Meet Your New Neighbors

After spending most of their lives in Bakersfield, Chris and Carla Sheldon wanted to raise their family in the clean air and natural surroundings of Tehachapi. They finally made the move along with their four children, who are all under eight years of age. The couple runs an oil equipment company in Bakersfield that deals with valves and hydraulic controls.

Carla was born in Bakersfield and comes from a family that has been involved in the oil equipment business for 40 years. Before becoming a homemaker, she spent 20 years in the field. Her parents still live in Bakersfield. She has three sisters; one is in the oil business, one is a teacher and the last is a security guard. She likes to cook and spend time with her kids. Carla said that she learned the hard way about raccoons and crockpots. She made the mistake of leaving a crockpot on next to an open window before leaving the house. She said that she was thinking about writing a book called, “How to Live in Tehachapi for Rookies”. What a great idea!

Chris’ parents are also in Bakersfield, as are his step-brother and a step-sister. He grew up playing softball and baseball in the Rosedale schools and likes to hunt and fish. I was informed that football is a battleground in the Sheldon household – both professional and college. Carla roots for USC and the Cowboys, while Chris roots for Notre Dame and the Bengals. Carla says that they actively vie for the allegiance of their children.

Eight-year-old Kenedy told me she really likes to draw and write poems. Seven-year-old Caiden likes football and skateboarding, but he really loves math. Two-year-old Timothy was mostly interested in his toys, and adorable two-month-old William James slept through our entire visit on his dad’s shoulder.

In addition to their four human children, Chris and Carla are also parents to Duke, a Mastiff/Lab mix and Duce, an English Bulldog.

Welcome to Tehachapi to all six of you. And, Carla, I’m waiting for that book.

Jeannie and Michael Woodard have come to Tehachapi from Monroe, Louisiana. Michael works for Union Pacific Railroad and, according to Jeannie, this is their fifth move in seven years. Most of their moves have been in the southern part of the U.S., especially Texas. Michael is manager of road operations here and responsible for cleaning up trouble spots.

They met when they both worked for the railroad in 1994 and worked together until 2000 when Jeannie became safety manager for Structural Preservation, a restoration concrete company that operates all over the USA and the world. Since she works on a per-project basis, she can be at home for a while and then is gone for a while. She is sent around the country to evaluate concrete projects like sulfur pits, structures, bridges and retaining walls for hazards. She said there may be as many as 300 men on a job and she is one of the few females in the field.

Jeannie is from Mississippi and her mother and sister still live in Lucedale. She said that the family was raised in the country with corn and cows. She loves to cook and has even been known to cater a wedding. She makes candles and soap, and likes to play golf. She said that she has always loved to take things apart and learned to rebuild an engine at an early age. Oh, yes, and she can also drive an 18 wheeler.

Michael has become a true wine connoisseur and has plans to build a wine cooler and wine storage in their new home. He also likes to play golf. Both of them love to travel when they can and are looking forward to a time when travel doesn’t mean moving.

Jeannie and Michael have two grown children. Their daughter, Christi, lives in Hurley, Mississippi, and has three children. Daughter, Allison, lives in Lucedale and has two children.

Jeannie’s mother, Addie Smith, still lives on 80 acres in Lucedale, but was visiting in Tehachapi at the time of our visit. Jeannie said that she is trying very hard to convince her mother to move to California. Addie is not convinced yet.

I sincerely hope that Jeannie succeeds. They were all driving back to Mississippi in December to spend the holidays with family.

Welcome to Tehachapi, Jeannie and Michael. I hope you are enjoying your new town.

If you have moved to the Greater Tehachapi Area within the last six months and would like to know more about your new community, call 661-822-8188. We will be happy to make an appointment for a hostess to come by and give you lots of helpful information, some valuable coupons, gifts and much more. Many families and individuals who come to the area are pleasantly surprised with the amount of knowledge they gather about their new home. Publishing your welcome article is completely voluntary and is not a requirement of being welcomed.