Rick Wennihan:  

I was raised on a farm. Pop (Dad) was strict and you had to walk softly most of the time. It was no wonder I went a little crazy when I got away from home. I was brought up in an Irish household, first born son etc. Lots of thing were demanded and expected of me. Seems a little silly now. I guess I've always been a stubborn, hard-headed, rebel at heart. Had a horse since I was 3 yrs old. Rode alot and often. Loved being in the country, but at times it was BORING!. Pop put me on the tractor, in the field when I was around 12 yrs old. Going round and round the field was not my idea of fun. Always wondered why the guys were curising around town and I was cutting weeds, or sunflowers out of the beans. Seems like there was always something to do. My only relief was, if it was raining or not. I sure would like to be back there now. What is it they say? "You don't know what you got till it's gone". I had a great time in High School. Had a great girl I dated from Mound City. I thought had to join the service after high school and blew that.I thought it was the right thing to do "at the time" WRONG!! I was in the Naval Security Group,(loved the work) in the Phillipines at San Miguel, went to Nam twice in the gulf, helped pick up downed pilots. I did my last year at Shu Linkou in Taiwan(Nat'l. China) I got to see alot of places; Hong Kong, Japan, Phillipines, and China. Saw all the sm. islands; Guam, Okie, Hawaii, Midway, you name it, I was probably there. I've been in every state except 6 in the northeast part of the US. After I got out of the Navy, I drove a truck, was a union welder on I-29 bridges, just couldn't settle down, kinda mixed up. Worked 2 jobs while I went to college in Maryville, Mo. 3 yrs pre-med. Went to nursing school, graduated, and worked as an RN in the operating room 26 yrs. Was a supervisor for the last 12 of those yrs. (I loved working in the OR) Then I work...Expand for more