“People of Sunset Cliffs” is a column drawing inspiration from “Humans of New York” (@humansofny) that is dedicated to talking to someone new every week on Sunset Cliffs in an effort to be present to the people around me. In this edition, you will be hearing from Carl & Tim, a father and son originally from Iowa.
What brought you to San Diego?
Tim: I’m visiting him for the week. I live in Massachusetts now.
Carl: I moved here about twenty-six years ago. I was a chaplain at a church here for 13 years and then became a security guard at that same church. After I retired, I looked after my wife up until her passing a couple of years ago. This gold hat that I am wearing was my wife’s and I wear it every day. A lot of people say “I love your hat!” so that’s a very nice feeling.
What’s your favorite part of San Diego?
Carl: I love the ocean as well as the weather. My family would like me to move because my family lives on the East Coast but I just cannot give this place up.
Tim: The weather. It’s nice to come down here and experience sunny, clear skies every day as opposed to what it’s like in New England.
Carl: I wish I knew how to surf; I love watching them [the surfers]. You tried it once when you visited a couple years back, didn’t you Tim?
Tim: Yeah I did, but the best I could do was ride on my knees.
What brought you two to Sunset Cliffs?
Tim: I searched for cool places to go when visiting San Diego and this was the first place that came up, so we went with that!
Carl: We wanted to sit and read on a bench as we watched the sunset and this just turned out perfectly for us.
What do you do for a living?
Tim: I was a youth pastor until 2020 when COVID-19 struck. The church was dismantled, so I became a UPS driver. I love that job because I get to go on beautiful routes that are out in the country where I’m alone with my own thoughts and my music. I’ve seen bears a few times; I even hit a bear once with the truck. Thankfully, it ran off without me having to get out and check on it!
Carl: I was a pastor before I retired. My work has taken me all over the United States, so I have been so lucky to live in so many wonderful places.
Where has been your favorite place to live?
Carl: I managed Twin Lakes Bible Camp in Iowa and that was just a beautiful place to live.
Tim: He’s only saying that because that’s when I was born!
What is something that you are proud of?
Carl: I preached and loved people. I had quite the experience as a chaplain working with older people, especially during the COVID-19 era. Helping people during that time was something that I’ve been proud of.
Tim: Raising three kids that love the Lord and watching them achieve their goals. Work-wise, I’ve been proud of my youth ministry days and seeing the countless lives being changed through that.
What is a piece of advice that you would give to college students?
Carl: Keep your eyes on the Lord. Just keep your eyes on Him and seek His perfect world. I think it’s very important to do that. If I hadn’t, I don’t know how I could’ve gotten through taking care of my wife for all of those years.
Tim: Get involved with Bible studies or Christian ministries on campus or even a church nearby. Neither of us can really give actual academic advice because we were terrible students.
Carl: I was not the best student. I was all focused on playing baseball and basketball.
Tim: And I was all about playing cards and intramural sports!
Written By: Christopher Broze
Katie Kepler 
Steve Anderson