He was born on a small farm in Lake Norden, South Dakota. Along with his twin sister, he was the youngest of 6 children that grew up during the Great Depression, and by necessity learned to “make-do” with whatever resources were on hand. These difficult circumstances were the fertile ground in which experience and innovation grew that bore good fruit throughout his lifetime. These attributes, in turn, were passed on to me as I watched him work on various projects throughout my childhood. As he worked, he would explain his thoughts, proceedures and techniques.

He was always the “go-to guy” for friends and family because when something didn’t work, he would almost always get it going. For him, each problem was a challenge that he delighted in solving. From childhood on into adulthood, my dad was my mentor. Through years past as partners in rental property ownership, we forged a relationship of caring and sharing. Nothing was left unsaid or undone. After a year and a half of battling cancer, my Dad’s life recently came to an end. It dawned on me that I could no longer call on him for advice or help, but then I realized that he had passed on the torch of observation and problem solving skills which are key to preparedness for life’s challenges and emergency situations. So, thank you, Dad, for this great heritage, and thank you for being my friend.