www.old-west.us
A CHILD LEFT BEHIND
A VERY TRUE STORY
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The web page’s will change occasionally
Written by J.W. ANDERSON and MARY P. ANDERSON
James (J.W.) Former resident of WILLCOX, ARIZONA, USA and
D.T. Logan Jr., resident of WILLCOX ARIZONA, USA., Both now Age 80 +.== 2ND. BOOK COMING SOON ==
YOUTH IS A GIFT OF NATURE = AGE IS A WORK OF ART
WILLCOX ARIZONA USA
A GREAT PLACE TO LIVE .
COME VISIT
www.old-west.us/willcox-arizona.html
www.cityofwillcox.org
NO CHILD LEFT BEHIND
HELLO, my name is James Anderson, also known as J.W. Anderson and (Andy)
My story is about A Child Left Behind. I hope this story will not be boring and also hope it might benefit at least one child. This first part is for Teachers
to read, I hope they receive something from my story.
My story starts when I was a child around seventy years ago. I was probably like most boys are today, maybe not, but I was adventurous and I guess
was not a great student, I was happy if I could just get a passing grade of seventy percent. I think that was a good way to be graded, our whole life will
probably be graded in percentage’s.
My first problem started in the first grade. I remember that I wanted to write with my left hand and was told that I had to use my right hand, which I did
and still today have trouble sometime reading my own writing. I was lazy or just bored in school so bad that I failed the seventh grade exam to the eight
grade which was Jr. High and the eight grade was in the High School building, a few blocks from the grade school that we now call the Elementary School.
One teacher told me that he was sure that I knew the subject that I had failed and if I would work with him during the summer vacation that I would pass
into the eighth grade. I told him that I didn’t feel that would be fair and that if I failed that I should pay the penalty. I know now that was a big mistake on
my part.
When I did make it into and thru the eighth grade and into my freshman year, I decided that I only had four more years to prove myself, so maybe I should
try a little harder. I did dig into the books a little harder, some I didn’t care for, History was one, I liked the story but not having to remember the exact
dates, to me, just to know in the 1800’s was close enough.
Arithmetic, now known as math was not my good subject in the past, and now Algebra that made no sense to me at all, until one day the Math Teacher
ask me to stay after school and she would try to help me, I did and she did, about one hour into the session, it hit me like a ton of bricks, I said wow, this
is great, I understand it completely now, it all made sense to me, that teacher really cared.
I remember my first class in Science, there was something that really turned me on with that Science book, I couldn’t get enough of it, I read the whole
book in around my first few months as a Freshman and had started reading it again for the second time, that’s when my whole world would come to an end.
I was involved in a double car accident on Nov. 30, 1946, one car was driven by D.T. Logan Jr. and his passenger’s were me, J.W. Anderson, Red and
Harry Howe and the other car’s driver was Frank Shelton and his passenger was Donald Bethel, we were drag racing and one of my friend’s, ”Frank” in
the other car was seriously injured, he wound up losing site in one eye. www.old-west.us/shelton-ranch.html Franklin Shelton married Twila Garey, both
from Willcox and I believe they had a good life and devoted to Willcox Arizona , they had a great marriage, they got married in 1954 and Feb. 11 year 2011,
Frank & Ty have been married 57 years. That has to be some kind of a good record.
Donald Bethel married Jonnie Belle Detlof in 1950, both from and devoted to Willcox. Jonnie Belle became the Mayor of Willcox, story later.
I missed two weeks of school and went back to school on Friday the second week so I could get all my back lessons that I had missed so I could get caught
up on that weekend. That was the last day of school for me, something happened that made me walk out and never attend another public school. In my
Freshman Science class, the only class in my school history that really turned me on, turned me off and really completely changed my life in more ways
than I will ever know.
I do know that it was years later that I realized what I had missed out on and what I really wanted out of life was out of reach, if I had figured this out
earlier in life maybe I could have made a few changes and completed my education into the one field that I believe would have fulfilled my curiosity and
adventures mind and who knows what I might have achieved in this lifetime. So many things happened in the Science field in the past sixty years that I
missed out on. WOW! just imagine, the next sixty years. If only I had another chance, someone will (Have fun) God bless you.
