Danny Shehan:
CLASS OF 1970
Argentine High SchoolClass of 1970
Kansas city, KS
Danny's Story
If anyone remembers me at all I am sure you will realize that I did not graduate with my class (class of '70). I dropped out in Sept. of my senior year and took off with my girlfriend - we were married right after I turned 21. When I was 23 (or maybe 24 -- not sure) we adopted a boy and a girl. I was divorced sometime around '82 when my son was 9 and my daughter was 8. I lived as a single dad raising my kids on my own until they were grown and out on their own. Along the way I managed to go back to get my GED and then I went to Community Jr College finally achieving an Associates Degree in Liberal Arts.
I worked at Ryerson Steel in North Kansas City from 1972 through the year 2000. Ryerson Steel like many large companies at that time went through some downsizing/reorganization changes and my job was phased out - I was 50 years old at that time. My last day with that company was one of the happiest days of my life! At the time our economy was fairly strong and I had established myself as a good employee with a well rounded skill set - I had no fears about finding a new job and I viewed this unforeseen event as a terrific opportunity to take my life in a new direction. My savings along with my "separation package" was more than fair and I decided to take a couple of years before I began a search for a new job.
Because of the radical changes brought about after the 911 travesty and then several years later the economy going south things didn't exactly work out the way I had expected or at least hoped they would. Nevertheless I did find work and I was able to maintain a very satisfactory lifestyle at least up to today - my needs are few and my wants about the same. So I'm doing fine. I can not complain - or at least I should not complain. I am thankful every day for having grown up and lived in the present time and this place.
I am married now - my wife Peggy and I have been together for about 16 years. Peggy has Alzheimers and I have been her sole caregiver for the last 5 years. In April of this year Peggys' Alzheimers finally reached a stage to where I was no longer able to ma...Expand for more
nage her care on my own and I had to place her in a Memory Care Facility.
I am now living in a house in Olathe with our two little dogs (Morkies). They're great little companions for me - if not for them I would be completely alone. I'm thankful to have them.
Now that my wife Peggy is safe and secure in a very nice facility I am revisiting some of the activities I enjoyed in years past. Here am I - 65 years old, wearing glasses and 50 pounds overweight trying to get back into playing USTA Tennis - I'm also trying to walk at least a mile every day - hopefully build up to where I can again walk 3 miles comfortably - setting small goals for now...but hopefully this time next year I can make some good improvement on my "overweight" issue!. I am also hoping to play some golf once again - it's been a long time since I played golf and right now my goal is simply to NOT embarrass myself in front of other golfers... I have a Harley Davidson motorcycle that I enjoy very much. I avoid riding on the busy highways as much as possible - I have a tentative plan to take the scenic route (stay off the interstate as much as possible) to southern Missouri and northern AR sometime around late summer/ mid autumn.
Over the years I have often thought about Argentine HS and all of you fellow Mustangs - although I was not able to participate in school activities while in High School I was keenly aware of my classmates and things that were going on when I was there - sports activities, school plays and so on. I very much wanted to be and to feel more involved with my High School Classmates and school activities but, for a number of reasons that was not available for me. Dropping out in the first month of my senior year was not an easy decision to make - but circumstances at the time seemed to make that unavoidable.
But, as I said above, I really can't complain about my life - there is so much to be thankful for and my experiences living in Argentine and attending Argentine High School remain positive and good experiences in my memory.
I hope all of you are happy and well.
Best wishes, Danny Shehan
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