When my Dad retired in his mid-40’s, he received a mantle clock with a gold plate inscribed with his name, Jerry D. Oellrich, and the quote, “In Appreciation of Twenty-Five Years of Loyal and Valued Service to the Cargill Companies,” signed by the company president. This treasured keepsake sat on top of the living room television in the farmhouse I grew up in. He worked many long hours at Cargill working his way through the union ranks as a maintenance man and electrician to ultimately become a plant maintenance supervisor. I looked up to my Dad.
In my freshman college composition class I was assigned to write a paper about whom I admired most. I wrote about my Dad. He was a hard worker and came from very meager means. He was from a large, close family and he left high school before graduating to begin working full-time in a factory. My Dad and Mom married and raised seven children together; all of them girls except the youngest. He was also a farmer. In my opinion, he had accomplished a lot with very little except hard work and determination.