By HELEN BATES

Our little gem of an island — just a few miles from the Washington state mainland — is more than just a list of facts and figures. It is the people who have settled here, not only from the four corners of America, but from all over the world. Many of these people came with the U.S. Navy. In this column you will meet some of these people. Some of the names may be familiar to you, while others you will meet for the first time. We hope you enjoy reading our little “getting to know you” column. And let us know if you have people you would like to add to the list.

In 1922 Naval Air Station Seattle was commissioned in the Sand Point area of Seattle. The purpose was to serve as a base for PBYs. These seaplane patrol boats were vital in our defense of the Pacific region, but within 20 years it became obvious that the growth of the city conflicted with the expansion of the air station.

For that reason, Naval Air Station Whidbey Island became a reality on Sept. 21, 1942 and the symbiotic relationship between the U.S. Navy and Whidbey Island was established. Since then the growth of the naval base, as well as the island population, has fluctuated with the degree of involvement with conflicts in the Pacific.

It is interesting to note that the late Milton W. Schulle was the first sailor stationed here. His daughter, Lynn, still lives on Whidbey. You will learn more about her interesting life as an airline attendant in a future column.

Over the years, as NAS Whidbey grew, so did the population of the island. Servicemen and their families relocated here from Navy bases all around the world. One such young couple was Pete and Pat Rivera, who moved here from Guam. The couple met as high school sweethearts, but their marriage was somewhat delayed when Pete joined the U.S. Navy at 18.

He enlisted in the Navy on Guam and attended boot camp as a seaman recruit, or E1, in San Diego in 1974. As an airman apprentice, or E2, he was sent to Naval Air Technical Training Command, or NATTC, in Millington, Tennessee. Later he received orders to VA-128 training squadron aboard NAS Whidbey Island and was deployed to WestPac onboard the USS enterprise (VA-196) and the USS Ranger (VA- 145).

Pete took a short leave during his last deployment and married Pat in July, 1976 at her home parish in Guam. That same year Pat moved to Whidbey Island, where Pete was stationed. In the following years, the couple would move several times, including a return to Tennesee where Pete would become an instructor for the NATTC. He then became a P-3 flight engineer and was ordered to VP-19 in Moffett Field, California.

During the early years of their marriage, the Rivera family grew and their son, Joseph, was born in 1980. Their daughters followed. Heather was born in 1983 and Tabitha was in 1988. After VP-19, Pete was ordered to VQ-1 in Guam from 1985-1988. Pete then did a tour at PMTC Point Mugu before their final return to Whidbey Island in 1991. Today their family has grown to three granddaughters and two step grandchildren.

After 20 years in the Navy, Pete retired in 1993 at the age of 38. Within a few days he had become a Real Estate Agent and obtained his Managing Broker’s License in 1996. He still holds that license today. Pete has become very active in the business, as well as in the overall island community.

In full disclosure, this writer must reveal that Pete and I – and subsequently, Pat, – became good friends – about 30 years ago when my late husband, Ken, and I met Pete as members of the Oak Harbor Kiwanis Club. At that time, we were very active with the Kiwanis’ Jazz Festival held annually in Oak Harbor.

Over the years, we have become more like family. Pete has served on many local organizations, such as the Oak Harbor Police Advisory Board and the Island County Community Health Advisory Board. He was also active in the St. Augustine Parish Council and Finance Council, as well as in the St. Joseph of Cupertino Chapel at NASWI before it was closed down. But, perhaps, his longest affiliation has been with the Knights of Columbus which he joined in 1993 and where he has held positions of Grand Knight and Faithful Navigator.

Today, Pete and Pat are perhaps best known for the roles they play in the Wednesday night Bingo games run by the local Knights of Columbus. Pete runs the games, while Pat helps at the snack bar. They have been doing this since 2022. People come from all over the island for this weekly event. The Rivera family still maintains close ties with NAS Whidbey. Daughter Tabitha and her husband Daniel currently serve in the U.S. Navy. Pete is still working as a Realtor and he maintains long-time friendships with many of our local citizenry. This way he has picked up a lot of information about the development of our island. We recently discussed his acquaintance with many of the Dutch people who have a lot of history here.

With Pete’s assistance, I will be meeting several of these residents. In the near future I will introduce you to some of the Dutch families who settled here and whose names readers might recognize by the many streets named after them. Thank you for your continued interest and stay tuned!

Helen Bates, an Oak Harbor resident, is a writer of poetry, historical and general interest articles, a three-act play and restaurant reviews. Her writings have been published in the Tacoma News Tribune, The Seattle Times, the Eastern Washington University historical quarterly and local newspapers. She and her late husband, Ken, moved to Whidbey Island in 1994. They were active in a number of local activities and led senior cruises.