Richard Anderson:  

I was born on March 22, 1944 in Grand Rapids. I went to Eastern Elementary School until I was 11 years old, 1955. I enjoyed my childhood there, if was fun and I had lots of friends. Then in 1955 on October 31st, we moved from 739 Burke St. to 4350 Stuart Ave. it is now the city of Kentwood and I attended Bowen Elementary School. The classes were harder and it was hard for me to make friends. In the seventh grade I fell in love with June Wieman, she lived across the street from me. [I never attended St. Isidore School, but I had a good friend named Barb Smith, who went there. We both lived on Burke Street. I sure would like to meet her again after all these years, in not in person, at least here.] Kentwood High School had not been built yet, so we were bused to Kelloggsville, Godwin or Calidonia High Schools. We go to choose, and June went to Kelloggsville because her older brother Jack went there, so I decided to go there too. I didn't have many close friends in High School although I think most of the kids liked me. I started smoking at or before 16 (didn't we all). When I was a senior, I fell in love with Beverly, we got engaged and were going to get married after graduation. I didn't have a job after graduation and no plans to go to college, so I joined the Air Force like my older brother did 4 years before me. I was sent to Texas for my basic training, ...Expand for more