That Friday when I returned to school to learn what I had missed out on in those two weeks from my classes, that afternoon when I got to my Science
class, my daily last class, the class was scheduled to take a two week written exam for those two weeks that I had missed, which we did take and I was the
only one out of thirty five in the class that made a one hundred which is an A, no missed questions. That might have been the only one hundred I ever
made in all my past school history, I’m not sure but I do know that was a very proud moment for me but very short lived, the teacher said I am giving you
an F, because the only way you could have passed this test was to cheat. I told him I did not cheat and that Science really interested me and I had read the
complete book and was starting my second reading now. He said you are getting an F and that is final, I said ask me anyone of those questions, I know the
answers, he replied you get an F, period, I jumped up from my desk and threw my book and papers at him and walked out from the science class.
I went directly to the Principals office and I told him what had happened, he said I have to back my teachers, I said will you please get my exam paper
and ask me those questions and if I can answer them correctly then believe me that I did not cheat, he said again, I have to back my teachers. My heart
broke and I realized that I didn’t have a chance at this school. I said you take all your teachers and shove them, I am out of here. For the next few days was
a very empty feeling and I felt very lost. I will never forget that feeling. www.old-west.us/highschool.html
When I got home that evening and told my parents what had happened, my Mom wanted to go to the school and see if something could be done, and I
didn’t feel it would do any good , they do not believe me, you would only be begging on my behalf and that I would never set foot back into that public
school. Now at this time since no one in that town tried to help me, as I look back now, I should have let her at them. Up to this point, I thought I had full
control of my life and was really ready to prove my self but others, not me had full control. I wonder if that teacher had molested me, what would the
School Principal have done ?? I was molested in my mind and could never get over it, it haunted me time after time the rest of my life. That event in my
life effected a lot of my decision making process in the future. Have you ever given someone a lower grade than actually earned?
I couldn’t wait to become the age so I could join the U.S. Navy to see the world and to get away from everyone in that town. I did join the Navy, I was
now the age of seventeen and had been accepted into the Navy, I owned a dump truck, another story for later, my first year in the Navy I enrolled into a
school class, while there I received my GED before my High School graduation date. I got leave from the U.S. Navy and went back to the Willcox School
Principal to see if he would allow me to graduate with the class, he said he couldn’t do that because other student’s might try to do the same, I suppose he
was right but I do know some schools do. No help.
I had some real good friends that I remember and hope they remember me, and sorry that I was not a part of their growing up years. I do remember, I did
date some very pretty girls, one of them I got leave from the U.S. Navy, I was going to ask her to marry me, when I got into town, Mrs. Anne Clarence
picked me up at the bus station, Mrs. Clarence was to me, my second Mom, I told her my plans, she told me that Leola Sch??? wedding to some one is
already set in a few days, so to me Willcox had nothing for me, so out of here. Annie & Charlie Clarence was my Mom “Mary” and my dad’s “Earsel”
Andersons best friends and their kids were my friends, there was Bill, Buddy, Ruth and Charlene.www.old-west.us/willcox-clarence.html
A lot of things have happened since that day in 1946, especially in the Science world, just maybe I would have been part of it, but because of one teacher
and one Principal in the Willcox High School in Willcox, Arizona whom I guess had not much respect for students, I never had a chance to find out, their
names are on the school records, my name should be there also.
I will always feel I was not a failure but I was a quitter, you see, I believe there are no failures, only quitters in this world. If you ever feel a student is
going to fail or if She or He feels they are going to fail, please don’t let them quite. I did not fail that class. I should have fought back but no one would
listen, I did not fail but I did quit. Who cared? If only one teacher from that Willcox High School would have came forward maybe things would have been
better, I am not really bitter anymore but just writing my book, hoping that teachers have more respect for their students, I am sure more do now in this
modern age. If only one Teacher will read this book, it might make a change. (Note) A good movie to see concerning what parents, teachers and others can
stop doing to mess up lives, movie made in nineteen eighty eight.(The Accused) Some go to far but most can be saved.
My life and some other fantastic people growing up in Willcox, a very good part, and some very exciting times, the best part, we all had some good
unforgettable times.
