Protect & Serve: One Man's Journey from Vietnam to Law Enforcement

By Xlibris US

This is a true story of the life of a young man growing up in rural Southeastern Minnesota, graduating from Plainview High School, joining the military immediately after graduation, getting married to his childhood sweetheart, starting to raise a family and getting his orders to Vietnam. The book tells the story of his long year in Vietnam and what he and his fellow Vietnam Brothers went through. The final part of the story tells of his twenty-nine years as a law enforcement officer in rural Minnesota and the true experiences that he dealt with--the sadness, the pain, and the stress-- Dangerous situations that not only happen in big cities, but also in small rural cities also. Readers will have a better understanding of what the Vietnam soldier went through and what a police officer and his family goes through each and every day. After reading this book, they will have a greater respect for the men and women that wear the badge. This is a true story, I know, because this is my story.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris US
• Release date: Jun 16, 2014
• ISBN: 9781499037401

Book preview

Image%201.jpg

Copyright © 2014 by Joe Kaupa.

Library of Congress Control Number:   2014910581

ISBN:      Hardcover      978-1-4990-3739-5

                Softcover        978-1-4990-3738-8

                eBook             978-1-4990-3740-1

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Thinkstock are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Thinkstock.

Rev. date: 06/09/2014

To order additional copies of this book, contact:

Xlibris LLC

1-888-795-4274

www.Xlibris.com

[e-mail]

635559

CONTENTS

Introduction

Chapter 1 Childhood: Pushing the Limits

Chapter 2 The Making of a Soldier

Chapter 3 VIETNAM

Chapter 4 Unexpected Return

Chapter 5 29 Years A Law Enforcement Officer

Chapter 6 A Deputy Sheriff

Chapter 7 Promoted to Chief Deputy Sheriff

Chapter 8 Chief of Police

Chapter 9 Returning as Chief Deputy Sheriff

Chapter 10 Meeting The President of The United States

Chapter 11 The Return as Chief of Police

Chapter 12 Thought My Time Was Up

Chapter 13 The Kidnapping

Chapter 14 K-9 King Joins the Force

Chapter 15 Shots Fired

Chapter 16 K-9 King’s $20,000.00 Find

Chapter 17 A Fiery Crash, Man Pinned

Chapter 18 Life Saving Award

Chapter 19 The Big Surprise is Coming

Chapter 20 Accidental Shooting In A Tree

Chapter 21 A Son’s Worst Nightmare

Chapter 22 20 Year old Double Homicide Cleared

Chapter 23 A Miracle Grandson

Chapter 24 Appointment

Chapter 25 $30,000.00 Dollar Find

Chapter 26 The Time Has Arrived

Chapter 27 My Final Day

Chapter 28 A Difficult Decision

Chapter 29 Hired At the Mayo Clinic

Chapter 30 The End Of An Era

Chapter 31 Nancy Retires

Chapter 32 Officer Down

Chapter 33 Little Brother Is Dieing

Chapter 34 Let The Golden Years Begin

Chapter 35 Another Officer Down

Chapter 36 The Good Times

Chapter 37 Final Thoughts and feelings

Appendix

Acknowledgments

Dedication

I would like to dedicate this book to my best friend and childhood sweetheart, my wife Nancy, for pushing me to write this book.

I also would like to dedicate this book to All my Vietnam Brothers and Missing POW’s. I am proud to be able to say, You All Are My Brothers.

Finally, I would like to dedicate this book to all law enforcement officers and especially to my fallen and deceased BROTHERS:

Ed Lager, Retired Wabasha County Sheriff

Roger Meurer, Retired Wabasha County Sheriff

Robert Loechler, Retired Wabasha County Sheriff

Carl Holtan, Wabasha County Deputy Sheriff

Bill LaVigne, Wabasha County Deputy Sheriff

Bill Smith, Wabasha County Deputy Sheriff

Fred Wallerich, Wabasha PD and Military Policeman

Killed In The Line of Duty

Jake Werner, Olmsted County Deputy Sheriff

John Schneider, Winona County Deputy Sheriff

Ted Foss, Minnesota State Trooper

Rick Crittenden, South St. Paul Police Officer

Shawn Schneider, Lake City Police Officer

May you all Rest in Peace.

INTRODUCTION

A Family Perspective

Nancy: The Wife Of A Police Officer

I was surprised that Joe asked me to write my thoughts and feelings in his book. It caught me off guard, but here are just a few that come to mind.

