Pat Tapley - Class of 1971
May/June 2005 "Kewpie of the Month"

1971  -  2005
I was born in Hannibal, MO on St. Patrick's Day 1953 into a large Irish catholic family, lived in Wentzville, MO for a while, moved to Columbia, MO for the start of seventh grade at Our lady of Lourdes, then West Jr, and graduated HHS in 1971.

While at HHS, I was a photographer for the "Cresset" and the school newspaper, after graduation I worked in the photo retail business for a while, did some freelance photography for the Columbia (MO) Daily Tribune, left Columbia for a government job in Arizona, worked in a mine in Colorado, washed dishes at the "Molly Brown" restaurant in Leadville, CO for a while......came back to Columbia in 1974, joined the USMC in 1975, did four years in the Marine Corps as a infantryman.......mortars and heavy weapons. Met my first wife in Norfolk, VA and married. We had four children together, 3 boys, one girl.

After Honorable Discharge from the Corps in November 1979, moved to Oregon to be close to ex-wife's family and the West Coast! Worked for the VA hospital as a plumber. Started at Wacker Siltronic in the hi-tech world 1981, left there after 15 years, got a divorce, went to work for Intel in Facilities, left there went to WaferTech for 22 months and back to Intel where I met my current wife "Marla" in December of 1999, and married her in August of 2000.

Current wife said "Why don't you do what you love?".......so I picked up studio lighting system and starting working out of our home while keeping my full time job at Intel as well. I joined the Professional Photographers of Oregon (www.PPOregon.com) in 2002 and as of April 2005 I am on the Board of Directors for PPO! I am also a member of the Professional Photographers of America (PPA), Wedding & Portrait Photographers International (WPPI).

I am looking forward to "retiring" from Intel soon and pursuing "photos by Tapley" full time.

                                                                                                           
Courtesy of Joe Craig, a famous Missouri photographer of my acquaintance                      "Excalibur" in Las Vegas while doing a production shoot


Fishing is on "a well-kept secret" river in the Pacific Northwest, fly fishing for
Pacific Silver salmon in their spawning colors. Vicious takes on a fly!

If you remember Pat let him hear from you: tapster1@verizon.net
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