Delta Chi played an important role in my development as an adult. I went to Iolani School – a private, Episcopal, all-boys school in Honolulu. I was naïve and a true geek. My only dates were for the junior and senior proms. I knew a few Caucasians, but no blacks or Jews. Most of my classmates either went to the University of Hawaii or a college on the west coast. I wanted to be different, so I picked Michigan, thinking (foolishly) that it would be fun to experience winters.
So Michigan was a culture shock for me. I felt I had a lot of catching up to do for all I missed in high school. My major was Electrical Engineering, and I signed up for ROTC to try to avoid going to Vietnam. I felt that I needed to join a fraternity to develop my social skills, and Delta Chi was a good fit for me, because I was not a jock or BMOC.
I blossomed at Delta Chi and really enjoyed being pledge trainer. I was also social chairman and organized a Hawaiian Lei-All complete with flower leis from Hawaii. I also dreamed up the name “Four Skins” for Siglin’s singing group. I roomed with John Ambrose ’65 and Roger Premo ‘65, and with Premo and Dave Falconer ’62 as a graduate student. Dave Siglin ’64 gave me guitar lessons. I was flattered to be voted Chapter Luminary.
My social life blossomed. I met my wife of 53 years, Linda Dahlquist at Michigan. She was a nursing student, and I got to know a lot of nurses and “fixed up” many of my brothers.
After getting my MSEE, I fulfilled two years of active duty with the Army. Because I was an EE, I got a plush assignment in Warrenton, VA writing specifications for a large intelligence antenna system. We took over a motel which had two pingpong tables and I developed my Forest Gump skills.
Out of the Army, I joined Motorola and enjoyed a 28 year career in systems engineering and management, taking early retirement in 1998. I was in the Land Mobile Products Sector where we developed two-way radio systems for public safety and business uses. It is the only surviving piece of Motorola today. I was part of the sales organization, which helped me develop interpersonal and social skills. Motorola moved me to Chicago, Westlake Village, CA, The Woodlands, TX, Chicago and Kinnelon, NJ. Qualcomm hired me as Senior Director of Wireless Network Design (cellular infrastructure), and moved us to our current home in Carlsbad, CA. I permanently retired in 2000, and don’t miss working one bit. Linda retired in 2010.
We love the San Diego area and our house suits us perfectly. I love technology, and our house is a Smart Home showcase. We play golf, tennis, swim and ballroom dance. Linda does the hula, and I’m the president of a ukulele club. We love to travel and have worked down our bucket list having visited Africa, Galapagos, Machu Picchu, Japan, Korea, China, Vietnam, Thailand, Cambodia, Peru, Sweden, France, etc.
We have three daughters and one granddaughter. Two live in Honolulu, and the one with our grand-daughter lives in Brooklyn, NY. Everyone meets in San Diego for Christmas.
Life is good. We’re both healthy and active. Attached is a picture of Linda and I in our Elvis (my long-time idol) outfits. All we’re missing is the voice and moves! We love visitors and hope that some brothers will look us up.
Elliott & Linda Lum
1327 Cassins Street
Carlsbad, CA 92011
760-994-6677 (mobile) [email protected]
