I was born in Lee County, Virginia February 14, 1933. Lee County is in the southwestern part of the state bordering Kentucky and Tennessee – near Cumberland Gap. I am the oldest of three, having a brother two years younger and a sister sixteen years younger. My father worked in the coal mines around St Charles, VA.  I attended the first and second grade at Pine Grove Elementary School. Pine Grove was a one room school with grades 1 through 8. At age eight my father moved us to Harlan County, Kentucky, where he worked in the coal mines. We moved around from coal town to coal town (Towns like Closplint, Highsplint, and Louellen) until I was thirteen. I attended four different grammar schools during those years.

In 1946 my father left the coal mines and moved us to a small farm in Whitley County, Kentucky near Williamsburg, where I remained until I was nineteen. It was there that I learned a lot about everything. At first I attended a small one room school with grades from one through eight. I attended High School at Rockholds High School in Rockholds, KY.

Even when bouncing around in the coal towns we always had a horse, a cow, some chickens, and raised a garden. I learned to work and ride horses at an early age. On the farm we did all the farm work with either mules or horses. Shortly after Dad moved us to the farm he went back to work in the coal mines. I grew up fast during that time. I was the mainstay on the farm. I operated all the farm machinery (horse drawn.) My mother and brother were also in the fields everyday planting, hoeing, weeding, and harvesting the crops. We raised just about everything we ate including our own beef, pork, and poultry.  Mom would buy very few items --maybe things like salt, flour, and sugar. We did not have refrigeration, so she caned everything from the vegetables we grew to the cracklings that came from the hogs we butchered. We raised tobacco for market along with strawberries and other small crops. As I said I learned a lot during those years. If the plow broke I had to fix it. If the fence needed repairs I had to mend it. That is where I learned to use various types of tools. That is where I also learned the value of a dollar --mainly because money was scarce.

I left home at age nineteen and joined the US Air Force. I spent the next 20 years and 7 months in the Air Force, retiring December 31, 1972. This is where I really grew up. While in the Air Force I worked in Personnel, except for four years of which I was an Air Force Recruiter in Monroe, Louisiana.

Like most Air Force personnel I completed basic training at Lackland Air Force Base near San Antonio, Texas. My first duty assignment after basic training was at Alexandria Air Force Base (later named England Air Force Base) in Alexandria, Louisiana.

While stationed at Alexandria AFB I met and married Eva Lois Prestridge. We are still married (56 years.) We had 4 children --3 boys and a girl. We now have 7 grandchildren and 9 great grandchildren.  One of our sons was killed in a car accident in 1974 in West Monroe, LA.

During my Air Force career I worked part time in many capacities. I was once a radio disk jockey, I worked as night manager of an officer club and an NCO club, I worked as a truck driver, a cashier, managed a snack bar in a drive in theater, and moved furniture for a moving company. I even called bingo at one time.

My stay in the Air Force took me to Alaska, Libya, Florida, South Carolina, Texas, Washington DC, Louisiana, and New Mexico. I was stationed at Andrews Air Force Base, Maryland near Washington DC when I retired.

After retirement from the Air Force I worked the next 4 years as the manager of a Bowling Center in West Monroe, LA. Then in 1977 I went back to work for the Air Force as a civilian, managing the Bowling Center on England Air Force Base in Alexandria, LA. In 1983 I became the Arts & Crafts Director at England AFB. In 1988 I combined my military and civil service time and retired again with 32 years total federal service. During those years I acquired a swimming pool franchise and dealership and over the next 10 years I installed swimming pools on a part time bases. Also during that same time frame I remodeled our home, enlarging it from a 1300 square foot house to 3,000 square feet.

After retiring in 1988 I went to work at Esler Airport near Pineville, Louisiana as a weather observer. After I had been there for eight years they closed the Airport and I retired again. During this time we sold our home and I built a new one.

After retiring from the weather station (on social security – age 63) I went to work as a carpenter, remodeling houses. In November 1999 I started building another house and in February 2000 we sold the other house and moved into our motor home until our new house was finished. We moved into it in March 2000.

I finally decided it was time to quit work and enjoy the rest of my life doing whatever I wanted to do whenever I wanted to do it.

Although I do not have any formal education beyond high school, while working for the Federal Government I took courses in public speaking, effective writing, personnel management, recreational management, management & leadership, and numerous job related courses.

My travels have taken me to most of the United States, including Alaska and Hawaii. I have been in Germany, Belgium, Switzerland, Italy, Libya, Mexico, and Canada. 

I enjoy camping, traveling, gardening, computers, a good movie (romance & comedy), and walking. I love people and seek out good fellowship.

I am active with our camping clubs and amateur radio clubs.  I am past president of another camping club, a past secretary/treasurer of still another camping club, a past president and secretary/treasurer of an amateur radio club, current secretary/treasurer of still another amateur radio club. I have slowed down within the past year so I am free to travel.

Eva and I now enjoy traveling and camping in our motor home. When home I enjoy working in the yard, walking, and most of all time on my computer. Both Eva and myself are licensed Amateur (HAM) Radio Operators.  Eva enjoys playing bingo and visiting with her friends. She is also a big fan of the New Orleans Saints and the LSU Tigers. At one time she was an avid bowler, having won many tournaments, but lately her health has forced her to retire from bowling.  Click here to see her bowling career.

Update: In September 2006 I had a mild heart attack. They had to insert 2 stints. Since then I have not had any major physical problems - just take a lot of medication.

In March 2008 Eva and I started attending Cardiac Rehab three days a week. We really enjoy it. Again making friends and working to keep somewhat fit.

Beginning in the fall of 2007 I went to work for Southern Heritage Bank as a courier. I dive a bank car and pick up correspondence and canceled checks at all the bank branches 5 days a week, however I only work 12 hours a week. I love this little part time job. Now being 76 years old it is just the thing to get me out of the house and visit with friends and co-workers.

We still make our home in Pineville, Louisiana.

Click On The Thumbnail Below To See A Full Size Photo Of me and Eva and our motor home.