User:Wpeterson/My bio for my reunion

This is my bio for my 50-year high school class reunion

After High School, I worked around the Mankato area for about a year and a half. I went into the Navy in January of 1959. I spent time in Florida and California and took a far east cruise aboard an aircraft carrier named the Yorktown. I was attached to an antisubmarine squadron of helicopters. On our way to Japan,(with a two week stay in Hawaii),we encountered Russian submarines.

I left the Navy in January of 1963 as Petty Officer, 2nd class, paygrade E-5. Stopping off in Texas and Missouri on my way home from the Navy- I spent two summer seasons in St. Louis, Missouri, while attending college at MSU in Mankato. I spent three years in college where I met the girl I married. After several times of dropping out of college due to lack of funds. I started my own trucking busines. I always figured I would go back to college when the business was off to a successfull start. Instead we had 17 trucks under our control and a gross revenue of close to a million dollars a year for several years. There was never time nor money left for college. You get children added in the mix and different business opportunities and 20 years have gone by.

We had 4 children and a great life. We have 3 sons and 1 daughter. My wife, Kathy, died in 1993. She was the one who was never sick, but they said it was a heart attack. She was 51 years old and we had 28 amazing years together. Between my second oldest son and my daughter, there are 7 grandchildren she never met.

I have always driven a truck, even when we had a large fleet because Kathy helped run things and was a stay-at-home mom. Things changed quite a bit after she died. The business never grew anymore as other things changed, I never pursued more trucks. - I have 2 trucks now. I have accumulated around 4 million miles in 40 years.

I have been a member at Christ the King Lutheran Church in Mankato since 1965. I have been in various church activities, bible studies, and committees in these 42 years. I am a member of an international ministry known as the Bible Study Fellowship for about 18 years. I have been on the Board of Directors of Minnesota Trucking Association and various committees within the legislation of Minnesota for the trucking association. I am still active in all these things and still driving truck everyday and enjoy spending my days off with all my children and grandchildren.

My oldest son Jon, is 38 years old and lives in Mankato, working for a cell phone company. He is a huge sports fan spectating and playing. Living with his girlfriend, her kids and his dog. My second oldest son, Paul, is 34 years old and lives in North Mankato with his wife, Megan, and their 3 children. Sydney, age 11; Jackson, age 7; Gabrielle, age 3. He currently works for Coughlan Publishing Company as a computer programmer. My daughter Bethany, is 32 years old and lives in Mankato, working as a legal assistant at a law firm while attending Rasmussen College for a Paralegal Degree. She has four children: Alec, age 13; Remy, age 9; Sean Paul, age 2; Tyrese, age 1. My youngest son, Brian, lives in Mankato with his girlfriend, Michele, and her son, Eric, age 7. Brian works for Video Services as a computer net worker.

My family is such a huge part of my life. I love that they all live close to me. Even though their mother and my wife isn't here physically, she is still here spiritually, watching over me and our children and our grandchildren.

This is a link back to my Homepage.

There is a PBWiki website set up for details about our class reunion activities at Madelia Reunion.

To read the bios of your other classmates, click on one of the links in the table below: