Robin Lamar

Robin Marie Rauschkolb was an only child, born in Santa Monica California in July of 1948. Robin boomed as a "Post war baby." Her parents relocated to New York when she was six months old which may explain her passion for diversity. Upon return at the advanced age of 3 and a half she tried a "normal" childhood.

Disillusioned with that she left home at 18, never to return. She completed college after sampling almost all the colleges that Los Angeles had to offer. Her degree in Anthropology is from California State University at Northridge. Within days of that graduation she embarked upon a trip alone across the US that would forever change her life. During this trip she met many fearless, energetic women  who encouraged her to, "Just keep doing what you are doing." That is, following your dream, no matter where that leads you.

Ms. Lamar worked in Juvenile Hall for three years, after which,  having decided that America was not where she wanted to live, she left for Europe on one way ticket . 

Her spirit of adventure led her to jobs as a governess in France, a machinist in Switzerland, and janitor in Denmark. During a year back in the US, she learned new skills as a bar maid and a  women's health advocate. Upon returning to Denmark she taught women's health and self-examination in Germany, Sweden, Norway, Denmark and England. With visas running out and Scandinavia joining the Common Market she sadly returned to America.

After several years as a displaced worker she was hired by IBM because of her unusually good manual dexterity and ability to work with people. For the next five years she worked in Los Angeles as one of IBM's first women in Office Products Maintenance, repairing Selectric Typewriters, word-processing equipment and dictating machines. These years were both rewarding and difficult. They taught her what she had known before; that she had skill with her hands and mind and that sometimes one didn't have all the answers. 

Women would cheer when she came into the room to repair their machine. After awards and certificates Ms. Lamar left IBM to become a patient advocate to a friend with a terminal disease.  After completing this sad process by being executor of the estate,  she was on to new adventures. 

Europe was always home. This time friends in the emerging "Green Party" in Frankfurt, Germany, encouraged her to come "Make a difference." So Robin set out to make a difference by becoming involved in street to street polling, and then by creating a children's center in the state assembly of Hessen. 

She returned to America to settle her affairs and make a final move to Europe. Now having spent time in Russia, East Berlin and Czechoslovakia, she felt a need for a home base. She toured the West Coast of America looking for a home or piece of land to buy.

 After going as far North as Vancouver and as far East as Sand Point, Idaho she finally settled upon an acre of raw land with a flowing stream adjacent to a lake in the Mother Lode Country of California, Placerville. Shortly after that she fell in love and settled in L.A. long enough to get her A&P License. 

During the time she was in Aviation Maintenance school her main love made itself clear. Airplanes! For years she had been taking soaring lessons and general aviation lessons. Now here was a place to work with her hands, be around airplanes. That love has never died! 

Upon Graduation from West Los Angeles College with a degree in Aviation Maintenance Technology, TWA called the school and asked if Ms. Lamar would come for an interview. That was her 1st and last job interview after graduation. After testing and a background check, (75 out of 100 interviewees didn't pass the background check) they offered her a job at Los Angeles International Airport. 

That weekend she bought a house in Seattle.  "Got to keep all your options open," she said! Within one year of employment her mother die and within three years of employment she had re-discovered her true love and married him. The wonderful Paul Lamar, computer wizard, natural genius and automotive aerodynamic expert. Within 4 years her father, the other love of her life, died and within 5 years she was laid off from TWA, the functional love of her life.

During the three year lay-off she maintained her mental health by learning commercial, residential electricity and construction technology. After returning to TWA, Robin decided to apply for a position with United Airlines, where she has now been since 1997.

She currently lives in the family home in Bel-Air, with her husband Paul and Mikey, a Golden Retriever. They are renovating the house, when not working on their Cessna 182 at their hanger in  Santa Paula, California. 

When the community college she graduated from can get her, she teaches aviation maintenance on a college level and gives community out reach talks about nontraditional careers and aviation.

You may contact Robin directly at aero-tech@juno.com