PAUL FAMILY
By Burt

Left to right: Alma and Earl Paul, Luella and Doc Paul, Aletha and son Wayne McIntire, Mabel
and Herman Gracey, Ora and Frank Paul.

Grandpa and Grandma, Frank and Ora Paul, were both from Clarke County-- Grandpa from the Osceola area and Grandma from Woodburn. She was a Herndon and the notoriety the family can claim is one of their relatives was an attorney in Abraham Lincoln's office. Grandpa had two brothers and two sisters: Aletha McIntire of Osceola; Mable Gracie of Carlisle; and a half-sister Mary Jeanette Smith of Chillicothe, Missouri; Earl Paul and Dr. E. W. Paul, also of Osceola.

Perhaps best known was "Doc Paul," a local Dentist, University of Iowa Dental School graduate, but more widely well known for his Palomino Horses, his annual ride leading in the Big 10 Band and Float at the Tournament of Roses Parade. In an article in "Tales from the Isles," February 1992, Mickey Thomas refers to Doc and his Palominos, providing seven Palomino stand-ins for Roy Rogers' motion pictures, and the second Trigger, which for years was on display at the Rogers Museum in Victorville, California and most recently Branson, Missouri. His Silver Saddle, trappings and riding apparel from Nudie, the tailor of Hollywood, set him apart in the Nationwide Horse Shows, and his horse "Pevine's Golden Belvedere" earned the ranking of Best Parade Show Horse of all time as per Bridle and Saddle Magazine. Oil paintings by noted artist Marilyn Hollingshead, of Doc's Golden Belvedire were left to me by Doc upon his death. Ms. Hollingshead painted all of Rogers' horses along with those of other Hollywood stars.

Grandma Ora and Grandpa Frank were farmers and moved from here to South Dakota to homestead, but in the two years they were there, their crops burned out both years. They moved back to Iowa, as was the case with many who tried it, but there is an interesting story about Grandpa moving back. They were short on money, but he saw a sign near a town they were coming through, advertising a "Car Race, July 4th." He pulled into the town, took the fenders off the car, entered the race and won it! The prize gave them money to come on home. Grandma tells she was not afraid of the Indians but cowboys scared her to death.

Grandpa was kind of a funny little guy. He always wore his glasses up on his head and smoked cigars. He and Grandma got their start toward business ownership by being involved with his father in a heavy hardware and John Deere Franchise located on the east side of the square in 1909. Later they were in the Dr. Bruce Harris Dental Building in 1929, before moving back to the east side of the square in the old J.C. Penney Building. Needing more space for further expansion in 1947, the business relocated to 117 East Webster, and was eventually sold to Everett Mateer, who operated in the same location for many years.

Grandpa was with John Deere for a long while, but he would rather repair equipment than sell new, which drove John Deere people to distraction. They wanted to get rid of him as a dealer and sent representatives from Moline to Osceola, preparing to offer him $100,000 for his parts inventory. In those days that was a lot of money, but they figured if they could get rid of the parts, they could sell more machinery. However, Grandpa had a friend in the John Deere plant at Moline, who called Grandpa to tell him they were coming and what they were going to do. He said, "They aren't going to tell you, but they plan to cancel your dealership because they have already sold it to somebody else in town."

When Grandpa asked who they planned to sell it to, his friend told him, and Grandpa said, "I don't want this business to go to him." I was there the day they came to visit him and instead of taking them up to the office and putting them in nice chairs, he took them back to the pipe fitting area, where it was greasy and dirty, and set them on nail kegs. I will never forget that! It was so funny! They presented their proposal and I sat there listening, as Grandpa said, "You go back and tell them I am not interested." That was it. He got up and left and they left. That is when Grandpa called Everett Mateer, who bought the business in the '50s. It all started with the people in Moline trying to get rid of Grandpa as a dealer.

