Born in Oregon during the Great Depression, my family moved constantly in search of work for a day, week or, if lucky for a month.   We lived for varying periods of time in just about every state between Oregon and Florida (where we lived in a tent) and back again.

I joined the Navy on my 17th birthday, during the Korean War, and served on the flight deck of an aircraft carrier loading and fusing bombs and rockets on the AD-1 Skyraider prop driven planes of my squadron.

I was honorably discharged just before my 21st birthday four years later.

My wife and I were married in 1952 and have three grown children plus many grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

I spent almost 40 years with a highly successful car rental business where I started as car washer and, though I never graduated from high school, retired as Executive VP and GM of 33 offices in  Washington and Oregon.

During those years, in addition to my other duties, I wrote, edited and caused the publishing of a monthly in-house newsletter.

Writing a weekly column for the Edmonds Beacon is pure joy for me.