My life Achievements & Failures and some others Successes and Achievements from Willcox Arizona.
I remember my family and I went to a Rodeo in Willcox and my dad got me a ride in a little J3 Cub airplane, the pilot was a Barnstormer, traveled the
rodeo’s and sold rides, wow! was I thrilled, saw my house from way above it, I was really sold on flying that showed up in my life in my later years.
www.old-west.us/airplane.html I suppose we were all born adventures.
My Mom was born in a covered wagon in Lulu, New Mexico, Adair county, my grandfather Ben Glascock and my grandmother Alice were moving from
Austin, Texas to Pleasant Valley, Arizona, they farmed the property, used mules and worked very hard, my grandmother raised around one thousand
turkeys, they had three girls and two boys, born on the farm, that’s what made America what it is today. www.old-west.
us/covered-wagon.html
Some things in my life started early in my life, as I look back, I can see now that I was in a hurry to get going and maybe doing things to fast and ahead of
my time, when my friend Bill Clarence and I were abut age eleven, we decided to run away from home, we left after dark from Willcox we walked along the
railroad tracks heading for Tucson Arizona, we knew when the train got to the hills it would be going pretty slow and we could jump on. So our family
wouldn’t worry, we left a note on a record in the old wind up record player , we knew Bills sister Ruth would play that player around eleven pm, the same
she did every night and we would be long gone by then, we came back home the next day, we decided home wasn’t so bad.
I had a home made motor bike in my early age of twelve. I also had a donkey and buggy that I used often and gave my friends rides in town. We had a
lot of fun with that old Donkey “Ass”, later I sold my donkey and saddle to my good friend Richard Cox for ten dollars, very good transportation buy at
that time.
I bought a Motorcycle, an Indian and it needed a lot of work so I sold it and bought a Harley Davidson, I remember my Mom took the engine for me to
Tucson Arizona to get overhauled, I had removed it from the bike myself, that over haul cost me eighty five dollars and made my Bike run great, I used it a
lot, www.old-west.us/motorcycle.html I remember once to Benson Arizona to a school dance. There were more trips to Benson, Bowie, Tombstone and
other close Arizona towns. www.old-west.us/benson-arizona.html A lot of old west history to learn about. Go to; www.old-
west.us/tombstone.html
After awhile I decided I would like to have a car, my very own car, we lived about ten miles from town, D.T. Logan Jr., my friend, had his first car, so I
guess he was a little ahead of me, he was the age of thirteen. I got mine at age fourteen. He got his car about a year before I got mine, it cost him $30.00. A
very good buy. A 1926 Chevrolet Coup bought in 1944 and we had a lot of fun in it. www.old-west.us/dt-cars.html
I knew that I needed permission from my Dad to get a car so I ask him and he said if you want a car it’s OK with me but you have to pay cash for it and
you will have to save your own money and then he said to make it more interesting, you save one half and he would match my half when you are ready to
buy. He didn’t know I had been saving from my part time jobs for sometime and all I had to do was find one that would fit into my budget. I was looking
and soon I would be fourteen and felt that should be old enough to drive. I knew a friend of mine, D.T. Logan Jr. had his own car, so why shouldn’t I.
I had a job with a neighbor, building fences and cleaning chicken pens, they had a beautiful black horse and would let me saddle him up and ride him to
town and to Rodeo’s, one Saturday I wanted to take him to a Rodeo but was told I had to finish a new chicken pen that I was building for them before I
could leave. I really worked hard and fast and after I finished, I saddled up old Black and went to the Rodeo and when the owners got home and saw that I
finished the project, they were surprised that I did it so fast and so well pleased they told me when I got back from the Willcox Rodeo after they looked it
over they told me we have been paying you fifty cents an hour and we are giving you a raise today to one dollar an hour, I said Wow, Thanks, I was
thrilled and vowed that I would never let them down, now I was really saving for a car, can you imagine a one hundred percent pay raise increase. www.old-
west.us/arizona-rodeo.html
I found a used car for ninety dollars, I had my forty five dollars an my Dad matched it. I was now driving my very own car, a 1929 Model A ford, a two
door sedan, if I still had it, it would be worth fifty or maybe even one hundred times that amount that I paid. www.old-west.us/jw-cars.html
I also came across an old Dodge dump truck that was beat up, didn’t have a windshield, I talked my Mom into trading her old Plymouth car for it. I went
to a wrecking yard and found another windshield and with a little effort made it work, this old truck ran good. I thought not bad, I am now in business. I
was age fifteen now but really didn’t think to much about that.