There are lots of stories like that, most of them having to do with money. This one was related to me by Bob Schader's father. A guy came in one day to buy a handsaw, and he said to Grandpa Frank, "How much will it be?" Frank said, "$3.00." The fellow said, "You know, I can buy that in the Sears catalogue for $2.40. Can you sell it to me at Sears price?" Grandpa said, "Yah, I'll sell it to you at that price." The fellow said, "That's mighty nice of you, Frank." In those days they had wrapping paper instead of a sack, so Grandpa got busy wrapping it up and put it on the shelf behind the cash register. The fellow said, "Frank, you misunderstood me. I said I'd take it." Grandpa said, "Yes, I know, but if you are going to buy it at Sears price you are going to have to wait until it gets here. That'll be three or four days." The fellow said, "Aw, Frank, come on." Grandpa said, "No, you have to understand that a retail merchant buys the item, ties his money up in inventory, and you don't have to pay postage like you would if you were going to order it from Sears. So my price is $3 but if you want it at Sears price, there will be a wait and 60c more for postage." That was a customer's lesson on why a retailer needs markup, and if he wanted to pay Sears price, he would also have to accept Sears service.

Another story was when he was called to repair a binder. In those days, when farmers shocked oats, the shocks were tied with binding twine that went in the old binders. It was fairly common for the twine not to cut off properly or not do the proper job, so the fanner would call Grandpa to come out and fix the problem. Grandpa went out and it didn't take long to fix it. When he finished the farmer said, "How much do I owe you?" Grandpa said, "$10." The fellow said, "$10? That's outrageous! Why $10? All you did was take your hammer and hit it." Grandpa said, "It is $5 for the trip and $5 for knowing where to hit."

There was a time when the Christian Church congregation planned to build an addition. I think they went to the Clarke County State Bank President, Ralph McGee, to ask for a loan and he turned them down, but referred them to Grandpa saying, "I think maybe Frank would loan you the money." I believe the loan was around $50,000 and he loaned them the amount they asked for. It so happened, it was shortly after that, on February 7, 1954, they had a devastating fire.

Members of the church called one day and said they wanted to come down and settle with .Grandpa. I was there that day also, and heard him say to Grandma, "When they come, if I am not here, have them make that in two checks — one for the interest and one for the principle." They hadn't paid a lot on the principle, and he said, "We'll use the $50,000 to start a building fund and put the interest in the general fund. We can get along without it." The minister and one of the deacons came and the minister said to Grandpa, "Frank, if you were any kind of a Christian, you'd just give that money to the church." Grandpa cancelled his plans for giving. I was proud of him. I consider it was a terrible thing to say — how we prejudge people!

Grandpa had his eccentricities. He always ate lunch every day at the B&H Cafe, and he liked to go to the movies. He never liked to buy their popcorn but took his own. Now they check your backpack because they don't want people bringing stuff in, but in those days it was allowed. And Grandpa was very generous. He really was. The illustration about the church was because he was shot down before he was given the opportunity to do what he wanted to do. He was active in Rotary, very active in the Masonic Lodge and Grandma in Eastern Star. They came to ask me if I wanted to become a Mason but I said, "No," because I wasn't into that. That wasn't me. They told me, "Your grandfather would be heart-broken if he knew you said no," but I don't believe that would have been the case.

Grandpa was witty and funny. He and Harold Burnett were good friends. One, was a Republican and one was a Democrat, and people would get them to arguing. They loved to do it, all in fun because they liked each other; but they would really go to it. Hearing it, people would think they were going to kill one another, but when Grandpa passed away, those who planned the service said "We have to have Harold be a pallbearer." So Harold was a pallbearer.

There was another branch of the family — Grandpa's brother was Earl, who had the farm. Marvin was Earl's son and they farmed east of town. It was a good farm and he was a good farmer. Marvin's son, George, still farms it.

Grandpa and Grandma had two boys — Dad, who was Lloyd, and the other son was John. John graduated from the University of Iowa dental school, made the Navy his career and attained the rank of Captain. He was on the West Virginia when the Japanese hit Pearl Harbor. He passed away just recently. He had written to the University of Iowa about four years ago and told them that the class of whichever year would not be having a reunion because he was the only one left and he wasn't coming.

