This is my Paternal Grandfather:
Clarence was born and raised in Decatur, Illinois and graduated from Decatur High School. He joined the Army ROTC program at the University of Illinois and was commissioned a 2LT in the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. However, his career in the Army was cut short due to inner ear problems and was medically discharged.
While on vacation in Minnesota he met and fell in love with Verna Johnson who later became his wife. They moved to Kansas where he earned his Masters of Mechanical Engineering degree at Kansas State University; afterwards he taught Mechanical Engineering at his Alma Mater.
He was then hired by Dow Chemical Company in Midland MI. where he worked as an engineer manufacturing incendiary bombs during WW2. He later transferred to the Dow plant at Rocky Flats in Boulder Colorado where he worked on the nuclear triggers used in atomic and hydrogen bombs during the Cold War.
He was very active in his church teaching Sunday School and playing the organ. He loved to play the organ and oftentimes the family would gather around the organ as he happily played for us.
He enjoyed working in his "shop" where he would constantly be working on some creation, such as his own security/alarm system for the house. Most things he worked on were beyond our understanding as he had such a Brilliant Mind!!
One of my fondest memories of him was when the family had gathered to record our memories of our Grandma (his wife) who had just passed away. We were telling stories about Grandma and how they met in Minnesota; got married & had a family; and more such recollections. When out of the blue his mind turned to engineering facts & figures & he just started rambling on, and on, and on....!!
No one knew what he was talking about (or WHY he was talking about it) and we were ALL confused!! First, my two uncles starting laughing, then the rest of the family followed in laughing hysterically; all the while Grandpa continued talking about technical matters not having a CLUE what we were laughing at!! It sure made preparing a eulogy for my Grandma's funeral a memorable experience & erased some of the sadness!!! It's a memory of him I will treasure Always!!
I Miss You, Grandpa!!
A Great Big THANK YOU to D C for sponsoring my Grandfather's memorial!!
Clarence was born and raised in Decatur, Illinois and graduated from Decatur High School. He joined the Army ROTC program at the University of Illinois and was commissioned a 2LT in the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. However, his career in the Army was cut short due to inner ear problems and was medically discharged.
While on vacation in Minnesota he met and fell in love with Verna Johnson who later became his wife. They moved to Kansas where he earned his Masters of Mechanical Engineering degree at Kansas State University; afterwards he taught Mechanical Engineering at his Alma Mater.
He was then hired by Dow Chemical Company in Midland MI. where he worked as an engineer manufacturing incendiary bombs during WW2. He later transferred to the Dow plant at Rocky Flats in Boulder Colorado where he worked on the nuclear triggers used in atomic and hydrogen bombs during the Cold War.
He was very active in his church teaching Sunday School and playing the organ. He loved to play the organ and oftentimes the family would gather around the organ as he happily played for us.
He enjoyed working in his "shop" where he would constantly be working on some creation, such as his own security/alarm system for the house. Most things he worked on were beyond our understanding as he had such a Brilliant Mind!!
One of my fondest memories of him was when the family had gathered to record our memories of our Grandma (his wife) who had just passed away. We were telling stories about Grandma and how they met in Minnesota; got married & had a family; and more such recollections. When out of the blue his mind turned to engineering facts & figures & he just started rambling on, and on, and on....!!
No one knew what he was talking about (or WHY he was talking about it) and we were ALL confused!! First, my two uncles starting laughing, then the rest of the family followed in laughing hysterically; all the while Grandpa continued talking about technical matters not having a CLUE what we were laughing at!! It sure made preparing a eulogy for my Grandma's funeral a memorable experience & erased some of the sadness!!! It's a memory of him I will treasure Always!!
I Miss You, Grandpa!!
A Great Big THANK YOU to D C for sponsoring my Grandfather's memorial!!
This is my Paternal Grandfather:
Clarence was born and raised in Decatur, Illinois and graduated from Decatur High School. He joined the Army ROTC program at the University of Illinois and was commissioned a 2LT in the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. However, his career in the Army was cut short due to inner ear problems and was medically discharged.
While on vacation in Minnesota he met and fell in love with Verna Johnson who later became his wife. They moved to Kansas where he earned his Masters of Mechanical Engineering degree at Kansas State University; afterwards he taught Mechanical Engineering at his Alma Mater.
He was then hired by Dow Chemical Company in Midland MI. where he worked as an engineer manufacturing incendiary bombs during WW2. He later transferred to the Dow plant at Rocky Flats in Boulder Colorado where he worked on the nuclear triggers used in atomic and hydrogen bombs during the Cold War.
He was very active in his church teaching Sunday School and playing the organ. He loved to play the organ and oftentimes the family would gather around the organ as he happily played for us.
He enjoyed working in his "shop" where he would constantly be working on some creation, such as his own security/alarm system for the house. Most things he worked on were beyond our understanding as he had such a Brilliant Mind!!
One of my fondest memories of him was when the family had gathered to record our memories of our Grandma (his wife) who had just passed away. We were telling stories about Grandma and how they met in Minnesota; got married & had a family; and more such recollections. When out of the blue his mind turned to engineering facts & figures & he just started rambling on, and on, and on....!!
No one knew what he was talking about (or WHY he was talking about it) and we were ALL confused!! First, my two uncles starting laughing, then the rest of the family followed in laughing hysterically; all the while Grandpa continued talking about technical matters not having a CLUE what we were laughing at!! It sure made preparing a eulogy for my Grandma's funeral a memorable experience & erased some of the sadness!!! It's a memory of him I will treasure Always!!
I Miss You, Grandpa!!
A Great Big THANK YOU to D C for sponsoring my Grandfather's memorial!!
Clarence was born and raised in Decatur, Illinois and graduated from Decatur High School. He joined the Army ROTC program at the University of Illinois and was commissioned a 2LT in the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. However, his career in the Army was cut short due to inner ear problems and was medically discharged.
While on vacation in Minnesota he met and fell in love with Verna Johnson who later became his wife. They moved to Kansas where he earned his Masters of Mechanical Engineering degree at Kansas State University; afterwards he taught Mechanical Engineering at his Alma Mater.
He was then hired by Dow Chemical Company in Midland MI. where he worked as an engineer manufacturing incendiary bombs during WW2. He later transferred to the Dow plant at Rocky Flats in Boulder Colorado where he worked on the nuclear triggers used in atomic and hydrogen bombs during the Cold War.
He was very active in his church teaching Sunday School and playing the organ. He loved to play the organ and oftentimes the family would gather around the organ as he happily played for us.
He enjoyed working in his "shop" where he would constantly be working on some creation, such as his own security/alarm system for the house. Most things he worked on were beyond our understanding as he had such a Brilliant Mind!!
One of my fondest memories of him was when the family had gathered to record our memories of our Grandma (his wife) who had just passed away. We were telling stories about Grandma and how they met in Minnesota; got married & had a family; and more such recollections. When out of the blue his mind turned to engineering facts & figures & he just started rambling on, and on, and on....!!
No one knew what he was talking about (or WHY he was talking about it) and we were ALL confused!! First, my two uncles starting laughing, then the rest of the family followed in laughing hysterically; all the while Grandpa continued talking about technical matters not having a CLUE what we were laughing at!! It sure made preparing a eulogy for my Grandma's funeral a memorable experience & erased some of the sadness!!! It's a memory of him I will treasure Always!!
I Miss You, Grandpa!!
A Great Big THANK YOU to D C for sponsoring my Grandfather's memorial!!
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