While Joe was in the military, I was very happy. We made many good, lifelong friends. Because no one had family in the surrounding area at holiday times, etc., we would get together with friends, who, at times were like family. Remember, this was back when there were no cell phones, I-pods or computers with Skyping. If we called home, it was an expensive, long distance phone call so that was a once-a-month luxury. My mother would only stay on the line for three minutes because rates went up after that amount of time. We were stationed at Bossier Base in Louisanna and Whiteman AFB in Missouri. Life was very good for Joe, me, Scott and Debra until Joe received orders to go to Vietnam.

Joe helped the kids and me move into my mother’s house where my grandfather also lived. So we had four generations living under one roof. I know we all had a hard time adjusting, but I was very thankful to be with loved ones during this difficult time. Joe’s parents and two brothers lived about five miles away, and I was welcome there anytime, and every once in a while I would spend a week-end with them. It gave everyone a break. I seldom watched the news on TV because the news media always showed scenes of Americans being wounded or killed in Vietnam. Too often viewers would see their loved one being injured or killed on TV. I lived everyday with the thought that Joe could be killed, and I did not want to witness it on TV. During Joe’s tour in Vietnam there was a young local girl whose husband was killed in Vietnam. I felt so sorry for her, but there was nothing anyone could say or do, other than sit with her at the mortuary those long days and nights. So that is what I did. I kept thinking, that could be Joe in that casket.

During the summer, Joe’s older brother Dave would invite me to go out in his boat on the Mississippi River for a day of sun and fun. It was a very nice change of pace, and, for a few hours, Vietnam was not on my mind. Joe called me a couple of times from Vietnam and as much as I enjoyed hearing his voice, it was that much harder when we hung up. I was so excited when Joe wrote me that I should meet him in Hawaii for R&R (rest and relaxation) in December. What a Christmas present! In fact, on our first date we talked about honeymooning in Hawaii. After three years we were going to have our honeymoon! It was worth the wait. It was so nice to hold him and be held in his arms again. But it was extremely hard to go our separate ways again. I could hardly wait until May when our family could be together again. In May when Joe returned, life was good, and we returned to being a family again.

However, at Whiteman Air Force Base, Joe’s Security Police duties were out at a Missile site. He would be gone three days/nights and home two days/nights. It was hard when he was gone, but I knew he was safe where he was. After being the only person to make family decisions for a year, I had a hard time adjusting to Joe taking over the reigns now that we were both together again. However, Joe took control, contacted the base chaplain, and brought me back to reality. Life was back to normal, and we were once more, a happy family.

When Joe got out of the Air Force and landed a job with the Wabasha County Sheriff’s Office in Wabasha, I was so happy for him. That was his lifelong dream. I opened a licensed day care in our home which I operated for fifteen years. I was not out in the public which made it easier for me because I wasn’t confronted by people about the case or cases Joe was working on at the time. I was very happy and proud to be a police officer’s wife, a mother, and a day care mom.

Nevertheless, it wasn’t always easy being a cops wife. Not everyone’s spouse goes to work wearing a gun. There was always that thought in the back of my mind that Joe would be injured or worse, would not be coming home after his shift. Many nights when he was late coming home, I would worry that something awful had happened to him. It was such a relief when I would see or hear him pull into our driveway. I could then relax and sleep soundly.

I always tried to be there for Joe to vent his anger and frustrations. But then if people asked about things that Joe was involved with, I would always say I knew nothing about it. God forgive me, I guess I became a good liar. I learned from the beginning of our marriage that a security police/cops wife should never discuss what they are told or happened to hear outside the law enforcement family.

Most people were very nice, but there were some who sneered at me, but the way I looked at it was they did what they did and that was their choice. I have nothing to be ashamed of. In fact, it made me that much prouder of Joe and his fellow officers.

It also was good to get together with other police officers wives, and now and then we would have our own house parties. At first it was very hard for me to understand why Joe didn’t want to join any organizations or groups or later quit them. We both joined the American Legion, but due to his job and being a Vietnam Vet, Joe never wanted to go there to socialize. If we did go out, it was with our neighbors who were the best friends and understood Joe’s job. We would always go out of town so Joe would not be harassed for arresting this guy or for giving so and so’s a ticket.

