Sweetie Pie - An Unexpected E-Mail

For five years I was a co-host of State Farm Insurance Retiree’s luncheons held four times a year. The first three were for the men only and the ladies held their own retiree luncheons. The one in November was a combined luncheon with the retired men and women of our company and included spouses or significant others. We would have 100 at this luncheon.

As co-host it was my job to organize the luncheons and send out email flyers announcing the details of the luncheon. I worked with the committee members of the ladies luncheons for the big combined one a few years ago. We offered a choice of two entrees and people were to email me back with their selection.

One of those e-mails was sent from an address I did not know. She made the selection and signed it “Thank You Sweetie Pie”. I searched my address book and couldn’t come up with anyone named Pat Fisher with that address and finally had to write to this person and ask how they got the information on the luncheon and who are they?

Although I didn’t see her face on the e-mail response, I could tell it was red in color. It seems she meant to send it back to her friend Fred Bruno who is one of the men retirees. She sent it to me instead. Pat finally met me when she and Fred came to the luncheon and checked in. Fred had told her that Dick won’t let this go so be prepared for anything.

I was master of ceremonies of the luncheon and after our meal, I got up and told the story of receiving an order for lunch from someone I didn’t know and this person called me “Sweetie Pie”. Everyone got a chuckle out of it especially Pat Fisher and Fred Bruno. Whenever I see them at the November luncheons, I remind them of the incident. After all, I don’t let situations like this just go away! Ask Fred.

Remembering Glenn Carl

Dick Moore, Glenn Carl, Dick McDonald, Jerry Ammann

I got a call today from Dick McDonald who is in the above picture along with Glenn Carl, Jerry Ammann and myself. This was taken a few years ago when Glenn visited our area and we had breakfast together with our wives. The four guys have worked together at State Farm Insurance and all retired with many years of service. Glenn had just turned 80 years old in February.

Glenn Carl passed away Wednesday in his home in Palmyra, Pennsylvania. Glenn and Mary moved there a number of years ago to be closer to their two daughters and their families. Glenn developed lung cancer which was diagnosed not long ago. It took his life quickly and that would be the way Glenn would have wanted to leave this life.

I was Mail & File Supervisor in the Southern California Division when Glenn came through my unit as a Service Trainee. This happened in January 1960 and we've been good friends every since.

Glenn was a great golfer and took me out to play in my early time with the clubs. He was with me in January 1961 when I hit the first of three hole-in-ones of my golfing career. He said it was the first one he had seen in all of his time on the golf courses. On one of his birthdays we had the First Annual Glenn Carl Open at a local course. Unfortunately, we never got to the Second Annual Open.

Glenn completed his training and became a Service Supervisor of one of the auto units. In 1969 he was promoted to Service Superintendent in the Coastal Valley Division in the new Westlake Village Office. Little did I know that the next year I would be working with Glenn in that office as one of his supervisors. I considered it a pleasure to have him as my boss. He was kind enough to give me a couple of days off so I could recharge my batteries after spending so many hours trying to get the division on it's feet. It is something I've never forgotten. In 1972, I transferred back to the Southern California Office since that office was finally running smoothly.

In 1977, Glenn transferred back to our office to complete his time with our company. He retired in 1990 with 30 years of service.

The four friends (Dick Moore, Glenn Carl, Dick McDonald, Jerry Ammann) met together for breakfast with our spouses on a few occasions which were great times. It is situations like this that makes us think back on friendships of long standing.

We were privileged to be at their 50th wedding anniversary before they left California and Glenn and Mary now have a few more added to that number. Ann and I celebrated our 50th on July 22, 2005, so we are coming up on number 53 this summer. It's great to see couples that have stayed together that long. The McDonalds and the Ammanns have long term marriages as well.

I have great memories of Glenn Carl. I will miss him.