Richard L. (Dick) Drinen
I was born in 1937 to Delmer and Pat Drinen, in San Diego California. In 1939, we moved to Phoenix when my father was transferred there to manage the American Optical Co. office. In 1946, Dad bought the retail optical operation from American Optical, and called it Phoenix Optical. I became a partner in 1955 and worked in the optical lab between semesters while going to college. We later merged the company with McLeod Optical, and in 1978 sold the business to a national firm, Benson Optical. I worked for Benson until 1988 when I left that industry.
I graduated from Arizona State University in 1959 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration. That same year, I enlisted in the Arizona Air National Guard. In 1961, when the Soviet Union built the Berlin wall, my Air Guard unit was mobilized by President Kennedy. We were stationed at Ramstein Air Base, Germany where I worked as a supply sergeant. We returned to Phoenix in August, 1962. The following year I received a direct commission to the rank of 2nd Lieutenant, Supply Officer.
Upon leaving the optical business in 1988, I worked several periods of active duty with the Air Guard at State Headquarters, Department of Emergency and Military Affairs (DEMA). From 1989 to 1994 I was hired as a federal civil service technician with the Air Guard at DEMA. I retired in April of 1994 at the rank of Colonel.
The following year, I went back to work at DEMA as a state employee, assuming the duties of Personnel Director. In July of 2000, I was chosen to be the Personnel Director at Camp Navajo, a DEMA facility west of Flagstaff. That was when I moved full time to Munds Park, living in my parents’ home. In 2001, my wife Sue and I built our home on the lot next to my parents’ home which I had owned for many years. During the years I worked at Camp Navajo, I assumed more duties. When I retired in the spring of 2004 I was in charge of Personnel, Information Technology, Security and Logistics.
Since moving to Munds Park, I have been involved in many activities. In 2002 I was elected to the Pinewood Sanitary District Board of Directors, and served as the Chairman of the Board for over 16 years. I’m currently the Chairman of the Board of Directors for the Pinewood Fire District, President of the Pinewood Property Owners Association (PPOA) and Treasurer of the Munds Park Trails Stewards (MUTS).
Sue and I have 6 children, 8 grandchildren and 4 great-grandchildren and one great-great. One son and his three children live in Phoenix and our other son lives in Doney Park. We have daughters living with their families in Alabama, Washington state, New Hampshire and Virginia.
Being able to retire and live in Munds Park is a dream come true for Sue and me. My favorite hobbies are hunting, fishing and camping so living in the North Country is a big advantage for us. In the mid-1950’s I hunted deer in Munds Park with my brother Larry and two other brothers, Paul and Larry Eskew. The next year they staked out the right of way for I-17, right through where we had camped the year before. Sue and I really enjoy working around the house and improving the looks of our property with lots of trees, roses and other flowering plants.
Barb LaBranche
I am Barbara LaBranche and was born and raised in the metro Detroit, Michigan area in 1953. I am 4th of 6 kids and remain close with all of my siblings. I married and was fortunate to be a stay at home mom while my two daughters were young. In 1984, my husband was transferred to Phoenix. I attended Arizona State University, earning a bachelor’s of science degree of nursing in 1988. In 1998 I graduated from the University of Phoenix with a Masters of Business Administration. I started my nursing career at Good Samaritan in Phoenix (now Banner Health) specializing in Women’s health and newborn care. I moved into management with a staff of 400. I became interested in computer charting systems, recognizing the benefit data could play in identifying best practices in health care. I was part of a team of experts that identified and rolled out best practices at all 24 hospitals in the Banner Health system, improving patient outcomes significantly. For the last 5 years of my career I served as Banner’s first Chief Nursing Informatics Officer. I retired in 2017 and moved to Munds Park full time. I love it!!
Volunteering has always been important to me. Starting at age 14, I was a teen volunteer at the local
hospital. I’ve served on my HOA board, the Foster Care Review board for Maricopa and Coconino
counties, the March of Dimes, St. Mary’s food bank, the Flagstaff food bank, the Pinewood Fire
Auxiliary and am currently serving on the Board of Directors for the Pinewood Fire Department.
I enjoy sewing, gardening, traveling, playing cards and games and spending time with my 2 kids, 6
grandkids and 2 great grandkids and my lab mix, Daisy.
Biography to be added
Barbara Timberman
Barb and her husband Bob have been full-time residents of Munds Park since 1999. Since that time she has been involved in numerous community activities. She is the past president of the Pinewood Fire Department Auxiliary and Beta Sigma Phi. She currently serves on the Pinewood Property Owners Association (PPOA) Board and the Community Emergency Response Team (CERT). She helped establish an emergency shelter in Munds Park. And helped staff the shelter during the 2010 winter blizzard.
Barb and Bob have been married for 47 years and have two sons and three grandchildren. She is originally from the mid-west, but moved to Arizona in 1969. Barb spent 30 years working for the Safeway stores as a meat cutter and union steward. Bob is a retired plumber.