After graduating from Hickman, I took my trumpet from Friday morning assemblies to join the Marching Mizzou in the fall of 1962.  I played for 4 years and went to 2 bowl games in the good old days of Dan Devine's era.  I met my future wife Mary in the fall of 1964 and we were married in January of 1966.

After graduating from MU, I taught school in St, Louis county's Parkway school district.  While teaching school, we still attended all home MU football games and some away.  In 1970 I started what I thought would be a short tenure on the MU sidelines on the chain crew.  I haven't missed a home game since.  Now working as the "box" man in my 35th season.  And yes I was holding the down marker when Colorado got "5" downs in 1990 and went on and won the National Championship.  I got my Masters degree from the University of Missouri St Louis after 5 long years of taking 3 hours here and 3 hours there.

During my teaching years we attended church in Manchester where we met a fellow by the name of "Rich Montgomery" (no relation).  He was a district manager for State Farm Insurance and for three years tried to get me to retire from teaching and be an agent with State Farm.  Finally after 10 years of teaching I decided to give it a try.  With Mary as my number 1 secretary and biggest supporter,  we moved to Moberly with our 2 sons Jeff and Mark in the fall of 1977.  After being an agent for 2 years, I was asked to move to North Kansas City and become a district manager.  So off we went in a new direction.

In 1986 I had the opportunity to get back into personal production.  We moved to our current location in Independence which is in the Blue Springs school district.  Today I am still an active agent.  Mary has retired but is still my right hand lady.

Our oldest son Jeff graduated from MU in 1988 after playing football for Woodenhofer and Powers.  No bowl games unfortunately.  He and his wife Lisa have 2 daughters who both call me "Tiger Pa".  After teaching and coaching for 3 years, he became an assistant for Larry Smith for 5 years at MU.  He is now a State Farm agent in Webb City, Mo.  My son Mark is a jack of all trades who now lives in Columbia.  He married a wonderful girl from Rock Bridge (ouch).  At least there is one good Bruin.  Dana is a surgical nurse at Columbia regional.  Mark works for the Boone County Fire Dept. and also does sound and lighting for all University productions.  Most recently, Tony Bennett at the new Paige Arena.

On Friday nights during football season, I help broadcast Blue Springs high school football where we have won 2 of the last 3 State Championships.  Our own Kewpies have a V I C T O R Y over Blue Springs this year and I for one think they are for real.  Hopefully we will see the Kewpies in St Louis at the end of the season.  Our MU chain crew has been chosen  to work the last 2 Big XII Championship games played at KC's Arrowhead Stadium.  We will be doing the game on December 4th this year.  Wouldn't it be great if the Tigers could win the north and play in that game.  We all have our fingers AND toes crossed.  Just remember, I may work in Blue Springs but I will always be a KEWPIE!!!!!!