Have You Ever Re-read An Old Letter You Wrote?

Ray & Edith Moore - my "parents" in Kansas City, Missouri


Our home in Kansas City, Missouri on 67th Street

My last three years of high school were spent living in Kansas City, Missouri with Uncle Ray and Aunt Edith Moore. After graduation in 1952, I moved to California to attend Pasadena Nazarene College.

My High School graduation picture - 1952

Communication between us was through letters to each other. Postage was 3 cents and we wrote each other on occasion. My Aunt Edith passed away some 15 years ago and Uncle Ray died a couple of years ago. His second wife, Nelda, was recently going through some of Ray’s possessions and found seven letters that I had written them that he kept. The dates of the letters were January 11, 1954, February 18, 1954, October 7, 1954 ( all written in my Sophomore and Junior years of college.)

The next one was written April 13, 1959 three days before my 25th birthday and three days after our son, Ricky’s, 3rd birthday. Ann was very pregnant with Brenda who was born 11 days later on April 24, 1959. [This year she turned 50.]

I wrote a letter on October 4, 1959 that Ray kept. Ricky was 3 ½ years old and Brenda was soon to be 6 months old. Ann was enrolled in what became California State University at Fullerton taking night classes.

The sixth letter was written March 23, 1962. The next month Ricky will be 6 years old and Brenda was coming up on her 3rd birthday. I had written about the passage of time -- 10 years ago I graduated from High School, 6 years ago from Pasadena Nazarene College, and I came to live with them 13 years ago. Time was flying.

The last one I received from Nelda I want to comment on some items. I will publish most the letter and add comments to some of the items. This was written June 19, 1965 when we were living in our first home that we bought on Marty Lane in Santa Ana. That is almost 44 years ago. Comments will be in brackets [ ]. This was to Ray only as it was in a “Father’s Day” card.
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Dear Ray,
This card is coming to you a little late. I bought the card early enough but wanted to write a letter to you at the same time the card came. Consequently, the card is late waiting for this letter.

I wish to say “Happy Father’s Day”, as you have been one of my fathers throughout my life and I am very glad that you were. I don’t consider myself as a kid that had bad breaks in his life. On the contrary. I feel that I had many good breaks and feel very fortunate to have been born into a family of Moore’s that are interested in helping each other out when things don’t go according to plan. [I was one of 5 children born to Ray’s brother, Leonard. Our dad died suddenly in 1940 and the family floundered for a couple of years before being split up by court order. Instead of Foster Care, we were moved to homes of our dad’s family. My brother, Ben, and I went to live with our grandparents. The other three kids went to uncles or aunts in the Moore family.] [I moved to Kansas City in September 1949.]

I am very proud of you and the family that I was associated with during my teen years. You were understanding when it was needed and also stern when it was needed. Thank you.

Dad [Ann’s dad Robert Edwards] is visiting us now and has been for a few days. He returns to Kansas City next Thursday. That is, he leaves then on the train. It sure is nice to have him here. He attended Ann’s graduation from college. She finally did it! And she did it “With Honors”. We are proud of her and her hard work that she has had to put in in order to attain this. One item of note -- Cecil Miller [who Ray knew] is registrar at the college that Ann graduated from -- California State College at Fullerton. He was in that capacity at Pasadena [Nazarene College] when I graduated 9 years ago. [Cecil signed both of our diplomas.] We got to talk with him on graduation day. I guess he was a victim of the last purge at Pasadena. He has a very good position with this college as Ann was only one of 502 that graduated. Incidentally, she was one of 18 who graduated “With Honors”. How about that?

