Vern and Letha passed through the Springfield area in 1964 while on vacation to the Gulf.

In 1968 while working with the Illini State Telephone Company in Mascoutah, Ill. Vern had taken a commercial flight from St.Louis, met here with a Finley Engineering pilot and flew in a single engine plane to Joplin.

In 1975, 76 and 77 the whole family had been here to shop while living in Mountain Home Arkansas.

In 1977 Vern became very upset with his job, quit and took a contract job in San Juan, Puerto Rico. Leaving his family standing at the airport, waving goodby. In Puerto Rico he found himself were most local people did not speak english. He got scared, got on the plane the next morning and came home. A few weeks later he interviewed a job in Kingman, Arizona, flying both ways from here.

25 years later they were again, probably the last time.