Four inspiring people from my life

     In my quest to better acquaint my biological family with experiences from my life they've missed, I thought I would put down on paper a few short sketches of the people who have most inspired and influenced my life, besides family, of course. There have been many people who have taken a special interest throughout the years and have left an indelible impression on my soul. These are a few of "adults" who inspired and helped during my formative years. 

Sharon Busch
     When I entered 7th grade I was excited to be in the choir. I had been in elementary school choir for a few years, had a few solos, and even performed in the school talent show, but junior high chorus was the real deal--especially with Sharon Busch. With Sharon, choir was no longer the cutsie activity where you showed up in your best outfit and sang whatever notes you could eeck out at Christmas time. In 7th grade we actually had to learn our parts and were held accountable. That's what I learned from Mrs. Busch; if you're going to sing, sing it correctly with punctuality and vigor. 

Sharon Busch

     I enjoyed choir through my 7th grade year but ran into a bullying problem my 8th grade year and dropped out of choir. The summer before my 9th grade year I had a job as a Dayton Daily News paperboy and a number of members of the Ferguson Jr. High show choir, Guy's and Dolls, lived on my route. One day in the middle of August a few of them stopped me and said the group was still in need of a tenor. Having not been in choir the previous year I knew nothing of the show choir as it had taken a several year hiatus when I first started attending Ferguson. I was a tenor and was interested in getting back into choir. I went and auditioned with Mrs. Busch the next day and promised I would stick with it. I guess I hit enough of the notes and demonstrated to her I could dance, because she offered me the final part in the show choir. 
     Throughout the year we did a great number of shows. I remember performing inside the old Dayton Arcade, Kings Island's Winterfest, the Dayton Mall, and countless churches and senior centers around the area. We also performed in a state choir competition and to this day I know a good portion of Ava Maria. Guys and Dolls was great fun and I made some really good friends that year. Towards the end of the school year she inscribed my yearbook with, "Someday your name will be lights." She was an amazing teacher and inspiration but right before the end of the year I let her and the rest of my choir compadres down.
     Besides being in choir I played soccer and towards the end of the spring season there was a tryout for a select soccer team I wanted to play on. The tryouts conflicted with the final performance of Guys and Dolls and I made the decision to skip the finale to try out for the soccer team. Mrs. Busch was none to happy with me and rightly so. I made the team but this was not one of my better decisions and I realized it right away. I never bothered trying out for any of the choirs in high school or any of the plays because I really felt like I fouled up and let people down. I regret those decisions deeply. 

Note from Sharon Busch

     Fast forward twenty plus years and I find myself working in radio and television. At some point I decided to get back into performing and began doing improvisational comedy. I did that off and on for a few years and then decided to begin taking acting lessons. Through lessons at the Human Race Theatre in Dayton, I met an amazing acting coach named Carrie Ellen-Zappa. She too became very inspirational to me through our classes and friendship and she pushed me to tryout for a production of Oliver! she was directing. I was cast as Mr. Bumble and I was thrilled to be part of a such a high quality production.
     Shortly before rehearsals ended and the show was about to go up, I decided on a lark to invite Mrs. Busch to the show. I hadn't seen her in years but I wanted her to know I had finally managed to make it back to the stage. I didn't know if she had gotten the message or was able to make it until I received a note from here following one of our performances. She spotted me in the lobby, still wearing my costume and makeup, and came up and gave me a big hug. I think the tears were streaming down both of our faces. Unforgettable, to be sure. 
     She retired from teaching at the end of last school year. From the send off she received from past students and colleagues, it's clear her love, concern, and dedication touched countless others through her years of teaching. 

Joette Gates (Sommers)

Joette and me

     I met Joette Gates sometime before my Senior year in high school. Some how or another I found myself in her classroom with a friend of mine, as she was prepping her room for the upcoming school year. She mentioned she was the supervisor for the school newspaper and that caught my attention. I recall writing a short piece for her review and her allowing me to sign up for the newspaper staff when classes began. Newspaper met everyday like a a regular class and gave students the opportunity to write, edit and layout the newspaper on a monthly basis. As someone who eventually worked in TV news, I can attest we had the same vigorous conversations about high school news stories as we did about local news at WHIO-TV. 
     I do remember one caveat Mrs. Gates insisted on was that I also had to take a journalism class she taught during first period. I remember going to the counseling office on the first day of school and changing my schedule for the year. It also turned out I had a study hall that semester and I managed to talk her into letting me be her teacher's aid that period. Poor Joette had me in her class three times a day, including first thing in the morning. Teachers must have more patience than anyone in any profession anywhere at anytime.
     Joette taught me how to write well and with confidence. It's something that I had never really considered before that year in school because I didn't like to read. It bored me to no end but I loved to write. I remember writing a few articles about the soccer team but the one I remember the most was one I wrote about the school's new library security system. I wrote I didn't think it was very good because I figured out how to bypass it. Mrs. Beecher, the school librarian, was none to happy about my reporting. It was then I began developing a thicker skin. 