I hear by the grapevine that you will be leaving Kansas City and have accepted a position at Olivet [Nazarene College - Kankakee, Illinois]. The way things were going in KC I imagine this is a great load off your mind and a better chance to do what you are really interested in. I also hear that you may set up a radio station at the college. When things are such that you can write about it, please let me know. I hate to see you leave KC as it is very nice to stop in one place and see all relatives on both sides. You seem to be a permanent fixture there. I know the kids and particularly Kathy are probably upset and it has been her only hometown. This will be a new experience for them [Kathy, Philip, & Harlan] and I know they will adjust. I’ve had quite a few hometowns now and find it just as easy to live in one town as another. Perhaps on those rare occasions that I may have to visit our home office, I can drop in on you at Olivet. It’s not far from Chicago and we have to go via Chicago. [State Farm Insurance home office is located in Bloomington, Illinois.]

Since you are moving and I have some items at your house yet, would you please box them and give these to the Edwards for me. I haven’t driven back that way yet and haven’t had a chance to pick them up. I believe I have my stamp collection, and memory box [still have these in the garage] plus anything else that you may find that was mine. I’m not interested in the ice skates if you still have these. Let your kids have them. It would be interesting to know just what I do have there. Even after 13 years in California I guess I’m not settled down. I expected to come back there after college but that didn’t work out. Things here are looking good for both of us work wise and unless there is something drastic, we will be here for some time to come.

We’ve been considering buying a different home and getting settled but the prices of homes now is terrible. I paid $13,250.00 for my 4 bedroom home. I can get about $16,500 for it now. But then buying a different one would run $25,000 to $30,000 and that is too much at this time. My mortgage is under $12,000 and by investing a little I could fix up my house to make it quite livable. We don’t know exactly what to do. [Can you relate to any of this? We ended up buying a new home in Westminster that cost $28,000 and I thought I‘d lost my mind!]

Ann just finished teaching the first semester of her career. She is teaching 1st grade and loves it. [She spent 30 years in 1st grade with 25 years in the same room.] She has a ten month contract for next year at $590 a month. [WOW!] Not bad for a teacher. Of course California is probably the highest paying for teachers. This next year should be easier for us financially. We will celebrate our 10th wedding anniversary next month [In July 2009 it will be 54 years] and all ten years have been pretty rough. Things are looking better.

Ricky has been promoted to the 4th grade now and Brenda will start 1st grade next fall. These kids are growing up too fast. More and more people are noticing how gray I’m getting too. I guess that is part of life.

Love to all,
(signed) Dick

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I mentioned in the letter that time was going by so fast. That was 44 years ago! I have no idea where it went but I can remember so many things that took place in all those years in between that letter and today. I guess this is what “getting old” is all about. I thought you’d enjoy making comparisons to today from things in this letter. Perhaps some of you can relate to this as well.

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.

Thanksgiving Thoughts For 2008

As we approach the Thanksgiving Season for this year of 2008, I want to leave some thoughts of thanks that I have been given.

I am very thankful to have been born into the Moore Family. Yes, I had a rough beginning as my father died when I was six years old. I don’t remember my life up to that point but I would imagine it was pretty good. Two years later my siblings were split up to several of the brothers and sisters of our father’s and I and my older brother, Ben, went to live with our grandparents.

Rev. Jesse I. and Mattie Moore had 12 children in 20 years time and now have taken on grandchildren of ages 10 and 8. You’d think they had done enough. Grandpa petitioned the court to allow him to place the five children into homes within his family instead of the foster homes we were headed for if he hadn’t intervened . He didn’t want any of his grandchildren to go to foster care and was willing to take on two of the five to raise as his own. He was a pastor of the Church of the Nazarene in Celina, Ohio and was nearing retirement. Think about his situation and see if you would be willing to do the same thing!

I am very thankful for my Uncle Ray and Aunt Edith Moore who lived in Kansas City, Missouri. They came to visit Ray’s folks one week in August 1949 and when they returned home they wrote a letter asking me to come and live with them for my last three years of high school.
Grandpa said it was my decision. Grandma was ill and he told me that if I decided to stay, that would be OK with him. I decided to go Kansas City to finish my high school years. Because of that, I met my future wife, Ann. I often wondered what my life would have turned out to be if I had stayed in Ohio.