Dad was an avid Baseball fan, following the St. Louis Cardinals, and after high school was recruited by the Cardinals Farm Team for his pitching talents, which were exemplified during the State High School Baseball Playoffs. But, that was not to be. His parents thought little of him leaving to be, of all things, a "baseball pitcher!" Dad went into business with Grandpa. He also was involved when they had a little John Deere sub-franchise store over in Chariton, which is where he met Mom. They closed that and kept the one here.

Those years were so totally different. At that time, fanners came in and said, "I need to buy a Model B or Model A John Deere when you get one." They were put on a want list and when such and such a tractor came in, they simply called the names on the list asking, "Do you want a tractor or don't you," because the next one on the list would. It was an easy sale. I can remember Dad saying, "The day will come when it will be difficult to sell a tractor." They did see the day when they didn't move as easily as they had — through the war years and so forth. That was when Grandpa got into repairing because he had a parts inventory you couldn't believe.

On the other side of my family, Dad and Mom met at a dance. Her father, Bert Powell, was an immigrant from Wales, coming to Ohio, on to Iowa, settling in the Chariton/Lucas area. He was a coal miner, actually working in the mines. He became acquainted and was somewhat friends with John L. Lewis, over the years after he became president of the Mine Workers Union. Grandpa ended up owning a mine at Williamson, and when he passed away, he gave tie mine to the miners. So Mom comes from good people. There was generosity in both of those'families.

Grandpa Powell at one time had a dispute with the miners and the attorney representing the miners was Leo Hoegh. Grandma would always say to Grandpa, "You know, some day he will be the governor of Iowa." Grandpa couldn't stand Leo Hoegh, and he would answer back, "I don't want him as governor of the state of Iowa!" There was a time Grandpa was having some trouble with the miners and went to Washington D.C. to see his friend John L. Lewis. He said, "Your boys are giving me problems and they're wrong and I'm right. But I want you to tell me what I need to do to go back and win this case." John L. Lewis knew what to do. Grandpa went back, represented himself in court, defeated Leo Hoegh, the attorney for the miners, and that was the end of that. But when all was said and done, Grandpa gave the mine to the miners.

Mom and Dad were very good friends with Leo Hoegh and his wife. They were the same age and I think, if I'm not mistaken, at one time Dad had gone with Leo Hoegh's wife and Mom with Leo Hoegh. Grandpa probably didn't like that at all so that is another part of the story.

There is a publication called "Who's Who in Iowa," and I think Mother's father is in that book for producing coal at the lowest denominator cost and the most efficient. I find that a little deceiving because a mine is worked all those years to get to the real core, to the vein of coal which is the richest and most productive. The upfront cost has already been expended. over many years, so what is brought out is what makes it productive for the miners. They were at that point in time at the vein.

I can remember going down in the mine with Grandpa and seeing the lights and the copper, and the mules that would bring the cars with the coal to the shaft, and from there bring it to the surface. And I remember my mother and grandma were so upset with him for taking me down there because it was so dangerous. It really was terrible! The next time we went, we didn't tell them because it wasn't worth all the hassle we caused. But he had bought what he called an electric mule, which was an automated electric engine that would pull the cars with the coal up to the mine shaft and he took me down to see it. It was really interesting.

At that time there was a TV program called "The Hit Parade" and sometimes I would go to their house on the weekend to watch it and other shows on Grandpa's television set.

Tennessee Ernie Ford had a song, "You load 16 tons and what do you get? Another day older and deeper in debt...and you own your soul to the company store." Grandma would give me a dissertation on the company store and how they really did own their soul. So the life of a miner, we know today in West Virginia, is not a nice life! It's a hard, hard life but the dedication of those people! Because I know Grandpa and his family were in the mines in Wales before they came to Ohio and Iowa, I can't imagine what a transition that must have been.

There are three of us in my generation. Dad, Vicky, Mom, Burt, Charles.