When Joe was working for the sheriff’s office, more times than not he would be scheduled to work holidays. The kids and I would go to either my mother’s or his parents’ house for the holiday dinner. Since they both lived in Wabasha County, Joe would come to eat with the family if all was quite. When he was Chief of Police of Plainview, I would fix the holiday meal and have both his family and mine for the meal. That way we would all be together. Joe felt since he was the Chief and our kids were getting older, he would take the duty for the day, giving his younger officers the day at home with their kids. However, they all knew if Joe needed assistance, he would call them, and they were ready to be there for him any time, day or night.

I will always remember one particular night. The family was asleep, when Joe jumped out of bed, grabbed his gun and told me to stay in bed. He searched through the house. When he came back to the bedroom, he explained that a person he sent to prison, who had threatened to kill him, was just released. When he heard something in our basement, he thought about the threat immediately. I always worried about that, but I guess that is part of being a police officers wife. I put a lot of faith and hope in God, and he has been there for us through our entire lives.

During our forty-eight years of marriage I have always been so very proud of Joe and of our children. He has always been fair to everyone. No matter if they were a drunk, on drugs, a thief or an outstanding citizen of the community, he was always fair. He also has a lot of compassion for everyone, no matter the circumstances. I could not have married a better person. Looking back at the time we were separated during Joe’s tour in Vietnam, we became closer and more in love. I guess the old saying Distance makes the heart grow fonder was very true for us.

Joe, Thank You for putting up with me all these years and I hope, many more. I have loved you since our first date and always will. You are a wonderful man, partner and father. I am proud to be your wife and mother of our children. I love you very much and look forward to growing older with you.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank all our past, present and future military and law enforcement men and women for their unselfish dedication and service to our country and communities. To our fallen, you will always be remembered as heroes. God Bless you all!!!

Thank you Joe for the opportunity to be part of your life and now this book. You are always in my thoughts, my heart and my prayers.

Love always,

Nancy

Note: After reading what Nancy’s thought and feelings were after all these years from being in Vietnam and being a Police Officer, brought tears to my eyes as I read this. I could not have asked for a better friend, partner, wife or mother of my children. I’ve loved her since the first day I met her and after forty-nine years my love for her is still that strong.

There is a saying in Law Enforcement that goes like this If you have never walked in my shoes, you have no idea what it is like to be a law enforcement officer. Readers, the next time you see a police officer in a squad car or walking the street, think about what they and their families endured throughout his or her careers.

I have always been extremely proud of my children and I asked them to write their own story on what it was like growing up with their father being a law enforcement officer. I knew it was hard especially on my son. The topic had never came up during my career and I always wanted to know their true feelings. The following are their personal thoughts.

Growing Up The Son Of A Police Officer

By: Scott Kaupa

My father asked if I would be willing to share my childhood by writing down my thoughts of growing up a police officer’s son. I have had an opportunity to do some very challenging things and this ranks right near the top as most difficult. As I reflect back over the different stages of my life, many thoughts have come to mind, which have brought back a lot if different feelings. Here is my journey growing up as a son in the shadows of a police officer in a small town.

During the early years after my father was hired as a Deputy Sheriff of Wabasha County he seemed to always be working. He worked hard, loved his job and the people he served. My mother worked from home running a daycare business during the school year for teachers in the neighborhood and was off during the summers. During this time, family was something that my dad took great pride in. I can remember spending many a weekends visiting my mother’s side of the family in Wabasha and then to Sand Prairie to see my father’s side. We didn’t have a lot but always seemed to have what we needed. My parents they always made sure that we did something together as a summer vacation.

Growing up as a youngster during the early 70s was carefree and fun. My dad had recently been discharged from the United States Air Force which included a tour in Vietnam. After his discharge, we moved to Plainview. One of the things that I remember vividly was being teased because I thought a Hey Culligan Man truck was a milkman making deliveries. After they explained to me what that really was we sat down and had a good laugh. At this stage of my life, most all my friends were kids in the neighbor of all ages. We spent countless hours playing football, kickball, capture the flag, or kick the can at night. During this time being a policeman or firefighter was viewed as a noble profession, something that many kids wanted to grow up to be. During this time of my life I really enjoyed school sports, and singing in the choir. I always tried to do my best at everything that I did.