The Korean Conflict was going on when I graduated from high school making me very ripe for the draft into the army. If I would attend college, they would defer my draft until I graduated as long as I maintained a “C” average. Thankfully, I did. I was not a “student” and wasn’t planning on going to college except for the push from the government.

I am thankful for Pasadena Nazarene College for accepting me and for helping me get a college degree which made a big difference in my working years. I am very thankful for Bob & Mildred Edwards who prepared their daughter Ann for adulthood and who I married after my Junior year. She has added so much to my life that it would take several more stories to tell it correctly.

I graduated in 1956 two months after our son, Rick, was born. As a matter of coincidence, President Ike Eisenhower signed a bill exempting fathers from the draft. So I am very thankful for Rick joining our family and for the president’s timing. I am also very thankful for Brenda coming along three years later completing our family.

I am very thankful for C. F. Braun & Company and the Fluor Company for laying me off during the recessions of 1957 and 1958. That gave me an opportunity to join the State Farm Insurance family and spend 37 years with them retiring in 1996 with a pension.

Then we added in-laws -- Anne Jennings married Rick and they have Emily and Eric which gave us our first two grandchildren. Brenda married Scott Ostrander and they have Hannah and Rachel giving us a total of four grandkids. Aren’t we lucky?

I have lived a different life but a blessed and thankful one. I never considered that my life was any different from the normal. So many things had to happen to put everything in place to bring me to this time. I’m a lucky fortunate man! Somebody up there likes me!

Happy Thanksgiving Season!

Private Retirement Party

In early June of 1996, Ann put together a private retirement party for me which included friends from several churches and close friends - non State Farm friends.

This was held at the Claim Jumper in Fountain Valley on Brookhurst Street. We had their private room in back and they served us a very nice lunch. I would estimate we had 50-60 people there. Our son, Rick, was the master of ceremonies for the program and a good time was had by all.

Our family at the time - Hannah was "on the way" and Rachel joined us two years later. Emily is now 19 years old and Eric will be 17 years old this month. This is where you notice the passage of time -- in the growth of your grandchildren.

Part of the program was a "Willie and Julio" duet singing "To All The Girls I've Loved Before". This was sung by Dick Moore and Jeff Harrison. We did that song in a Hootenanny at our church and I had my pigtails on singing Willie better than Willie. (Personal opinion). Jeff and I impersonated the voices for the party and everyone seemed to enjoy it. I'll print the picture of us from the Hootenanny in another post when I write about that event. Dave Cole and I did that song first on a cruise to Mexico in their Talent Show in 1995.

In 1952 I met David Cole in our dorm at Pasadena Nazarene College. When Ann Edwards came to the college in 1953, she and Marlene Webb sang in separate trios and later in a ladies quartet for the college raising endownment money for the school. Marlene started dating Dave who sang in a male quartet for the school and later married him one month before Ann and I were married in 1955. So we (Ann & I - Dave & Marlene) double dated a number of times and became very close friends all these years. They lived in Yuba City in Northern California and came down to my party. Dave retired from his position as Assistant School Superintendent a couple of weeks later and we went up there for his party. Been close friends for over 55 years.

Dave & Marlene Cole with Marlene's cousin Ordell at our party.

The party was one that I will remember for the rest of my life. I've been blessed with wonderful friends and a great family.

Retirement Day - 12 Years Ago!

My Last Home Sweet Cubicle

Twelve (12) years ago today was my last day of work at State Farm Insurance. How come it doesn't seem that long ago? I really can't say that 5-23-96 was my last work day as I did very little work that day. Mostly walked around the office and said my good-bys to co-workers that I spent so much time with over the years and had my party.

Mesa Team 5 - My Last Auto Unit

I didn't normally wear a tux and dinner jacket to work but after lunch I went home and changed into my tux to "go out in style". A friend of mine, Jerry Ammann, retired a couple of years earlier and did that for his last half day. I thought it was classy. He went one step further and rented a limo to bring himself and his family to his party. I borrowed the idea of the tux from him.

