Jesse Yeager - 1963
Bio & Picture from 40th
Reunion
Bio Update for 50th Reunion
Bio Update for 60th Reunion
The Yeager Family on Thanksgiving
2003
Jes and Su Yeager with their
kids Troy (red shirt) and daughter D'Arcy (front row left).
Lou King, D'Arcy's significant
other, is to the left of Jes, and Jackie Yeager, Troy's wife is to the
right of D'Arcy.
Read BIO
Jesse Yeager
- 2003-08-10
The years have gone by so fast, I don’t know
how it’s possible that it’s been 40 years since graduation. First
of all, life is very good here in my hometown -- Saint Paul,
Minnesota. How I got here is somewhat of a story in itself.
After graduating from high school and Mizzou,
Su and I married and almost immediately headed off for the Army with a
short hiatus as an accounting auditor for Owens Illinois in Toledo, Ohio.
Rather than going to Vietnam, I became an instructor in electronics for
the Army at Ft. Eustis, Virginia. We stayed there for two years and
our first child, D’Arcy, was born in the Patrick Henry Army Hospital.
Our next stop was back to Columbia for a 12-month stint where Su got her
master’s in journalism and I got my master’s in accounting. Then,
it was back to Toledo for the 8-5 routine for a number of years.
I think my favorite job was “accounting for” Jeep, but I’ll save those
stories for when we get to reminiscing at the reunion. Our son Troy
was born in Toledo and Su and I worked and nurtured our kids through all
the ups and downs of parenthood. Both kids are happily married –
and we’re waiting for grandkids. But no such luck yet.
After the kids left for college and I took
a “buy out” from Chrysler, which had acquired Jeep, we decided to leave
Toledo and Su took a job with Saint Paul Public Schools. I started
a courier business after I left Chrysler and moved that business up to
Minnesota, where we’ve been for the past six years. Our first winter
here was bitter cold and it became obvious that only people who were born
here know how to live in the cold – outside in the winter. I quickly
found accounting work at Plastics, Inc., where I track expenditures and
costs for the plant, which is owned by the infamous Tyco International.
We go to a lot of shows (theatre is big in
the Twin Cities), have become fans of Garrison Keillor’s Prairie Home Companion,
see just about every film worth seeing, do a lot of gardening and taking
care of our Victorian home (is there anything else that can fall apart
in an old house?), and spend quite a bit of time traveling to see our far-flung
family. Last November, we did spend a week in Hawaii—to celebrate
our anniversary. Our son Troy and his wife Jackie are here in Saint
Paul and we love having them close by.
Mom and Jim still live in Columbia and I get
to see them fairly often. As I’m sure you know, my youngest brother
John died in 1983. His wife Theresa is a teacher at the Career
Center for Columbia Public Schools. Both of their daughters, Jessica
and Tristin, are married to two of the greatest guys on the planet.
Jim and his wife Rene run a beautiful bed and breakfast down in Fulton
and if you are ever looking for a weekend getaway, that’s the place to
go. Mom continues to inspire us with her ready smile and big
heart.
We’re really looking forward to seeing everyone
in October and special thanks to Charlie for putting this together.
Update to 40th
Anniversary Story – for 50th Reunion
December 29, 2012
Born on a farm
outside of Columbia, MO, to Robert Clyde and Wanda Coats Yeager, I moved
to a home on Clinkscales Ave. when I was 4. Mom was a nurse at Ellis
Fischel Hospital and dad was a printer at the Columbia Tribune. My two
brothers, Jim and Steve, and I went to West Boulevard Elementary School
and Jefferson Junior High and Hickman High School.
After graduating from Hickman, I attended and
graduated from the Business School at Mizzou where I earned bachelor and
master’s degrees.
I am retired now, but
worked as an auditor, financial analyst and controller for
Owens-Illinois, Prestole-Everlock, Jeep and Chrysler in Toledo, OH, for
25 years. I’ve been retired since 2009 and currently spend a lot of my
time managing our stock portfolio, playing with my grandkids and trying
to keep up with the repairs and maintenance on our 1885 Victorian home
in St. Paul, MN. We’re also spending quite a bit of time with
ancestry.com trying to trace our families history. Su has gotten all the
way back to the Mayflower on her dad’s side. We’ve got 165 people in the
Yeager family tree. One of the best parts of the effort is reconnecting
with my cousins in Columbia, Harrisburg and Rocheport. Let me know if
anyone else is tracking their families as I always remember the Grants
were connected to the Coats and the Shadricks and maybe they have some
information.
Su and I are so glad to be back in St. Paul
after a four year stay in Atlanta, GA, where Su was employed by Atlanta
Public Schools and I worked for Plastics Inc. from 2007-2011.
Su and I will
celebrate our 46th wedding anniversary on August 26, 2013. We have two
children, D’Arcy and Troy, and two grandchildren, Owen, who is 7, and
Wyatt, who is 2. D’Arcy was born in Williamsburg, VA, where I was
serving with the Army in 1970 and Su was a reporter for the Virginia
Gazette. Troy was born in 1974 in Toledo, OH, where I was working for
Owens-Illinois and Su was working for the Toledo Blade.
