My Name Is… Howard Bagdad of Golden

About meI was born in New York City in the Bronx on Aug. 1, 1941. I like to tell people that I’m a retired New York gangster. Some people believe me.Some people are curious about my name. I am first generation American. My mother came from Russia and my father from Turkish Armenia. My ancestors come from Baghdad. My father’s name on his naturalization papers is Meggaditch Bagdadlion. My brother said that means “from Baghdad.”A Colorado transplantI graduated from the New York High School of Printing in 1959. These were the days of the draft. My brother was in the National Guard and he said there was an opening, so I decided to go with him to the New York National Guard.I did six months active duty in New Jersey and Oklahoma. I then went back to New York and started working in the printing business. With the National Guard, I went to Camp (Fort) Drum in New York, but after about a year, I came down with severe asthma and got out of the National Guard.Then I went to Arizona and came down with pneumonia and went back to New York. While I was in a New York hospital, a social worker recommended I go to National Jewish Hospital in Denver. It was free, but I had to wait about six months.I came to Colorado in early 1963 and stayed at National Jewish for about 13 months. They saved my life. During that time, I decided I wanted to stay in Colorado.A Golden OptimistI came to Golden in 1972 when I got a job with Coors as a draftsman — I made construction drawings for the electricians.When I worked at Coors, I got involved with serious bicyclists and I joined the Denver Bicycle Touring Club.In 2000, Mount Saint Vincent Home for children approached the club to start a bicycle program for the kids. I felt good helping kids. Then, I became aware that Tim Rains was doing the same thing here in Golden with the Optimists club, so I decided to join. Shortly after, the president was leaving and Tim said to me, “If you were president of the Denver bicycle club, you could be president for the Optimists.” And I said OK. I’ve been president since 2003.Keeping busyI left Coors in about 1989 and worked for various companies in the area, including the Henderson Mine for 4 1/2 years. Eventually, I became semi-retired, then fully retired.I keep busy with the Golden Optimists club. I also square dance, and I’m part of a group called Rocky Tops.I like giving bikes to people who desperately need one. And I like to work with the international students from Mines who come to get a bike. They really appreciate it.