Memories of Floyd Dolce

Deceased: 26 August 2008

I would like to share a few of my memories regarding Floyd. I first met Floyd in Abqaiq where we both lived with our families around 1960. Floyd would have been about 34 years old at that time.

Floyd always had great real life stories to share with his friends. While returning from a vacation to the United States, Floyd was concerned that he was running late and rushed to the airline counter at the New York airport. The airline agent informed him they were too late to board the plane for Athens. Floyd pleaded with him in his most convincing style and finally the airline agreed to have the family driven out to the waiting plane and rush them aboard. Once they all got aboard, it was a nice routine flight.

After arriving at their hotel in Athens, Greece, Floyd went to buy a Sunday newspaper but all he could find were Saturday newspapers. When he complained to the shopkeeper, the shopkeeper informed him that this was Saturday. The light went on and Floyd realized they had left New York a day before their scheduled flight. They weren't late for their flight, they were a day early. Of course, this was all before TSA and computerized booking.

On one of his vacations, Floyd shipped an RV from the US to Europe and with his family drove it from Europe back to Saudi Arabia. The route took them across many countries including Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, Iraq, Kuwait, and then down an unpaved sand trail into Saudi Arabia. Quite a family adventure.

Floyd and I were both active in Cub Scout leadership in Abqaiq. On one outing, which Floyd had planned, we all explored some shallow caves west of Abqaiq. Suddenly Floyd yelled out when he discovered an "ancient" looking coin in a crevice in a cave. That, of course, got all the boys excited and everyone, including me, started to frantically look for more ancient coins. Floyd pulled me aside and whispered in my ear, "I just planted that coin there." We never told the boys and possibly some of them grew up to tell their children and grandchildren about exploring a cave in Saudi Arabia containing ancient coins. With Floyd's inspiration, we had some great Cub Scout activities in Saudi Arabia.

Our children all went to the same school together, because there was only one school in Abqaiq, and we adults socialized and had parties in our homes. My wife and I spent many enjoyable Friday afternoons visiting with Floyd and his wife Virginia.

Floyd and I lost contact with each other after we both left Saudi Arabia for the last time. Two years ago, at the Las Vegas reunion, I ran into a mutual friend who gave me Floyd's e-mail address in Wyoming. Since that time, Floyd and I had been corresponding and trading jokes. But mostly I enjoyed talking with Floyd on the telephone, as he had the voice of a real western cowboy to me.

Floyd was a man whom people do not forget. I cherish our long friendship and the good memories.

Bill Bruinsma of Oceanside, California
(Aramco Dhahran 1954-59; Abqaiq 1959-69. Returned with Fluor 1980-85)