I am the oldest, Vicky is next and she married Calvin Halvorsen. They moved to Eldora, Iowa, where they had an egg business, and he did some light farming. Calvin was in his 40s when he had a massive coronary one day. It was at the time of year when the Olympics were being held. He had been working outside, came into the house and said, "I'm going to watch the Olympics awhile," but then he said, "My shoulders ache. I think I'll go lie down." He did and was gone, just like that.

Vicky still lives in the Eldora area. She has four kids, who have each done well. The oldest boy, David, is with Land 0' Lakes, working in the Marshalltown area. Her daughter, Sandy, is in Minneapolis, working in the Cardiac Care Emergency Room, and also is associated with Medtronics Company in which she travels around the country conducting seminars for attorneys who are going to prepare court cases involving hospitals and heart procedures — lawsuits of that nature. The other daughter, Susan, is in Iowa City where her husband, Mike, is a Vice President with the University of Iowa. The other boy, Doug, is engaged in farming and his wife, Ruth, teaches school. His kids are graduated from college. Vicky never remarried and she has a really nice family. Before he died, Calvin was associated with an electrical company and she continues to do their books.

My brother, Charles' career has been with Clarke County Hospital for many years. When I was hiring and interviewing people, I liked those whose résumés showed lengthy employment with the same company. In preference to those who left a job every two or three years, I always wanted somebody who had stayed in a job. That is the case with Charles. He will retire one of these days from this same job. Charles met his wife, Chris, a Graceland College graduate of the School of Nursing, while she was working at the Clarke County Hospital. They have two kids: Jill, has her doctorate in physical therapy from the University of Iowa and completed her Graduate Program at Iowa State. She is with a medical firm in Ankeny. Her husband, Brian Buesch, also an Iowa State Graduate, is a claims adjuster with Allied Insurance in Des Moines. Their son, Ryan, graduated with a degree in Construction Engineering, now is living in Council Bluffs employed by Kattleman Steel Fabrication as a project manager. Their son, Lucas, is now three; their daughter, Belicia, was named for her grandmother, who was Panamanian. Her middle name is Florence after her other grandmother.

That brings us to Marilyn and me. Marilyn's family moved here when she was in junior high or a little before. Her father was a minister of the Calvary Baptist Church. Readers will already have become acquainted with me through what I have told about my relationship with my grandparents and parents. My schooling was in Clarke Community Schools. While not being active in many extra-curricular activities, I did enjoy Boy Scouts and particularly appreciated leaders Leonard Linder and George Crew. I worked during grade school at Easter Hardware, then junior high and high school, I worked at Kraft Clothing, which Mom and Dad purchased in 1953.

Marilyn and I met and dated in high school, after which each of us had a year of advance education. She went to school in the south, and I went to Drake University. Afterward I sold insurance until one day I was offered a position with Underwood Typewriter Company, when the company was alive and well. At that time it was a very lucrative position. I worked in Des Moines and then in Waterloo for about a year. During those early years I was also with an Italian company, Olivetti Corporation, which was a nice position, then with Standard Knitting Mills, a firm out of Knoxville, Tennessee, a manufacturer of basic sportswear and men's and boy's underwear. We private labeled for companies like Penny's and K-Mart. They had about 3,000 employees but then they sold because of complexities with stocks, leveraging, holdings, etc.

There came a time when I chose to come back to work in Osceola. Grandpa Paul had finally sold the implement store, and Mom and Dad purchased Kraft Clothing from Earl Houston. Dad died, Mom continued to run the business, and I came back to help her until Robinsons wanted to buy it. That was after the Penny's Fire on September 17, 1973. They wanted to expand and they couldn't go the other way, so they needed the building where the folks had the clothing store. Rich stopped me on the street one day and asked if I thought it was possible Mom would sell. I said, "No, because she has to have an income."

