Kathy Shafer Oral History Interview

Oral history interview by Mary Heers with Kathy Shafer . Topics include: Growing up in Moab and not being accustomed to the severe cold she experienced when moving to Logan to attend USU; Her first job after highschool working for as a telephone switchboard operator at one of the last switchboards in the U.S.; Modern technology rendering switchboards obsolete; The process for placing calls through a telephone switchboard operator; The telephone company contacting her mother and asking if Kathy would be interested in a job as an operator; Being present for the end of a telephone era and seeing relay equipment installed on her last shift as a telephone operator; Earning enough money at the phone company to pay for college; Attending USU and earning a degree in political science with a minor in economics; First post college job in marketing and public relations; Employment with Orbital ATK (formerly Thiokol) as a technical writer; A story she wrote about the history of the Minuteman Missile; A Space Launch System project at Orbital ATK; Enjoying reading and writing; Interesting requests she received as a telephone operator; Memorizing phone numbers for emergency services before the use of 911; Relying on Saturdays to get things done at home; Volunteer work at a local CAPSA thrift store; Lessons she learned from working at the phone company that she has carried throughout her life, such as not taking employment for granted, and being able to work with all kinds of people.

Ms. Kathy Shafer was originally from Moab, Utah, but has lived in Logan, Utah for 30 years. Her first job was working for a phone company out of Moab, Utah; she worked there for seven years. After the phone company closed down, she moved up to Logan to go to school at USU. Her first professional job was in public relations. Now, she works as a technical writer for Orbital ATK. She also volunteers at Somebody's Attic. She tells fun and interesting stories from her time as a phone operator at the phone company in Moab. She talks about lessons she learned in her first job, that she still holds as valuable all these years later.