.. grew up on the family farm, received a degree from the University of Illinois, worked a summer in Montana, spent more than three years in the U.S. Army, more than three years working on an English-language newspaper in Tokyo, a year with the Voice of America, and then re-joined the local newspaper where I earlier met my wife, Janet. Retired in 2001 and now enjoy doing encaustics, collage, and cold wax and oil.