Mickey (Thomas), Bernard (Linder) and Rich (Robinson) met at our place one day and within 15 minutes the store was sold. It was an excellent sale. They wanted it but by the same token they were considerate of Mom and nice to do business with. There was no argument or hassle. I remember Charles, when the sale was all done said, "You know we've always been able to buy our clothes at cost." I think about then Mom was ready to tell him to shut his mouth but Mickey in his stuttering way said, "I see no reason why you couldn't continue to buy at cost." It all worked out and we couldn't have had a nicer business relationship than we had.

An interesting thing about that sale, we carried H D Lee brand of work-wear and jeans. Primarily, we sold lots of jeans. Robinsons did an excellent job with Levi. At the end of the year we were curious to know how much each sold of our brand. We exchanged books and I don't know who won, but I think there was 10 cents difference over the course of the year.

That brought an end to the era of the folks being in business and the Paul name in that relationship. They were good people! Hard workers! Grandma worked really, really hard putting in long hours at the store and then she went home and did the work at home.

When Standard Knitting Mills sold, I said to Marilyn, "Let's move. Let's go somewhere else." I opened Time magazine — I never will forget this. There was a big article in Time about a city that really was growing and looked like it was going to grow into the future — Las Vegas. That appealed to me for several reasons. I had been to Las Vegas for trade shows but when you go for something like that, you never see what the city is like. You are in a hotel, you attend the show for two or three days and leave, then you go back for another show. I also realized I had some experience which could help me get "my foot in the door."

I had designed trade show booths for Standard and Olivetti — just as kind of a hobby. The next step would be to take them to a manufacturer and have them produced, so I thought this is something I know. I went with a firm called Chjnashoski, did designing and I'm not sure how it came about, but when we first moved there, there was a man who kind of took me under his wing —a very nice gentleman, who was a bookie out of New York. Joe was a fine guy. He invited me to have dinner with him one evening at an Italian Restaurant called Ferraro's. I don't know why, but these people kind of made me feel a part of their home and family. I would go up there about every night to grab a bite to eat — super nice people.

One evening a gentleman came up to me and said, "We have been visiting with people who know something about you. We have a little company and need somebody to consult with us to see if we are going in the right direction in sales and marketing." It was a granite/marble company named Granite World. I said, "I don't know anything about granite and marble. I do know about selling. People buy the salesperson first, the product second, and the company third. That is the what I know, but I'll visit with you." He said, "How much money will you want?" I said, "Let's wait and see if this will work well for both of us before we decide."

I went and was very disappointed with the company. I didn't really want to deal with them. I was doing something that suited me fine. That sufficed. But then I began to find out who owned the company. It was, in fact, the owner who had talked to me, and he was a member of a prominent family, who were part of Las Vegas in the 1950s. They bought land in the desert. Why would anybody buy land out in the desert? What happened was, they bought land and the city moved to them. They were there when it developed, and land they had purchased at 50 cents an acre up to $4.50 an acre, now is a million dollars an acre. The family developed the first country club, the first gated community, developments such as those.

One thing led to another and I said, "OK, I'll tell you what you need to do. It may not be what you want to hear, but I'll go out for a week and kind of snoop around and see what is going on with your company and let you know." That started a relationship of about 16 years and went from $35,000 a month to about $3,500,000 a month. It became a very, very lucrative venture. It wasn't all me because somebody had to make it and somebody had to make sure it went into the home right and all that. It isn't just sales. It takes everybody in the team to make things happen.

We became the residential leading producer of granite and marble in kitchens and bathrooms, in production homes as well as beautiful, lovely homes. We grew to 384 employees, and have a beautiful new shop facility, state of the art. In 2006, each day we were producing 47 kitchens and that's a lot of kitchens. Today there are nine employees, and that is how the economy has affected the Vegas market in production housing. It is the hardest hit in the nation. It is really depressed. So sad, so many people unemployed; but I would tell you, when I was there, having come from Osceola, from a mid-western background, and how I have traveled — for business and pleasure — you don't see what goes on in the city unless you live in the city.

So many people talked about the Mexicans, about illegal immigrants, saying things that were not necessarily true. We had some who worked for us, and perhaps some were illegal; but all had social security cards, which you can buy on the street. You listen to the stories of how and why they came here, and you have an understanding not always reflected by the media. I learned there are a lot of good people who need opportunities to find a life.