When my dad was hired as Chief of Police of Plainview, I thought that this would be the greatest thing because he would be working in Plainview which would allow him more time to spend with me. He was able to spend more family time together because he worked from 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. He was able to take us to school almost every day because he had to do school bus traffic. Another great thing about him working in town now was the fact he was able to attend all of my home sporting events. I really enjoyed having him watch me, even though many times he did so from the door of the gymnasium or from the police car. Just knowing that he was there and able to watch me do something I had a great passion for made me feel good. He was always working; even though his shift ended at 6:00 p.m., as he was always on call. Many times he received phone calls after supper from the public for one thing or another. From what I recall he never had a bad word to say about anyone that called, even though they could have spoken with the officer on duty at the time. He was just happy to have been able to assist and serve them.

This is when being a son of a cop started to bring a different side of growing up. While at this time you needed to be thirteen years old in order to hunt by yourself, many of my friends that I hunted with were only twelve years old like me, but they still did it. Yet I was not permitted to do this because it was against the law, even though I had already passed the Minnesota firearms safety course. After turning thirteen, with dad working every day, my mom spent a lot of time driving me to and from the woods to hunt or to the creek or river to fish. Many times I went out alone, just to spend time enjoying nature and not having to worry about being judged or ridiculed. I spent my summers playing baseball, swimming, and working with my dad’s brothers at the family butcher shop. I really enjoyed working with them and hearing all of the stories they liked to tell about the three of them growing up and all the mischief they would get into. As I reflect back now, I looked up to my uncle Kim as more of an older brother than really a uncle figure.

When your father is a police chief, certain expectations are set and were meant to be adhered to. When most kids were out being careless and just doing things kids do. My dad always made it very clear, I should be a kid, have fun, but not do anything to jeopardize him or his position within the community. Wow, how were you suppose to grow up being a kid doing foolish things when you have to live up to that? Now, don’t think for a moment that I was an angel, because I was not, but I did keep myself very much held in check. It always appeared to me that we needed project the image of the perfect family to the community by always doing the right thing and being in control of the situation and our emotions. While I would never do something to purposely to jeopardize my father’s reputation, it also placed a small damper on being a teenage boy growing up in a small town. Especially, with all the stories I heard about my father when he was growing up and in high school. I was the youngest person in my grade. During the school year I had one set of friends, and in the summer there was a different group of guys that I hung around with from the grades behind me.

Many of the guys in my class had older siblings in school who were at the point of drinking, drugs, and other questionable activities. With that being said, having a friend that was a son of a police officer was not looked upon as favorable. So, many of the people I called friends while in school were not so friendly outside of school. Having no older siblings in school, being small for my age, and having a dad as a Chief of Police, I was targeted as a nark, and this is when the bullying started. I was constantly bullied during school and felt that I couldn’t do anything about it because if I told anyone I was only confirming what they were harassing me about. The principal at the time was a part time Wabasha County Deputy and also worked part time for my dad. It appeared to me that I really didn’t have a direction to turn to because it would only reflect additional negative attention my direction. I really felt there was nothing I could do and this is when I quit choir, and started to lose interest at doing well in school, basically just doing what I needed to do to get by.

When my parents became foster parents, I wasn’t really sure how I was going to feel but thought that since the foster boy was older than I was, maybe I would start to fit in more at school even though he was not my sibling. That didn’t happen; actually the situation was more of a distraction at home because he got into the typical trouble. I felt that it took even more time away from me in order to try to help him through this hard time. I couldn’t wait to get my drivers license because it would allow me more freedom to get away and immerse myself in hunting and fishing.

Shortly after I got my drivers license, my dad bought a rusty old yellow and white top, 1973 IH Scout, 4X4 which I was able to drive. I was so grateful to my parents just to have a vehicle! While it didn’t look like much to other people, at the time I thought it was the bomb! This vehicle would now provide me more mobility that just riding my bicycle. I remember feeling so grown up and with more independence, I thought I would start to become more accepted. I was hoping that with the start of a new school year, things would be different. However, the only thing that changed was the frequency and level at which the bullying occurred, so I began spending more time hunting, fishing, and sports. I worked very hard at sports but did not spend the time on my studies which slipped to average to below average grades in an attempt to prove that I was not always a good little boy. It didn’t seem to matter what I did to try to fit in, it was never really enough, so passed my sophomore and junior years in high school.

