Retired:
Spouse: Darlene
6 Children
8 Grandchildren
Information update: 07/25/2024

Shortly after High School graduation, I enlisted in the U.S. Army, as I was without a plan for my future. I trained as a Communications Lineman and served in Kaiserslautern Germany (1961-64) during the Cold War era. We were often on alerts and mobilized at night to wooded areas to set up NATO defenses against the then, Soviet threat. I learned to set up a 50 cal. machine gun by myself, at night, in the rain.....a valuable skill to put on my resume. Our Battalion was the Army's Telephone Company in West Germany. While on leave time, I visited countries in Europe, including France, Denmark, Spain, England and Ireland.

After my Army stint, I returned to Duluth and worked for a surveyor for a few months, then I applied for a job with the Great Northern Railway on a survey crew.....constructing railroad grades into new taconite plants on the Iron Range and to the taconite storage facility in Allouez, WI. I gained experience there and developed valuable skills.

I moved along with the railroad to the Twin Cities where I worked in the Engineering Department doing drafting and Industry design, field work in surveying and bridges and drainage. I worked for the railroad for 34 years. I retired in 1999.

Early in my career, I met and married Darlene....we've been married for 41 wonderful years as of Sept 20th. We raised five children and one foster child. We lived in Brooklyn Park, MN early on and moved to Ramsey, MN where we raised our family.

I gained my education on the run over several years. I completed a Surveying and Mapping Diploma and attended a VoTech School for Drafting and Design. I continued with various college and engineering classes and attended Concordia College in St. Paul (night classes) for my BA Degree in Organizational Management and Communication.

At the still young age of 56, in 1999, I was offered a buyout that was substantial enough as to not decline. I briefly did consulting work after that. Also, I had a part time parallel career with the Air Force Reserve, in which I was part of a Civil Engineering Squadron and worked on several interesting projects in Hawaii, Spain, Germany and Panama, as well as many stateside projects. I retired in 1998 as a Senior Master Sergeant.

After retirement, Darlene and I moved to Eveleth, MN so we could build a new house on Lake property that we had previously purchased. We're on Dark Lake in Great Scott Township, between Virginia, MN and Cook, MN. This has been an ongoing project/passion of ours, built with our savings. It's near completion now, and we plan to fully move in by January of 2011.

In addition to our children, we now have eight wonderful grandchildren. Travel? We visit our son and his wife in the Seattle WA area. We've traveled to the NC Outer Banks, a cruise to Alaska, a few times to Hawaii and to several National Parks and to places that are really no place in particular, but we enjoyed our travel and stay.

These days, I'm owned by my mixed Lab/PitBull dog named Murphy. She's a kind and loving soul.