Your Mom and I put together significant dates in time (defined by specific years) that have been part of our shared lifes and subsequent family. Every year in life is significant but there are some that are more memorable.
1940. Your Mom and I were both born. Our birthday’s are less than 2 months apart.
1954. We were freshman in high school and met while working on a homeroom float for Homecoming..
1958. We both graduated from Plymouth High School in early June.
1960. Married on April 2. No.1 Grasshopper Deborah Kay was born. I started at Marquette on day of Debs birth.
1961. Grasshopper No.2 Kelly Christine was born, 2 days before the end of the year. It meant an extra tax deduction for the year. It didn’t matter. We didn’t have any income.
1963. I graduated from Marquette. Our young family of 4 moved to Milwaukee. I started my first job at Allis-Chalmers.
1964. Grasshopper No.3 Christopher Charles was born in early February.
1967. Our family of 5 moved to Sheboygan and I got a job at Vollrath. It was October and the Packers were still winning championships.
1968. We bought our first house on St.Claire Street. It was a big old house. Very big.
1972. Grasshopper No.4 Paul Jason was born on a warm summer day.
1973. Our family of 6 moved to our 2nd house on North 6th Street in Sheboygan.
1977. Grasshopper No.5 Margaret Elizabeth was born in October shortly after we bought our first cottage.
1978. It took exactly 20 years from the time I finished high school, but I received my Masters Degree in Business Administration from UW-Oshkosh.
1982. We bought our second cottage on Crystal Lake. It was a great location.
1985. Our first Grandchild Dano was born. I got fired from Vollrath. We moved to Appleton.
1987. I started working at Ripon Foods (Rippin’ Good Cookies).
2000. I changed my life style. (I hate the word retire because it sounds like life stops)
2010. Our five kids give us a commemorative dinner to celebrate 50 years of marriage.
I am sure I have missed significant dates in our family chronology. There are marriages, Grandchildren births, graduations, deaths and much more. My life turned upside down in 1957.
Love,
Dad