The summer of my senior year, I spent a great deal of time at my uncle’s locker plant working and hanging out with them on the prairie, and working out to get ready for my senior year in sports. I thought if I did well my senior year in sports, I would become accepted; eventually they would no longer have the interest to bully me and finally I would earn the support from my teammates. Well, again it didn’t seem to matter how well I did in sports or that I never got anyone involved to stop the bullying, they just kept on doing it. I was seldom invited to parties outside my few friends because they were worried that I would tell the police about them and get into trouble. Actually I remember a couple of times letting certain people know that the cops knew about the party and not to be caught there. Once they figured out that if I was at a party they didn’t have to worry about me informing the police, so they did start to invite me more but by then I realized it wasn’t because they liked me or accepted me, they were just using me, When school started the following week, it was just more of the same.

From the outside I was portraying to my family that everything for me at this point of my life was coming together great. They were completely oblivious to all of the bullying that I had been endured. During the middle of the basketball season things really started to build up for me and I was at a point where I didn’t know what to do anymore. I was completely exhausted dealing with the bullying, school work, hormones and sports. I had just lost my starting position on the basketball team. I felt that I had reached an all time low point, and one night at my friends house I seriously contemplated suicide. I was so tired and confused at the time, I just didn’t feel that I had any other direction to go. Looking back on the conversation that I had with my friend, it was like I was in a time warp, everything was moving in slow motion. We both agreed to never talked about what happened. I am just glad he was there at the time. Afterward, I could only keep thinking how much I would have let down my parents because of the way I attempted to handle the situation by giving up. I was brought up to be a fighter and never give up. It did however provide me with a great deal of perspective. All I had to do was to graduate from high school, and I wouldn’t have to worry about what they said, or thought about me any longer.

Life after high school was completely different than anything that I had previously experienced to this point. I met a lot of people, most who were non-judgmental of who I was in high school or what my father did as a profession. When I went to college, it did not take long to get involved with the party scene, and I didn’t focus enough on my studies. I think I was over compensating for the stricter environment that I had been a part of growing up. Midway through my freshman year of college, I decided it was time to something more with my life an entered the U.S. Army under the delayed entry program.

One of my more memorable experiences was the time I was able to participate in a stake out with my dad, local law enforcement and the FBI the night before I shipped out for the Army. The First National Bank in Plainview had been robbed, in the early morning hours as the custodian was assaulted as he emptied trash outside the bank. The investigation lead to a rurbarb patch in the back yard at a house about two blocks from the bank and two bags of coins were found hidden in the patch. I staked the area out with other law enforcement and had the use of night vision binoculars. The robber did return and we watched him grab the money bags and then was arrested. Let me tell you, that I had so much adrenaline running through me I could hardly contain myself.

I remember the proud look in my father’s eyes the following day when he dropped me off at the bus station in Rochester that morning to leave for the Army. We shook hands, gave each other a hug, and he told me how proud he was of me. What I never told him was how proud I was to be his son.

I proudly served my country in the U.S. Army as a Airborne Paratooper in the 82nd Airborne Division, in Fort Bragg, North Carolina from 1986 to 1989, ALL THE WAY! It was a time in my life when I needed that tight bond and friendship with people. It also allowed me to grow as a person and mature into becoming a better man. It was an experience like no other and will never be forgotten. Duty, Honor, and Country, we all learning to work together for a common cause or a greater good.

I am currently on my second marriage and will have been married for twenty-two years to my lovely wife Vicki. We have three energetic boys, Joshua, twenty-four, Tyler, twenty-two, and Brady, fifteen years. My oldest son has also served in the U.S. Army, including a tour in Afghanistan and has since been discharged. His permanent duty station was a Fort Sill, OK., from 2010 to 2014, HARD CHARGERS!

My high school experiences have been deeply ingrained in my mind. What you don’t realize at the time, is the different stages in your life won’t last forever. One does not fully comprehend, nor appreciate this until years later when you are removed from the high school setting. It does get easier as you grow older. I don’t know what I would have done if the technology of today existed when I was a kid because you could never get away from it. I really feel sorry for the kids today that are being bullied because when school is out, they are cyber bullied. After graduation when everyone moves on, you realize this is a fresh start by making new friends, and allowing them to get to know you for who you are and not for whom you were. The only class reunion that I have ever attended was my ten year, hoping time would have provided time to move on, but it didn’t. Most of the people acted exactly the same as they did in high school. It doesn’t seem to matter what you might accomplish in your lifetime, there are always people out there that feel the need to belittle others so that they can feel better about there own insecurities.