With Jerry & Vi Ammann

I completed 37 years of service and thought it was a good time to take advantage of Social Security by retiring early at age 62. State Farm agreed to let me receive a monthly retirement transfer if I would promise to stay home and out of the way. I agreed to their terms and in the process of my retirement years, State Farm decided to sell the property where the Regional Office was and move the operations to Bakersfield with some claim activity to Irvine. I guess they couldn't get along without me. The former building was located off the 405 Freeway at Harbor in Costa Mesa where the new Design Center is now built. We had a huge one story building but they torn it down and started over on that property.

Here are a few things that has happened in my life since I retired:

1. Sold our Huntington Beach home and bought a new one story, three bedroom, two bath home. We downsized and moved into a retirement community called Palmia in Mission Viejo.

2. Two grandchildren were born. Hannah on September 14, 1996 and Rachel on August 13, 1998. These are Brenda's children. Hannah was "on the way" at my retirement party.

3. Open heart surgery on January 10, 1997 less than two months after moving into our new home. Four way bypass.

4. Took two cruises - 1997 and 1999. Getting ready for cruise number nine next month when we join Brenda's family on a Mexican Riviera Disney cruise.

5. Got Ann through brain surgery and infection in 2004 and back to health. Thank the good Lord.

6. Celebrated our 45th wedding anniversary in 2000 and our 50th in 2005. Number 53 coming up in July.

7. Turned Medicare age (65) in 1999 and jumped with both feet into the 70's in 2004.

8. Attended my 50th Year College Graduation Reunion in 2006 at Point Loma Nazarene University in San Diego. My classmates changed so much they didn't even recognize me! I graduated from Pasadena Nazarene College which moved to this location in 1973.

9. Had our first grandchild (Emily) graduate from MVHS and she has completed her first year in college already. Attending Sonoma State University majoring in music.

Here are some pictures taken at the retirement party.

Dick & Ann Moore

Steve Wentz - John Packham - Westlake Village Office

Jon McNay - Bill Huffstutter - Bakersfield Office

Came to my party!

Co-Workers From Vietnam

Tammy Truong - Le Do - Tran Tran

Onward to lucky number 13!

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.

Happy Birthday To Me!

Is it just me or has time stepped up a notch or two in the past few years? Seems like time is going by very fast but this reminds me of something Doug Fields said in a sermon at Saddleback Church recently -- 5 minutes 20 years ago is the same amount of time 5 minutes is today! So I guess it isn't going faster -- just seems that way.

Well, it is time to add one more number to my age. It is now 74! I'd like to think of it as a dyslexic 47. I really don't feel that old and some have said I don't look it either. But what does a 74 year old look like? Not having been that before I just don't know what I should look like. Or feel like.

Here are some thoughts about coming this far:

1. I was born April 16, 1934, in Piqua, Ohio. Parents Leonard and Evelyn. I was child number 2 and our family grew to 5 kids.

2. My mother liked the name of a movie actor who was very popular at that time -- Richard Arlen. So I became Richard Arlen Moore.

3. Our father died at the age of 31 in 1940. Last child born two months later. I was 6 at the time.

4. At my age 8 our family was split up to relatives on my dad's side. My older brother, Ben, and I went to our grandparents home in Coshocton, Ohio where grandpa was the pastor of the Church of the Nazarene.

5. One year later we moved to Celina, Ohio where he was the pastor of the local Nazarene Church.

6. At age 15 I moved to Kansas City, Missouri to live with my Uncle Ray and Aunt Edith. They had one child at the time -- Kathy age 18 months. I lived 1 1/2 blocks from Ann Edwards. Attended the same church and same high school. She became Mrs. Moore later.

