Thanks, -to the man that owned the company where I was hired in '78, my senior year of high school. The same man that although he wanted to keep me as an employee, put his own interests aside and asked a couple of years later why I was in his warehouse instead of school.Thanks to the man who gave me a key to the shop & the license to work any & all hours, whenever my studies allowed & I could get to Tulsa, then traded me a crisp dollar bill for the key four years later when I graduated.Thanks to the man who during my first few years in TV never failed to jokingly offer me my old job back, as he continued to ask questions during our less frequent visits, about my travels to places like NYC, LA, or Berlin; places far away from east Tulsa and 1235 N. Sheridan Rd.Thanks to the man who pushed a 20-year old kid toward better choices and a better direction, to a place where I not only met my bride, but also gained the ability to give more opportunities to my son than I had growing up.Thanks John, I'll always treasure setting up the first pneumatic packaging machine, figuring out some of the first recipes to successfully vulcanize cord stock, knocking a hole in the wrong wall for a new air-conditioner, painting the wrong color on 15,000 o-rings, washing 15,000 o-rings, the Christmas Tanqueray, your sage wisdom, and your special brand of generosity.Of course I'll also always be very thankful to Miss Donna, -for putting up with all of us kids in the warehouse ??I'm very lucky to have known both John and Donna. Our family's thoughts and prayers go out to all of John's family.