My father has been retired from the police department for quite some time. For the record, my dad is a great father, mentor, and roll model. He has always been there for me regardless of my situation. As a man, I owe the fine qualities that I possess to both of my parents, for they are always there for me. I have had an opportunity to meet and form relationships with many wonderful people that have worked with and for my dad over the years, who otherwise, I would not have had the chance to meet. Many of them watched out for me or provided additional opportunities outside of school that kept my mind off some of the things.

Regardless of the amount of time that passes, I catch myself dwelling on situations, still to this day that might seem to have a negative impact on his reputation. I have spent much of my life trying to live up to his expectations and not to disappoint him. If there is one thing I wish I could do over again, it would have been to open up to him about what I was dealing with. Now that I am a father, I think the hardest part for me is to allow my boys too make there own mistakes, even when I am aware it will have a negative consequence. I understand facing challenges are a normal progression of life and until you are given the opportunity to fail, one can not truly succeed. But is doesn’t make it any easier.

By: Debra Kaupa Bruemmer

When my dad asked me to share my thoughts on growing up and how his career impacted me, nothing of significance came to mind. After thinking about his request a bit longer, two words came to mind: special and normal. These two words are antonyms, so let me explain.

The word special came to mind as I thought about my family. Because everyone in our small town knew my dad, it made me feel unique compared to my friends. The word normal came to mind as I thought about my childhood. We lived in a close knit neighborhood in which all the kids played together and roamed from yard to yard. We even played kickball and other games in the street. I never once wished my dad had a different occupation. He made our community a better place to live. He treated everyone with respect and fairness, had the uncanny ability to read a person’s true character, looked for the good in people, and believe that a police officer should be visible in the community. My dad was a great police officer in every sense and I was always proud of him.

I sometimes thought my parents felt it was difficult for us kids having a cop for a dad when we were teenagers but I never felt that way. Simply stated, being a teenager is difficult no matter the occupation of your parent. What I do believe is that having a dad as a police officer exposed me to situations that made me a better person. Below are a few memorable events I recall, though the facts may have become a bit fuzzy over the years:

Receiving a mysterious gift just prior to Christmas was exciting for us kids. One night a few weeks before Christmas, the doorbell rang and we kids bolted from the bed sure it was Santa. My dad opened the door to find a gift sitting on the front step, all of us kids were excited. My dad opened it up and inside Was a Miss Piggy poster. I thought it was cute and did not understand why my dad was so furious. I never saw the poster After that night and it wasn’t until years later that I understood The derogatory meaning behind the poster. As an adult, I know there were people who did not like or respect my dad because of his job; however, while I was growing up my parents sheltered us from those situations.

Having siblings took on a new meaning at our house. My parents took in foster kids while I was growing up and I specifically recall five children who lived with us. My dad always said dealing with crimes against children were the most difficult for him, and I believe this moved the hearts of my parents to open our family home to children in need. At times it difficult because I had to share my bedroom, toys, and even my parents attention. As I look back, I realize that the small sacrifices I made had a proound impact on the lives of the kids who came to live with us. The act of giving to others was something my parents tried to instill in us kids.

Stealing from the chief of police was not a smart thing to do. My dad had purchased an 8-track tape player for the family station wagon in preparation for a long car trip. About a week before our trip, one of the foster kids living with us borrowed the station wagon to go out with friends. The next morning, my dad noticed the tape player had been stolen he was extremely angry. After a discussion with the foster child, my dad made a phone call to a high school boy and suggested he help locate his stolen tape player. With in an hour, there was a knock on the door and a group of high school boys handed dad his tape player. The boys said that they took care of the problem and assured my dad it would not happen again. I was to young to know the boys, but I do know it took safety in numbers to return the stolen property to my dad.

Camping was a family pastime when I was young. We spent weekends traveling to various campgrounds with other families. Later in life I understood my parents interest in camping; it enabled my dad to have some anonymity. He was able to relax and not worry about being approached by someone he had dealings with as a police officer. My family may not have attended some community events, fairs or parades like my friends but my parents provided us other fun opportunities.

Attending a robbery on Christmas Eve left a lasting impression on me. One Christmas Eve after our family was done Celebrating my dad received a call about a robbery at the local Church rectory. I was in high school and my dad let me come along. During the midnight service, someone had broken into the rectory and stole the collection money from the earlier service. I was shocked that someone would steal from a church especially on that specific night.

Dating was bit interesting, but I am sure it was harder on my dad than on me. My dad knew more about people than was healthy for a parent when it came to dealing with a daughter and dating. I will not speak of all the dating situations but will share my most important dating experience. I remember when my parents first met my husband