Chuck Walker '49, Cadet Major, requested letters of this nature from his class mates. This is Homer's letter. Homer was from Paragould, Arkansas. We are sad to report that Homer died in December 2005.

This letter was dated 8/7/00

Per your request “my life’s story”, some of it, the least incriminating of course.

I think that you were the one who dismissed us, that last day at W.M.A., and can you believe that I then lighted my very first cigarette? I’ll mention education and get it out of the way, kicked out of or quit one university and 2 colleges. Graduated from the college of hard knocks, Took a Dale Carnegie Course, picked up a brokers license at Ahrens College of Real Estate in Houston.

Bill James has told a story of missing the “church squad” for an entire year. I had always felt bad about skipping church in much the same way that Bill described; now at last that burden has been lifted. Might mention that two weeks before graduation my name somehow appeared on the Methodist roster.

Thereby requiring a trip to the fish bowl and Col. Moore.

In August, with former cadet Frank Walb, joined the Air Force, discharged in September for minor medical reasons. At the time I was distressed about being discharged, but later on, realized that someone had been watching over me as Korea took its toll.

Managed to get to California, just as everything was in a downturn. Picked up a job washing and waxing cars for $25 per week.

A friend and I decided that California was not for us, so we became hobos and rode the rods back to Arkansas. Along the way we also decided that the hobo life was not for us.

After that came a job in St. Louis with McKesson & Robbins, a wholesale drug company. Transferred to Dallas at my request, chasing my then girl friend. She dumped me after a few months and far too much money. Thank goodness she did, because then I met the love of my life Sue. As I recall she was working for Braniff at Love Field in Dallas. After 8 days, I proposed she turned me down. 24 hours later she said yes. Took a whole 9 weeks to tie the knot. Some said it would not last, I don’t know, but we keep trying. 47 years next month, on September 30th.

After marriage, started pharmacy school in St. Louis. Decided that my dad had been right, I didn’t want to spend my life behind a counter. Quit school, went back to McKesson. To punish me for leaving in the first place, they sent me to the second worst place where they had an office. Abilene, Texas. While in Abilene we had 1 girl and 2 boys. After a short while they made me a buyer for rope, soap and dope. Six years later they offered me sales territory. Sales for me was a soft and comfortable place to be. I was the top salesman in my division the entire time in the territory.

Bought into a drug store, sold it a year later and returned to McKesson. This time they assigned me to the first worst place in the world, Lawton, Oklahoma. Of course, any place after Texas would have been bad. After two years, quit. Made it to Houston as sales manager for a photo-finishing company. While there was instrumental in starting a drive in photo service, similar to Foto-Mat. For that effort wound up as Exec V.P. with one plant and 75 stores.

Sold my stock and started a real estate company, over the years it became successful and our youngest son, Andy, joined me in the business. It became so successful that my blood pressure was 230/130. Time to quit. By the way managed to teach real estate for 5 years as a substitute teacher.

Andy and I started a video store and managed to build a small four-link chain of stores. After about 10 years, Andy tired of 7-day weeks and no vacations, quit and moved to Florida, where our daughter and her family had settled.

Ran into Ted Bierman in the early 90’s. We lived in the same remote, rural, acreage subdivision. We developed a very close friendship that lasted until his untimely death last November. I have lost kinfolk and friends in my life, but nothing has happened that has affected as much as losing Ted. Everyday at 5:00 we had our senior circle at his house or mine. I had my one cigar and a margarita, he had half dozen cigarettes and a martini or beer. At 6:00, whoever was the visitor went home. My own tribute to Ted has been to continue the senior circle with one chair empty. God how I miss him.

About March 1998 I retired and sold the stores. Big mistake, Sue starts working me to move to Florida, after all I was retired and out of work, and the grandchildren needed us in their lives. We left one son and daughter-in-law back in Texas and moved to Geezerville, Florida. Some people know it as Sun City Center.

I am now a member of the board of our 2000+ member computer club. Lots of work, no pay. But a lot of fun helping newbies. Can you believe that I was teaching one 97 year old lady how to get around on the internet?

This brings us pretty much up to date. By the way, except for one cigar, I quit smoking in 1987.Chuck, this has been somewhat longer than you asked for, please edit as you wish. Homer