I was born in Golden City, MO in 1940, learned to talk in Richmond, VA, moved to St. Joseph, MO in 1948, graduated from St. Joseph Central HS in 1958, received a BS in Physics with minors in Chem, EE, and Math at MSM-Rolla in 1963, and MS-Physics at UMR-Rolla in 1965. I started Ph.D. in Physics at MU summer 1965, finally received it summer 1971.

I worked at 3 companies, McDonnell Astronautics Corporation, where I never made them a dime but I learned microelectronics; National Semiconductor Corp. where I invented several things that saved a product development that was going off the rails, thus making them a lot of money; and Hewlett Packard Corp. where I worked for 6 different divisions, solving major problems at each of them and inventing some things which were patented. In March 1998, I retired at age 57. I had enjoyed all I could stand. 
 

I served as chair of several committees and was on the BOD of one of my technical societies, AVS. I co-founded the MU Physics Leaders and was the 2nd president and author of the Bylaws. I have served on the A&S SDB since its inception, now serving my fourth dean. 
   

I have been honored to receive a Professional Degree of Physics at UMR (now MU-S&T), an MU-A&S Distinguished Alumnus Award, and a Physics Department Distinguished Career Award, much to my amazement.
   

I was treated and educated very well by the physics professors who became lifelong friends. I have tried to pay back since a portion of what I owe MU.