Marilyn and I agreed it was time to change locations. We put our house on the market and nothing happened. On the 9th day we got a call. We didn't quite understand the person who was calling, but we were able to make out they would like to see our property and left a number for us to call. I didn't record it right or something, but they called Sunday morning and asked if they could come shortly. We said yes, and to make a long story short, they are from Hong Kong. It seems never to fail when we get to visiting, we nearly always find something we have in common. I was in Hong Kong a few times on business and mentioned it. I went on further to say I spent most of my time in a city called Xiaman. It is the seaport where most of the granite and marble produced in China comes through. It is straight across from Taiwan. They call it a small town but the population is 2 1/2 million people. To the Chinese it is a small town. It so happened they had relatives who lived in Xiaman. We sold the house within 15 minutes.

I told Marilyn, "We have a problem here. We can't move yet. We were figuring on six months to sell it." They said, "That's no problem. You can stay here." I said, "But we need six months." "That's fine because we are just going to live here three or four times a year. We just buy it for a home to come to when we are in Vegas and you're nice people. This is just fine." She told her husband, "Write them a check for $10,000 to hold it. We'll get a contract on Monday and be done." That was how it went. We did the contract, took the cash to the title company — it cost me $14.95 to buy the Real Estate packet, and the deal was complete without a real estate agent.

Marilyn talked to them the other day and they said, "Come back any time you Want to and stay here, 'cause we're only going to be here four or five times a year." They have money and I think they represent families in China who are buying all over the United States. They are buying property in Vegas, Florida, California, Michigan — in all the depressed markets. The Chinese are really industrious people. I met a man there once when I was buying sweat shirts for Standard Knitting Mills. On seeing their plant operation, I commented about the people who had straps over their shoulders, carrying pallets to be packed for shipping. I asked why. They could buy all the trucks you could imagine. Money is not a problem. He said, "If we did that and put all these people out of work, we would have riots. We have so many mouths to feed, we have to keep the people doing something." They are having to manage the situation and maybe they aren't doing such a bad job. There are many positive things happening in China.

They love the Buick car! That big Buick! They love to drive the Buick! And there are quite a few Buicks compared to other makes, although there are lots of nice cars on the streets. One of the biggest businesses in China is the travel business There are people lined up to go into the travel agencies to book trips. They are becoming a better middle class. We are losingthe middle class in this country but there it is a different over there. Although I was treated very well there, I don't think I would want to live in China. I was important because I represented an important company. On one occasion, they intended to honor me by serving me a delicacy. It was a cup of broth with a chicken head in it. There was no way I was going to drink that broth, let alone eat that chicken head! I told my hired interpreter I didn't want to start World War Ill but if that is what it takes, it will have to happen because I was not going to eat that chicken head.

The Chinese are an industrious people. They know what capitalism is. They are sharp! Negotiation there is not easy. It is wise to do homework ahead of time if negotiation with them is the goal! I was fortunate, though. I have discovered a rule that works everywhere in every culture — as you deal with people, treat them as you would like to be treated.

Marilyn and I have our daughter Debbie. She graduated from Iowa State, and went to Johns Hopkins to do her internship. Mom rode out with her in the car when she went and flew back. Debbie has her Master's Degree and now is with Nebraska Med Center in their Child Life Department. She has always been in Child Life and was fortunate to get her internship at Johns Hopkins because it gave her a great background. When she told us that was where she wanted to go, we reminded her they only do two a year in the whole country, "Debbie, you are thinking kind of high." But she said, "I'll be able to do it. I can make it happen." And she did!