7. Graduated from Southeast High School 1952 and moved to California in the fall to attend Pasadena Nazarene College. Graduated from there in 1956 with a BA in Business Administration and a minor in Psychology.

8. Married Ann Edwards July 22, 1955 (after my Junior year) and son Rick was born April 10, 1956, six days before my 22nd birthday and two months before graduation.

9. Daughter Brenda was born April 24, 1959 and that completed our family.

10. Started work with State Farm Insurance Companies on March 3, 1958 and finished a career of 37 years in 1996. (Took 16 months off after 11 years there to try something else. Didn't work out!)

11. I have a wonderful wife, many friends, spent a lifetime in music, have many stories that I will relate over time here, have a wonderful family which now includes 4 grandkids - Emily 19, Eric 16, Hannah 11, and Rachel 9. Rick's Anne and Brenda's Scott joined our family and are wonderful additions. I am blessed!

Next year will be three quarters of a century. We will celebrate it up right! Look for the story about that one in a year from now. (It'll go by fast!)

Thanks for being a part of my journey.

OPEN LETTER TO MY STATE FARM ASSOCIATES

In another post I mentioned how to turn your "job" into a "career". This is an open letter that I had available at my retirement party May 23, 1996. After spending 37 years with State Farm, I related to everyone what I did that made my "job" a "career". Perhaps some of this can be used in the profession that you have chosen to pursue.
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March 3, 1958 -- a day that seems like such a short time ago and yet at times so long ago! Probably a date before many of you were born. Or perhaps you were in grade school then.

You see, that is the day that I walked up to 1727 West 17th Street, Santa Ana and began a job -- not a career -- just a job. It was to pay my bills for a while and there was no thought that this would be the company that I'd receive a retirement check in the future. But days kept following days, months and years kept piling up until we have reached 1996. Where has all that time gone?

When I start reviewing my "career" year by year, it becomes clear to me that the years indeed have flown by. One committee after another. One special project or event after another. They are all there to remind me that it has been a busy work life and a fulfilling one at that. State Farm gave me the opportunity to use my skills and abilities and to gain new ones by being offered a special job or project to complete.

In a way, I guess I'm one of the "pioneers" of State Farm. The company was approaching 5 million auto policies in force when I started. Our office, the Southern California Regional Office, was the 12th regional office to be built and was just three years old when I joined it. We were sewing papers to the backs of applications, pulling those apps and x-cards (what are those?) for every piece of correspondence and phone call received because we had no computer retention at that time. What do you do when you can't find the app? Put it on the Hunt List which could get up to 20 pages daily. Took more time to check the hunt that to process the work. We "punched" cards by keypunch machine to enter the policy and rating information into the computer system so that renewal billings and policy records could be printed. Then we had to print the policies on a printing press in each division! I'm not talking about a copy machine -- a printing press!

Ever hear of "Freq Sheets"? Those are claim frequency sheets that were attached to each app to record the loss history. This was hand written by the underwriter after reviewing the actual claim file. If a policy went inactive, the sheets were removed from the app and attached to an alpha inactive card so we would have the information if a reinstatement came later.

So much of our work is automated today that it is hard to relate to the "good old days". Apps are now on film, loss histories are kept on the system, changes to policies require very little input, and everyone has the latest information at their fingertips through their terminal or work station. We wouldn't have believed this would be possible back then. And E-Mail -- that's another story!

On July 1, 1996, I will close out a 37 year career with this company. I have had the opportunity to serve the employees in a number of committees over the years. Some of the time it was just a part of the committee and other times I was appointed to lead the committee. I served the Activities Committee as Treasurer, Retirement Chairman, and President. I was involved in the Anniversary Party Committees many years and was Co-Chairperson for the 1980 party which celebrated the 25th anniversary of the Southern California Region. I was appointed the Pilot Team Supervisor to develop the first team for our region and prepare the office for the conversion upon the teams success. The Editorial Board, Credit Union Committees, Agent's University, RAMAC Zone Team, Mesa Clerical Workshop Day -- all were a part of my work life. The State Value Committee was formed and I served as Chairman for the two years it assisted the divisions. The Class Plan CP95 Team prepared us for this new ratings system which took most of my time in 1995 as Team Leader.

