left hand turn and crashed my Goldwing. I walked away with only a very minor cut and some seriously injured pride. Click Here for Picture  Another Picture .Gen was good enough the let me get another, as long as she got to pick the color. Picture of white 04. 

In January of 2005 I took over the job of fleet coordinator for Peter Pan. The job entails maintaining communications with the fishing fleet, and during the summer months, coordinating the salmon buying operations in the Sand Point, AK area. Picture

In 2005 I spent two months in King Cove in the winter, three months in Sand Point in the summer,and about 6 weeks in king Cove in the fall.
Gen continues to work for Macy's (formerly Bon Marche) as a merchandiser.        

Ashley got her first car in January,2006. Picture She worked in King Cove during the summer of 2006.She made enough money to pay for her car,cover her insurance and have a fair amount of spending money.She also worked the summer of 2007,and put some money away for college.

In April 06, I returned to production as the Summer Fresh Frozen Production Manager. My schedule is May 1 until early September, with some time working in the Seattle office when not in Alaska.

Adrian Wayne Tjoelker  was born to Tana and Travis on October 13,2007.

Eric married Zhiva Spasova in October 2007. They met in Dillingham Alaska in 2006,and reconnected in King Cove in the summer of 2007.

Nadia Erica was born Dec 6 2008.

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