     Beyond her teaching me to be a better writer, her greatest influence came from her love and care during that school year. My younger sister was having some problems and it was causing my family great stress. I remember staying after school frequently because I didn't want to go home. My parents and sister fought all the time and I was stuck in the middle. It was hard and Joette sensed something was wrong. She was there to listen and offer both guidance and solace, which I appreciated more than I could express.
     After graduating I began working in radio and TV news, she had me come back to speak to a few of her classes and it always made me feel special. But in reality it was because of her I found my voice and set me on the course I still follow today. 
     Years after she had retired and moved out of the are we reconnected on Facebook and I enjoy our occasional conversations and emails. A few years ago I had the great honor of being her guest at her mountain home and my son and I had a blast. I'm fortunate to have such a supportive and thoughtful friend and mentor. 

Vern Burk
     When I was young and playing youth soccer in Beavercreek, Ohio I remember noticing this tall, bearded gentleman, sauntering about the fields where we played our games. He wore glasses, had this sly smile, and sideburns. I assumed he was a parent or a coach but he was never involved directly with any of my teams so I didn't know for sure who he was.  

From the RAF Lakenheath Base Paper, 1973

     My Sophomore years in high school I made the Reserve B men's soccer team and one of my teammates was Dave Burk--it turned out his dad was the man I recalled seeing at the soccer fields years before. Though I finally made the connection of who he was, I didn't get to know Vern until the following year after being cut from the men's team. On the encouragement of some of my friends, I volunteered to become the equipment manager of the women's varsity team. Vern was one of the assistant coaches. Shortly after the season began, Vern saw I had some soccer skill and had me begin working with the goalkeepers. It meant a lot to me to be part of a team. 
     Vern was and remains one of the most interesting people I've ever known. Among other things, besides having a great soccer mind, he was also a chess master. He won the Dayton Chess Club Championship in 1969, 1977, 1981, 1982, and 1991. He also served as the club's president three times throughout his long involvement. 
     He was a scholar and historian who worked at Wright Patterson Air Force Base and wrote papers on whatever subject his work steered him to. He and his family had previously lived in England and being a soccer fan I enjoyed listening to him talk about English Football and how we could improve our play. 

My mom, dad, me, and Vern; BHS graduation 1988

     Vern was very involved with Beavercreek soccer and all levels which is one of the reasons we became friends. While managing the women's team I was basically his shadow; before the game, during the game and then usually at Noble Roman's Pizza after the game. I became involved with the Beavercreek Celtic's and went to board meetings while I was still a student and Vern, who at the time I believe was serving as the board president, welcomed my thoughts and comments on the goings on. Afterwards we would hang around Marion's Pizza (where the Celtic meetings were held) and talk about history and other subjects over a pizza. When he could he put me on his team as a guest player and I got to travel and play in many out of state tournaments. In fact, it was because of him I was recruited to play in college. I ended up rooming with his middle son David, while at college. 
     I learned a lot from Vern about soccer and a great many other things and always enjoyed seeing him. In some ways I connected with him more than I connected with my own father. I'm not sure why but we just seem to hit it off. He had a lot of interests and a very dry and ironic sense of humor. I remember one night after a soccer meeting he randomly asked if I wanted to go see a movie; we saw the family friendly Full Metal Jacket. Sometimes when our soccer team was traveling, back at the hotel after a long day of games, while my teammates were swimming or goofing off, Vern and I were sitting quietly somewhere as he taught me the game of chess. I never studied the game to become a high quality player myself but I've kept a board ever since. 
     One of the saddest days of my life was when he past away from diabetes on December 20, 1991. At his viewing, his wonderful wife Judith told me Vern always enjoyed my company. That meant a great deal to me that day and twenty-three years later it still means at lot. Over the years I've seen his family around town and we stay connected through Facebook. He was a great man who influenced many people throughout his life and I'm fortunate to say I was one of them.

Mike Peters

Mike's alter-ego. 

     Many people have heard of Mike Peters. He is a Pulitzer Prize winning editorial cartoonist and creator of the comic strip Mother Goose and Grimm. While working locally at the Dayton Daily News his backyard happened to butt up against my backyard in Beavercreek, Ohio and I spent a lot of time at their house, annoying his daughters and jumping on their trampoline. 
     My friends and I also did a fair share of TP'ing their house and if I recall correctly, Mike and his daughters returned the favor in kind, more than once.

Getting a Grimm T-shirt for my 17th birthday

     His drawing table was positioned in front of the sliding glass doors on their back patio and I could see when he was sitting there working on his art. On occasion I would go over and watch as he would create his magic and he was always welcoming and friendly. I recall during one visit, around the time I was 13 or 14 years-old, he commented he thought I would do well working in broadcasting when I go older. He went on to say he thought I had a good personality and would probably be a natural communicator.
     At that young age nothing of the sort had ever dawned on me and his words were intriguing. I certainly was fascinated by radio but I didn't understand what it took to be on the radio. Not long after I began saving my money and bought some DJ equipment from Radio Shack and began broadcasting from my bedroom. Eventually I also started volunteering at the Miami Valley Cable Council and a career in broadcasting became a real possibility for my future. 
     I was never a scholarly student and always felt if I would be a success in life I would have to achieve it using my own talents and communicative skills. Mike's kind words that day helped frame this idea in the mind of a wandering and carefree child. And as it turns out, he was right. The business surely has its up and downs but I've always felt most comfortable working in that kind of creative environment.