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I worked my own way through college at Pacific States University, in central Los Angeles, taking electronic engineering. I graduated in 1950 with my degree, thus following in my father's footsteps. I was called in the Korean military war draft, but was turned down due to flat feet. So instead, I went on a mission for the church to Kentucky and Tennessee, to the country people of the Southern Bible belt. It is here that I was introduced to the Southern way of life, and began to feel the roots of our family. My mother sold her home to finance my mission. She went to live with my sister, Lilian, in Etna, California, to help her raise her children. Uncle Robert Wixom had invited Lilian to Etna to meet a returned missionary, Alden Robert Ayers, years earlier.. They were married in the Salt Lake Temple 31 March 1932. They had 5 children: Carolyn Virginia born 7 January 1943 in Etna, Alden Rupert born 31 January 1944 in Etna, Janet Ester born 9 December 1945, John Wesley born 25 March 1947, and James Bentley born 22 September 1948. Alden was the branch president and owned a small saw mill. He was killed by a falling log, hitting him on the head 3 August 1949 at Forks of Salmon, Siskiyou, California. He was buried in Etna on the 7th. Lilian was pregnant with her 6th child at the time. Helen Julia was born 22 November 1949. Lilian raised her children as a widow in poverty. Her last child was burned to death in an accident while quite young. It was good for my mother to move with Lilian to help her and to curb my mom's loneliness when I left.
I started collecting family genealogy records in 1953. When I returned from my mission, I began working as an electrical engineer at Point Mugu, California. I looked to marry, but not knowing how to choose an eternal mate, I went through three terrible marriages of which two were temple marriages. On 6 June 1955, I married Rita Irene Pompa in the Salt Lake Temple. We had 3 children: Patricia Ann born 11 May 1956 in Ventura, Robert Preston born 25 November 1957 in Oxnard, and Roger William born 26 May 1962 in Lincoln, Nebraska. Rita Irene abandoned her family in 1963, leaving her 3 small children to be raised alone by me. Prior to leaving our family, Irene had repeatedly been unfaithful to me and was cashing forged checks. A warrant for her arrest was issued in Fairfax County, Virginia, after her flight from the state. She never ever contacted me or the children. A civil divorce was obtained in 1964, based on abandonment. After my divorce, I married Barbara Jo Kniffen in March 1966 in the Los Angles temple. We did not stay together very long and divorced. I married Naomi May Kahring 27 June 1968 in Annapolis, Md. and that marriage ended in divorce.
I had become a Representative working with the military and the military contractors on various weapon systems. I did a lot of traveling on business. The family lived in Ventura, Ca., Port Huneme, Ca., St. Louis, Mo., Long Beach, Long Island, NY, Topeka, Kansas, Lincoln, Neb., Merrit Island, Fl., Springfield, Va., Warner Robins, Ga., Annapolis, Md., Gambrills, Md, and finally Ormond Beach, Fl. I worked as a reliability engineer, a logistics engineer and manager, a quality control engineer and a weapons system specialist specializing in maintenance, product improvements, failure analysis and training systems. I worked at the Atlas intercontinental ballistic missile launching pad at Cape Canaveral, Florida. I also helped install the Atlas missile silo's in the mid-west. I worked on antisubmarine warfare systems for 13 years and all the early air-to-air missiles and fire control systems with their radars. I worked 8 years for General Electric Company developing computerized M1A1 tank simulators for the army and other high technology state-of-the art training flight simulators. After the end of the middle east war, the government began dismantling the Aero-space and weapons systems industry ending my career. I retired in 1992.
I finally married the right person. Winnell is a true Southern lady from Georgia, complete with accent and Southern culture. She is a convert with a strong testimony, the only member in her family. She has had her share of tragedy in her life, when she was about 35 years old, her ex husband tried to kill her. She was hit on the head so hard as to cave in her scull, and was left for dead. She lay on the floor with her brain bleeding for 34 days before she was found and taken to a hospital. She had a brain operation that saved her life, but left her handicapped for life. She had been a stockbroker, but could no longer do the job. She was left with the same kind of handicaps as a person who had a serious stroke. She was and following and retaining complex situations and relationships. Initially, she was paralyzed and unable to walk. Doctors told her she could never walk again or work. She would not accept that! She taught herself to walk. She now walks with a strong limp and sometimes falls, but she will not give up! She is a walking miracle! Missionaries were led to her and she joined the church.
We met in a singles conference in St. Augustine, Florida, in 1982. We were married in the Wqshington D.C. temple in 1983. She has never had any children. She fell and broke her hip about 8 years ago but she is still going! She gets tired quickly, and lives with pain, but she is a fighter and won't give up. She wanted a child, but couldn't have one of her own, so she became a nanny for someone else's child. We have raised a little girl called Kelly since she was 2 months old. She is 15 years old now. Her parents wouldn't let Kelly be baptized but we take her to church every other week.
We enjoy living here in Ormond Beach, Florida. The weather is almost ideal. We live about 2 miles from a lovely beach, the water is warm, there are fresh water lakes nearby. We get warm sea breezes every day. It is wooded with giant oaks, palms, magnolia trees, wild flowers, etc. We are located just north of Daytona Beach with all of its activities and events. We are 75 miles from the Orlando temple. We are far enough away to avoid most of the traffic and congestion. We live in a quiet, stable middle class neighborhood. We are retired, as are about 30% of our neighbors. We have a well built, 3 bedroom 2 bath, home with a large heated pool. Winnell has a vegetable garden that I take care of. The taxes and the cost of living are low here, which helps in retirement. We can go see Winnell's family within a few hours drive (they live in Georgia). My family is thousands of miles away! I guess you can't have everything!
We are working in the Church's Family History Center. We also are temple workers. So, as you can see, we are very involved in genealogy and temple work. I feel an urgency to do all I can, while I can.
Patricia Ann Sessions married 2 March 1974 Randal Leon Flowers at Fort Mead, Maryland. They had two children, Steven Russell Flowers born 14 January 1975 in Jasper, Texas and Angelia Mari Flowers 30 December 1977. They later divorced.
Robert Preston Sessions married Laura Carton on 21 August 1982 in Baltimore, Maryland. They have two boys: Sean Preston Sessions born 15 January 1990 in Baltimore, Md. and Kyle Evans Sessions born 11 June 1994 in Columbia, Maryland.
Roger William Sessions married 30 December 1992 to Chelisse Clark in Oakland Temple. They have two children: Currin Sessions born 28 August 1994 in Santa Rosa, Sonoma Co. Ca. and Quinn Alma Sessions born 15 March 1997 in Santa Maria, Santa Barbara Co., California.