My parents farmed about three miles from Grinnell, Iowa. I was born in the early hours of December 17, 1944 about fifteen minutes after my brother Edwin. My mother had had several miscarriages in the years before we twins were born. Mom's water broke around a month before we were due, and the doctor ordered total bed rest. An aunt came out from town to keep house. The doctor had heard two hearts beating in the womb, but did not tell my parents because he didn't want to give them false hopes of having two live births. Our parents were very surprised and happy about our dual arrival.

Eventually Ed and I were joined by three brothers (Jim, Tom & Fred) and a sister (Kathy). I attended a one-room schoolhouse until seventh grade, and then Newburg and Grinnell schools when the school system was reorganized. I graduated from Grinnell Newburg Community High School and graduated from the University of Iowa with a Bachelor of Science degree on May 25, 1973. I have clerked at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics for the past thirty-one years halftime on weekends, and at Iowa Book for many years on weekdays. My favorite hobbies are bookbinding, lutherie, and gardening.

Every night before bedtime we kids crowded onto the davenport around a parent for bedtime stories. My parents read six bedtime stories to us every night. (In hindsight I realize they must have gotten VERY tired of some of the books; since each child could choose a story, possibly for the second time that night.) The Newton Public Library used to send a bookmobile around to rural areas in the summertime, which was a much anticipated event every two weeks during summer vacation.

I am still very fond of books. But now that I'm living in the 21st Century I'm forcing myself to enter the electronic age. I am taking the introductory Computer Literacy Course this spring. I'm seriously thinking about getting a television, a computer, and a cell phone!