Ronald Wagner:  

School I spent 8 years in St. Mary's catholic school and 2 1/2 years at Metamora High School. Graduated through the GED system and later obtained an Associate Degree from the University of Maryland. I try to go back to Metamora usually every year during Old Settlers. I attended my 45th class reunion on July 12 2008 and my 50th Class Reunion in Sept 2013. I recently been in contact with many of my childhood friends such as John Link, Patty Volz, Randy Mullins, Janice Gieseking, Wayne Morris, Dick Shea, Jan Scheirer, Steve Yauch, Conny Corriegan, Mary Ellen Elbert and Carol Williams. Hobbies: Semi Professional Photographer and Treasure Hunting. I'm on Face Book and post many photos etc. Life I grew up in Metamora, Illinois, the Mayberry of the North. I loved going to Harvey Scheirer's and getting a chocolate marshmallow sundae. As kids we used to sit in the park and count the different makes of cars that came through town. As kids we all picked cherry's, made go carts from lawnmowers, went hunting, hiking, fishing and all the things that kids did back then when growing up in a small town. My grand father Joe Noe owned the local drinking establishment and my other grand father Frank Wagner was and insurance representative and one of Grand Marshals of Old Settlers. When I was 12 years old, I obtained my Restricted Operators Drivers License in order to help my dad in our business. I was able to drive from Sunup to Sundown. I started working for for my dad laying sewer pipe in town, building duck blinds on the Illinois river and later worked part time for the state at the Metamora Court House cutting grass, shoveling the side walks in the winter, riding the snow plows in the winter for Woodford County and cooking breakfast at Maggie Winklers before I went to school and later working for Frank Goldsmith at the local restaurant. I left Metamora on 13 March 62 embarking on a new adventure into the United States Air Force. I met my first wife Mary Dallas Rose when I was stationed in Newfoundland Canada. After 20 years of traveling in the military and many new friendships, I retired from the Air Force and moved to Melbourne, Florida in 1982. Went to work at Cape Canaveral as a Launch Complex Superintendent and also worked for Melbourne Appliance repairing refrigerators and microwave ovens. I have two children, Tina who lives in Palm Bay, Fl and Paul who lives in Glendale, Az and two grand children, Brittney and Brianna from Tina. Tina has recently divorced and has since remarried. Her new husband Charles Lyons, a future pro bowler. Charles has one child, Josh, and Tina and him are raising all of them together. I love going back to Metamora in June of each year during Old Settlers and seeing old school mates. Randy Mullins and I entered Basic Training on 13 Mar 62-Jun-62, 3726 BMTS, Lackland AFB, Tx. Airman Kenney and Witt were our TI's. I have recently communicated with Johnny James of St. Louis, Kent Altemus of Texas and Ed Currier of Oak Ridge, Tn of whom I was in Basic Training with and Basic Medical School in 1962 and advanced medical school at Gunter AFB, Al. I became good friends with Leory Kalloff of Freemont, NE and Richard Lucas of Ghent, KY, who passed away in April 2009. He was like a brother to me. I miss him very much. I was stationed at Lackland AFB TX, Medina AB TX basic med school, Gunter AFB AL, Offutt AFB NE worked in Base Publications 62-64, the 544 ARTW 66-68 and SAC Intelligence 70-71, Ernest Harmon AFB Newfoundland Canada worked in the refueling squadron and Training Library 64-66, Kadena AB Okinawa worked in the 376th SW, 3907 Cage 68-70, Clark AB Philippines, Osan AB Korea worked in Intelligence 72-73, Westover AFB MA worked in USAFR, Hanscom AFB MA, worked in USAFR, Minot AFB ND worked as NCOIC of Facility Maintenance Branch, and Chanute AFB Illinois, worked in USAFR 75-77 as NCOIC Tech Writing Section 81-82. I loved being in the military. It was a good life and teaches values that kids today are not taught. I believe every High School Graduate, male and female should put two years in the military, it would straighten out a lot of the juvenile gang and drug problems that this country has today, because it instills that sense of discipline, bonding, need to ...Expand for more