Stories of kids walking miles to get to and from school rain or shine are the stuff of which legends are made.

But for Roy Pearmain it is a story that is both true and represents the first step in what would be his pursuit of careers from nearly all walks of life.

Since graduating in 1960 as La Conner High School’s student body president, Pearmain has gone on to be a college graduate, public school teacher, aerospace scientist, writer, weather watcher and reporter, firefighter/EMT, civic leader, water system operator and entrepreneur.

And that’s not the entire list.

These days he is the...