Why am I listing these? It's not to heap any recognition on me but to let you know what changes a "job" into a "career". It isn't time. It's involvement! It's in giving of your time to make a difference. The more you do, the more opportunities you will have to contribute. Don't just let "George do it" but volunteer yourself.

There are many changes on the horizon. Many opportunities for involvement. Now it is your turn to make a difference. We pioneers brought State Farm to it's present position of leadership and it is your turn to take it even further. Find a place to serve and do it to the best of your abilities. You will enjoy your work more, make new friends, show management that you are capable of more challenging projects, and believe me, the time will fly by faster than you expect it to.

Keep State Farm strong. Keep the retirement plan strong. Most important -- keep taking care of the policyholders who keep us in business.

Thank you for being a part of my life.

Dick Moore, Auto Operations Supervisor

UPDATE: Reviewing this I can see many other changes that have taken place. The building that I had my retirement party is now gone. It stood near the 405 Freeway and Harbor Blvd and was replaced by many Design Center buildings. The operations moved to Bakersfield with some claim functions still in rented facilities in Irvine. They no longer use film as everything is stored digitally in the computer systems. E-mail is a major part of every one's day now. But opportunities still exist! The Pilot Team project started as a So Cal study and expanded into the entire company. Very successful project!

An Anniversary - 50 Years Ago Today

Today, March 3rd, I celebrate another milestone anniversary. It was 50 years ago today that I started my job at State Farm Insurance in Santa Ana, California. It's an interesting story about how I got that job.

I was working in Maywood (Los Angeles) at the Fluor Corporation in Expediting of materials to the various jobsites that the company was working around the globe. They built refineries, asphalt plants, etc. The year was 1958 and we were experiencing a recession in America. Work was very light - in fact if I had all that I would be doing that day at 8:00 a.m., I could be done by 8:45 a. m. You can see it was a very boring time for employees. Layoff time couldn't be very far away.

The manager called me into his office that week and said that I would be laid off in a week and that I needed to find another job. I could use my sick days (hadn't been off in the 11 months there) if I had an appointment. Just call in that I did indeed have an appointment and do my best to convince the people that I need to come to work for them. I went to an employment agency (if you get a job, you pay a fee) and they sent me to Allstate Insurance Company for an interview. The person I saw said that he didn't know why they sent me as there were NO job openings at all at Allstate. He suggested I go to State Farm Insurance and see if they have anything. I said "State Who?" At that time I didn't recall ever hearing about State Farm.

I called and got an appointment for an interview at State Farm the next day. Since the employment agency wasn't involved, I didn't have to pay for the job. I got hired that day and had to take a physical the next morning. Two days out of the five that week I was off my job at Fluor and returned the last three days to complete my work record with them. I started the following Monday which was March 3, 1958, at State Farm Insurance, 1727 West 17th Street, Santa Ana, California.

I was hired at $5 more a month because of "my experience" and that brought my monthly gross salary to $326 a month. Quite a drop from the $390 I was making at Fluor. You know what? That day as I started my training as a Service Trainee in the Los Angeles Auto Division they offered me up to 20 hours a week overtime at time and a half! So for the next six months I was able to get my regular hours in plus 20 extra overtime hours which paid the bills for my young family.

At the time my family consisted of Ann, Rick (age 23 months) and myself (age 23 years). Brenda came along in 1959 to complete the family.

I spent 37 years with this "job" and retired July 1, 1996. I took 16 months off State Farm after I had been there 11 years to try my luck at personal investment and insurance selling which was a disaster. Returned to State Farm and completed my working years. I will tell you how to change a "job" into a "career" in another posting.

The picture above was taken on my first day at State Farm for my Personnel file.