Meet Your New Neighbors

Carl and Carolyn Orr had lived in Apple Valley for 18 years; however for the last four Carl had been commuting daily from Apple Valley to his job in the Bakersfield area. As much as they liked living in Apple Valley, the commute was just too much of a trek. They really liked Tehachapi; it was closer to work for Carl and still not too far from the rest of their family that is now spread from Los Angeles to Las Vegas. They had been looking for quite a while before they finally found just the right house for the two of them, their three teenagers and their two Yorkies, Blaze and Precious. They made the move in August.

Carolyn said that she and Carl have a blended family of seven children and among them are two sets of twins. Carl himself has a fraternal twin sister. Still at home are 17-year-old Carl and twins Ciara and Kiara who will soon be graduating from a dual enrollment program through Apple Valley schools. Both girls have already found jobs working at the new Tehachapi Walmart. Two other daughters live in the Los Angeles area and are both nurses. They have a son in Stockton, a daughter in Las Vegas and seven grandchildren – three girls and four boys. Carolyn said that spending time with their family, especially their grandchildren, is their greatest pleasure.

Carl grew up in Stockton and has two brothers in addition to his sister. For many years, he was a broker for HSBC Bank dealing with life insurance and lending. According to Wikipedia, HSBC is a British multinational investment bank and financial services holding company. It is currently the seventh largest bank in the world. Carolyn also worked for HSBC. She said that she started as a secretary and eventually worked for Carl as a broker.

Carolyn was born at Los Angeles General Hospital and grew up in Los Angeles County. Her mother lives in Torrance and her sister lives in El Segundo. She said she worked for GTE Financial before joining HSBC.

Carolyn told me that she and Carl have a vacation home by the ocean in Waldport, Ore. where they can retreat when the need arises. Right now they are looking forward to spending time with their large family and introducing them all to Tehachapi – especially their grandchildren.

We are delighted that you chose Tehachapi. Welcome Carolyn, Carl and family.

John and Maria Robles also moved to Tehachapi in August with their three children, 18-year-old Angela, 14-year-old Sarah, 12-year-old Andrea and a dog named Boba. John, who is a psychiatric social worker, was hired six months ago by Antelope Valley Mental Health Services. John said they knew they didn't want to live in the desert, so they started looking in the Tehachapi area where the climate was much more appealing. He is still tying up loose ends with the practice he managed in Claremont, Calif.

John said he was born in a French hospital in China before coming to Los Angeles. He is one of nine children. He went to a seminary school at age 13 and graduated from Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles County. It is with a great deal of pride that he states that he and all his siblings, four boys and five girls, have gone into business or professions such as law enforcement, medicine and finance. John is a cyclist and an avid archer, being proficient in both the compound and recurve bow – very complex pieces of archery equipment.

Maria came to the United States from Jalisco, Mexico. She has three sisters, two brothers and 60 cousins. She said she grew up with horses and loves to ride. Her daughter Sarah has also caught the bug and has been riding since Kindergarten. She hopes to continue in hunter/jumper competitions someday. Maria works as a licensed tax preparer but she is also a crafter, a quilter and a master face painter. She said that all three of the girls enjoy art and music. All three play the cello.

All the members of the Robles family are eager to get to know their new community. I am pretty sure we will be hearing more from them in the not too distant future.

Welcome to Tehachapi John, Maria, Angela, Sarah and Andrea.

If you have moved to Tehachapi within the last six months, Hilltop Welcoming Service has a bag of information about the Greater Tehachapi area, its activities, events, government and facilities. There are always a few coupons and gifts, as well. It is a great way to learn about your new community. Being part of this column is strictly optional. If you would like a visit from the Welcome Hostess contact our office at (661) 822-8188.