Dad was born in Lake Mine, Michigan. The family was living up in the middle of nowhere at a logging camp. They were very very poor, but Dad was doted upon by his mother and 15 year old sister. He couldn't say "sister" so he called her "Tid". When Dad was little, he used to tell his mother that he loved her from the top of the oatmeal box and back. The family also helped to clear the forest and build roads in northern Wisconsin. Dad went to school in Antigo, Wisconsin and made quite an impression with his singing. He was not a good scholar, but made up for it with his charm, grace, and kindness towards everyone. He went to enlist in the army but was turned away because of his feet, months later he was drafted. He was at Fort Benning and directed the chorus and played in a big band. He presented lots of concerts, was a huge hit, and then he was shipped off to Italy. The war took a lot out of him. His very first assignment was to go out to a field and bring back a body. One day he received a present of boots from home and he left them in his bunker for a minute as he ran an errand. A minute later a bomb hit his bunker and completely disintergrated everything. He and a friend were walking along together, and his buddy stepped on a land mine. He was completely blown to bits in front of Dad, and Dad sustained heavy eye injury that plagued him for the rest of his life, that and the fact that his feet nearly rotted off from long marches in soaking conditions. When Dad returned to Neenah, he went to a church event and was asked to sing a duet with a beautiful young woman. He went home that night and announced to his mother that he had met the woman that he was going to marry. Six months later they were married on August 3rd, the hottest day of the year. Dad went on to school at Lawrence University and then his masters at Northwestern in Chicago. He went on the train during the week and came home on the weekends to be with Mom. One day he went to dinner at a rich woman's house to pick up a dog that he thought would make a great addition to the family. The lady had seen the dog running in "The loop" of downtown Chicago and sent her butler out to retrieve it. Dad passed her inspection as a "fit parent" and the dog was given to him complete with presents. Peggy was named and she became an important part of the family. Dad got his job at Wesleyan College in Macon, Georgia and spent the next 17 years either there, or back at Northwestern completing his doctorate in musicology. He was a huge success at Wesleyan and he and Mom completely submerged themselves in building up the best women's choir ever. He worked with Robert Shaw, the Atlanta Symphony, Harvard, Georgetown, and was a hit with the critics. His critics stated that he had the finest all women's choir in the United States. His students absolutely adored him and several of them continue to correspond with us, even though it has been 30-40 years. He was promoted to the position of chairman of the music department, but his health was fragile, and the final years were very, very painful as he struggled for his life and against politics of a few jealous, insecure faculty. Eventually we all left and plopped ourselves in Wild Rose, Wisconsin. He never did really get back on his feet, and spent the next 17 years in and out of hospitals, getting his broker's liscense and trying to run a real estate business. I can't remember him being well. He struggled to be at all of my music events and to help keep our " farmette" running smoothly, inspite of an alcohol/perscription pill problem, several amputations, several heart bypasses, and only being able to walk a few feet at a time. He maintained his sense of humor and loved to say puns. He and I also worked on projects together, went asparagus hunting, sought out big hills for sledding, and he coached me on the cello. There was never a person who didn't adore my father.