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No one can tell you who they are, but if you will tolerate it I will try
to tell you a bit about my history.
I was born in July 1949, at Independence, Missouri, the last of three
children. My sisters were twins and 15 when I was born. There are two of
us left.
My dad was a barber who became a lender, and ended his career as a banker.
My mom was a teacher, but stayed at home and raised us. She was very
active in church (Baptist), and president of the PTA both at my schools
and city wide several times.
My parents met in grade school, got married around age 21 and were married
until my moms death.
I went to Kansas City Public Schools grade school through high school.
After high school, I attended William Jewell College at Liberty Missouri
where I graduated Suma Cum Laude. That was the time of the Viet Nam war,
and I joined the reserves, 842nd QMCo Kansas City, Ks. I did my basic at
Ft. Dix, NJ, and my AIT at Fort Lee VA. Where I trained to be a petroleum
pipeline supervisor. I served my 6 years and left the service with a rank
of Sergeant.
Consecutive with my reserve service, I attended the University of Missouri
School of Law. I graduated in 1975. I took the bar that summer and began
the private practice of law in the fall of 1975 at Independence. In 1977,
I took a job with the prosecuting attorney of Jefferson County, Missouri
to support my wife and myself. I took a job with the prosecuting attorney
of Jackson County, June of 1979 and served prosecuting the refusal to pay
child support for 7 years. My second wife and I left government service to
begin a domestic law practice at Independence in 1986. I still follow that
trade, still at Independence. It is a good and bad thing. I guess I am
what is called a nurturer, domestic law usually involves helping people
through one of the great crises of their lives, on the bad side all I ever
see is people in crisis.
I have no children. My first wife could not have children. God Bless her ,
she has been dead for 15 years . My second wife did not want children. I
am in a long term relationship now, and she had her boys before we met. I
do have a step son who lives with us. He has an older brother in the US
Army, and an older brother who is a cyber geek working for Yahoo.
I like to fish. I shoot and reload. In Missouri you are supposed to hunt
deer. I do not like the taste of deer and I do not kill what I will not
eat. However, donations of Venison summer sausage will be greatfully
accepted.
I am a bit of a poet, and I love to listen to and write music.
I am a dog person and have two standard poodles.
I am a religious fundamentalist, but that fundamentalism includes the
belief that each person must come to deal with God on their own, and that
we have no right to force our beliefs upon them. My people have been
Baptists since the 1790's and it is highly unlikely that I will ever think
of myself as anything but Baptist.
I do not think of myself as a right to life person, but I believe that
life seeks to nurture and support life. I am greatly supportive of those
of honest conscience who seek to persuade others of the inherent morality
of nurturing life. Just as deeply, I am loathe to use the power of
government to force anyone to hold my moral convictions.
Finally, I am short, fat, and not very handsome. Vikki gets upset when I
say ugly.
There is going to be a bunch about public service and politics in these
pages, so, I hope this little sketch lets you get some insight into just
whom I might be.
DAVE
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