D’Arcy is a terrific
daughter. She’s beautiful and smart and is very caring. She recently was
awarded a PhD from the New School in New York and is living the “good
life” in Manhattan with her husband, Lou, and their dog, Monte. D’Arcy
works for large pharmaceutical companies providing patient and physician
education, and Lou is a composer. We love to visit them in New York and
they always show us a great time.
Troy is an executive
with Target here in the Twin Cities. He and our fabulous daughter-in-law
Jackie are the best parents ever. Troy and our eldest grandson Owen
spent the two days after Christmas this year at a card table in Owen’s
room assembling a 1,094-piece Star Wars Lego plane. Troy is a terrific
cook, loving father and an all-around great person to spend time with.
We thank our stars everyday that Jackie is a stay-at-home mom. In her
spare time, Jackie makes jewelry, purses and all kinds of special
crafts. She’s very talented.
Since Mom’s death in 2008, we don’t get to
Columbia too often. The memories I have from my years at Hickman and
living in our family home on Broadway are very fresh. My best memory
from Hickman has to be the many hours I spent on the basketball court
doing my best to become an excellent ball handler and free throw
shooter. I really liked working at Shapperkotter’s Hardware, going to
the Driveateria, hanging out with friends. I also remember my successful
campaign for student body vice president during my junior year, and will
always be thankful for the fantastic support of hundreds of friends who
helped me win the campaign. My worst memory from Hickman was being a
teetotaler and never touching beer or other adult beverages.
I really haven’t stayed in close contact with
my classmates from Hickman, but every once in awhile I will give Ron
Lumb a call to see how he’s doing. I’m really looking forward to talking
with my old buddies at the reunion.
We are very excited
about seeing everyone in October in Columbia, and, again, a special
thanks to Charlie for trying to organize all of us. See you soon!
Jesse A. Yeager, August 19, 2023
·
What is your origin; why, when and how did you wound up in Columbia and
where did you come from if you were not born in Columbia?
Born and raised in Columbia
2) What did you do immediately
after you left high school in 1963 and where did you go if you left
Columbia?
Went to University of Missouri
3) Where did you get your
education (other than HHS) and what is your profession or how did
you acquire your occupation and what was or is it?
Accountant – MU bachelor’s and masters
4) Are you still
working and if so what are you doing?
Nope. Fully retired.
5) Are you retired and what are you doing or what have you done
since you retired? How long have you been retired?
Retired 2010. Traveling;
enjoying two grandkid; family events; being a good neighbor and husband,
dad and grandpa.
6) Are you married? Who are you married to?
Who are you divorced from? How did you meet your spouse or partner;
where and when? How long have you been married? Or how many times have
you been married and/or divorced?
Married fellow MU grad Su (journalism) right after graduation.
Married 56 years
last August. Met on our first day of classes. She was my lab partner in
General Experimental Psychology.
7) How many children do you
have? When was your first child born? When was your last child born? How
many grandchildren do you have and when was the oldest and the youngest
one born?
Two Children. D’Arcy was
born in 1970 and Troy was born in 1974. Two grandchildren, Owen was born
in 2005 and Wyatt was born in 2010.
8) What countries have you
spent time in other than on business? What countries have you lived in
outside the US?
None
9) What's on your 'Bucket List' and what have you done
and haven't done so far?
My bucket list consists in my putting one foot in front of the other and
staying healthy and positive.
10) Are you a veteran and if so
where and when did you serve our country?
1969-1971. Fort Eustis,
Virginia. Helicopter crew
chief instructor on Cobra gun ships during Vietnam War.
11)
What is the best memory you have from Hickman High School? What is your
worst memory from HHS?
My best memory was playing basketball almost all the time and my worst
memory is that I usually did not play very well. I did get up and try
again the next day. This was great exercise.
I liked working at Schaperkotter
Hardware, working on the farm, growing sweet corn and pumpkins.
12) What was your favorite place to go after school or on weekends
in Columbia when attending Hickman?
Drive in on business 70 and 63 south. Or just cruising the city on 20
cent gasoline.
13) Who was your favorite teacher at Hickman? Who would you like to
see the most from the Hickman faculty and why?
Coach James McCloud for providing so much encouragement:
a solid Thank You.
14) What person from our class have you stayed in closest contact
with since you left Hickman other than your wife or husband?
Ron Lumb and my brother Jim.
Dave Sapp.
15) Which '63 Kewpies are you in touch with? Please give me
their name and their email, address and phone number?
16) Tell me
something that you have told one of your children or grandchildren that
was something you learned or did at Hickman?
Remember other people. Their names, interests and birthdate. Be kind and
share.
17) What are the earliest memories you have of places, people or
things in Columbia?
Holiday celebrations with extended family with Grandmother on the farm.
18) What was your biggest accomplishment while at Hickman High
School and what has been your biggest accomplishment since you
graduated from Hickman until now?
I was blessed with great teachers, many friends and mostly good
decisions. School prepared
me for college and life.
I am very fortunate to be able to be a friend to my neighbors here in
St. Paul, MN.
19) What do you think classmates will remember the most about you
when they
see you at the 60th reunion?
Mostly just that I was there every day with a smile and a good word.
Thanks…
 
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