Richard Svertz

After High School I attended and graduated from the University of Houston. In 1966 I was drafted into the Army. I attended OCS and was commissioned. I played baseball and was on the All-Army volleyball team.

After the service, I worked in the oil industry for Conoco, Texaco and later was a partner for an independant oil company.

I sold my part of the oil company in 1981 and answered the call to pastor a church in the Davis mountains of west Texas.

God blessed our church and I served as pastor there for 16 years.

I moved back to Corpus in 2008. I am currently living on the island.

That's the history part.

As with all of us, there were many ups and downs in between. In 1973 I was diagnosed with cancer and given 3-6 months to live. But after radiation, chemo and a lot of prayers I survivied.

I guess the most exciting thing that has happened to me happened in 2002. I had been corresponding with a Russian lady via the Internet and after six months of that I decided to go to Moscow and visit her and her family.

The rest, as they say, is history. We were married at the church where I pastored and have been married for 6 years.

I spend about a month each year in Russia. The country is beautiful and the people, believe it or not, are more friendly than most of the people I have met in other parts of the world. They are very curious about Americans and are always trying to practice their limited English.

I thank God for the life He has granted me and I look forward to seeing all of you at the 50th reunion.