Mike Scheschy
IT’S A FAMILY TRADITION
By Mike Scheschy, Machine Shop Manager
In 1959, The Lighthouse for the Blind, Inc. was located in downtown Seattle on Elliott Bay. At that time, the Lighthouse primarily employed people through broom winding. It was during this year when my brother-in-law, Harold Martinson, first joined the Lighthouse at age 16. His first job was to sell brooms door-to-door. He left and return several times over the coming decades. Harold was born in 1943 fully sighted, but an unfortunate accident at age three involving a pair of scissors resulted in him losing his left eye. When he was 17, Harold lost what usable sight he had in his right eye.
In 1960 Harold got a job with Handcrest, a state run program that in 1964 merged with the Lighthouse bringing its relationship with The Boeing Company and machining abilities into the organization. The Lighthouse moved to its current location in 1967, where Harold worked in the broom shop, the current location of our Phenolic room.
In 1973, Harold left the Lighthouse to pursue other interests; one of those interests was my sister, Jodene Scheschy-Martinson. They both returned to the Lighthouse in 1975 after their marriage in February of that year.
Jodene had previously worked at the Lighthouse, starting her career in 1970 working in the sewing area producing neckties. She then moved into assembling sponge mops before leaving in 1977. Harold left shortly after her in ‘78 after working in the machine shop the previous few years. They both pursued careers in the food industry before returning once again. Jodene rejoined the Lighthouse in 1989 where she held many different positions including trainer, tool room attendant, production set-up, as well as many others. Harold came back to the Lighthouse in 1992 to work in the machine shop where he holds the distinction for being one of the first employees who was blind to learn how to set-up a CNC mill.
Harold retired in 2004 and Jodene in 2013. Sadly, Harold passed away in 2013. However, Jodene is enjoying her retirement years in southern California.
My sister Jodene and I were both born with the same eye condition, Ocular Albinism. Even though the condition is permanent and not correctable, fortunately it does not worsen over time. Because of our legally blind disability, we both have been able to enjoy long careers at The Lighthouse for the Blind, Inc. Mine started in 1990 with an entry level position deburring parts. I quickly moved into other positions over the years.
As a teenager, I studied drafting and blue print reading. In my early 20’s I took leadership courses and held supervisory positions; I have also enjoyed woodworking and carpentry as a hobby. These three interests early in my life made it easy to transition into building parts in the aerospace division at the Lighthouse.
After eight years of working and building aerospace parts, I was able to put my leadership training to use as a lead and then later as one of the supervisors in the machine shop. For the past ten years I have held the position of Machine Shop Manager, enjoying the responsibility of providing opportunities for independence and self–sufficiency of people who are blind, DeafBlind, and blind with other disabilities.
Other family members that have experienced employment at the Lighthouse include Harold and Jodene’s oldest son Robert Martinson. Robert worked in the warehouse in 1997 through 1999. My two daughters, Amanda Henderson and Marie Terrio, both worked 3rdshift in our injection mold department in 2002 and Amanda returned in 2006, returning a third time with her husband Jared Henderson in 2013. My daughter-in-law Jenifer Hart worked 3rd shift in the Machine shop from 2008 to 2010.
All in all, my family has more than 85 combined years working at The Lighthouse for the blind, Inc. in Seattle. My hopes are that I can carry on the family tradition into my retirement, which with any luck won’t be for many, many years.