Afterward she went to Oklahoma City but in a downsizing she was cut so she took the job in Council Bluffs in the Jenny Edmundson Hospital and now she is with the Nebraska Medical Center, which is a lovely facility in Omaha. It is quite a hospital! I was there and had a brief tour of the complex. They have a complete hospital within that hospital, which very few people know about, all prepared in case of germ warfare or nuclear attack. There are seven of these, founded by the government throughout the country. One is in Omaha, and it could be because of Offutt Air Force Base being there. I looked in and here are all these white coats hanging ready to go. It is scarey in a way but it is nice to know there are good things we are not aware of going on in our country. Her husband, John, is with Toyota and they enjoy John's two daughters, and family. Melissa is residing in Omaha and Shawn in West Virginia.

Florence Paul and children 2002: Charles, Florence, Burt, Vickie

There are others we think of as family members. Bill & Kevin Kilkenny came to live with Marilyn, Debbie, and me upon the death of their parents. We really enjoyed their stay with us and of course still keep in touch. Kevin who graduated from Iowa State went with BASF, a German Chemical Company, living in Michigan and is now retired. Bill, who graduated from Drake University, is now living in San Diego and is still working in the accounting field.

And we had a foreign exchange student, Rosy Habousha from Belgium, who technically isn't family but we've been very close to her, her family and their kids, now the brother's kids. The one boy just left. He had been here for three weeks. He is 12, and came alone. In the summer, we had another of her brother's boys. He spent the summer in the University of Las Vegas to study English. We are in tune with the entire family.

Interestingly, the father is an Egyptian Jew, with two brothers and three sisters. He graduated from the University of Cairo and then, because the Egyptian government didn't want Jews in the country, they were asked to leave, which they did. Each member of the family chose a different capital in the world in case they would be persecuted as they were in Germany, they would have a place of refuge to go and still be with family. So there is family in New York, in Montreal, in Switzerland, in Africa — Rosy's father, Albert, went to Brussels. They are all well-educated people with good, high-powered jobs. Albert's last building project was 17-years long, building a seaport between the nation of Belgium and Holland. He came to the United States and bought equipment for caterpillars, cranes, and purchased well-boring equipment from SIMCO (in Osceola) to use on the device they made. He took us out on a boat one day to see the seaport of their operation. It was fun to see it and Albert in action. He is very talented.

Albert's first assignment was the construction of railroads in the Belgium Congo. His wife is Lillian, and their kids were all born in the Belgium Congo. They were on the last plane out when the assassination of Lobumba occurred. There is so much history that goes on in that family. They have four kids. Pascal, Danny, Stephen and Rosy. They are grown now and Lillian has passed away. I talked to Albert yesterday. They are talented people and kind. They have all been to the States — to Osceola, Council Bluffs, and they have come to Vegas to see us.

At the same time when Rosy was here as an AFS student, Albert had to come to the States to buy a crane that was located at Houston, so Lillian came along. They visited Rosie while she was with us in Osceola and went on to Houston. At that time Albert was a nut for education and studying. That came first. No excuse, you study. He opened up his suitcase and showed me a tube — it was back in the days when TV sets had tubes. He had taken the tube out of their TV set so the kids wouldn't be able to watch TV and would be forced to study. What happened was, Pascal went to the neighborhood store and rented a color TV to watch while his dad was gone.

Pascal didn't want to go to college and that hurt Albert, but Pascal insisted, "No, I want to go into photography." "You'll never make any money in photography. Photography is like somebody who wants to be an artist or a writer." He went on with his tirade but Pascal was adamant. That was what he wanted to be, and that is what he did. He is now one of the leading commercial photographers in Europe, with a studio that would be an envy of anyone in the business. He photographs for Mercedes and other major or car companies. A car can be brought into his studio and driven on a ramp. The ceiling opens up, the car lowers down and can be turned all different angles to do the photographing. It is very creative with an artistic flare. His choice has turned out to be more lucrative than the other three in traditional careers.
That is my story, which reflects the changing times throughout the world. I have had so many privileges my grandparents would never have dreamed of just as I wouldn't be able to imagine what opportunities and advancements our children and grandchildren will experience. If I have left them a model, I hope it will be watching for opportunities to keep growing and expanding acquaintances with the world and the people within it.

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Last Revised December 19, 2014