I drove the truck around town and started getting work from people who wanted fill dirt and top soil, I think my first customer was my old retired first
grade teacher, Mrs. Randle. I was in business at age fifteen.
Later after my High School problem in my freshman year, all I wanted to do was get away - Navy. I was killing time, waiting for my seventeenth
birthday, the service entry age. Almost every afternoon at the end of the school class, I would be ready to give girls a ride in my car to town, about eight
blocks to the restaurant “ The Sweet Shop” where we all meet, I always had an ice cream sunday, as I walked into the ice cream parlor, someone would say
the usual? my reply would be yes. www.old-west.us/willcox-sweetshop.html I still have contact with most of my old
friends.
I remember two seniors from school, football stars, would jump into my car at the school and tell me to drive them to town, which I did they were
pretty big, I guess I was under their control. They are the one’s that while I was trying out for football that Freshman year, I caught the ball and they both
hit and knocked me out completely and after that the coach would only let me set on the bench and never play, they bullied me often.
I dreamed up an idea, I bought an old model T Ford ignition coil and wired it to my back seat, the next time they jumped into my car, I drove them about
one block then I turned it on, they almost tore my car up getting out, they said we will get you and I said come on anytime you wish to get another electric
shock, I had also wired my car so any one that touched it got a shock , only when I turned it on. I could also make the car parked next to me, shock any one
that touched it. I now had full control over any bullies. Just try it. www.old-west.us/model-t-coil.html
One Saturday night there was a dance at now called the Old Mexico Dance hall a few miles East of Willcox I took small copper wires from an old battery
and connected a bunch of cars together and to my car, when I turned it on would charge all the connected cars with electric, it was dark and some guys
would come to their cars to get a drink of alcohol I would turn it on and every once awhile hear someone shout, Ow, Ow , you knew what that meant, they
got a shock,,, some way. Ha, Ha, Ha. Maybe on a wheel.
I remember one Friday or Saturday night, we had a beer party way out in the boom docks, we thought was a hidden place and after some time there, we
were all laughing and having a good time and some was just drinking Coca Cola, we saw a car coming toward us a few miles away and we said to each other,
isn’t everyone here that we invited, yes, so who is this coming, the car pulled up to us and it was my Dad, Earsel Anderson, we were shocked, he just
looked at us and ask is everyone ok, we said, yes, he said ok and drove off, I guess he wanted us to know that he could always find us.
I can remember other events, all us guys always had guns and did a lot of shooting practice at different times, we went hunting during the open hunting
season, I’m not sure who was the best shot, but I knew D.T would hardly ever miss, I trusted his shooting so much, I would hold a Coke bottle in my
hand and from a distant away he would shoot ii out of my hand --- dumb --- huh, I don’t think so, he was that good. I wouldn’t do it today!!!!.
Another time I remember, I think we had two cars full of us Willcox boys going to Chiricahua National Park to camp out and when we got there and
checked in at the Forest Rangers Station we had to check in all our guns, there was, I think five or six of us guys in the two cars we checked in thirty guns
and still, D.T. had one that was all apart and still in his car, we had Dove that night for supper. www.old-west.us/arizona-parks.html
One of our friends got a great brain storm to carve his name on one of the wooden tables, but he also but his home town and address on it, later we got
called into the Sheriffs office, thanks Richard Cox, all we got was a warning but Richard was always good with a knife but better with a gun.
Richard and Vera are real old time Willcox people, they were married 1/30/1949, soon will be sixty one years. Richsrd born Oct.6,1931 about 6 months
after me and Vera was born Aug.30,1933. They have a son John, still in Willcox. The whole family made Willcox their home. www.old-west.us/willcox-cox.
html
I remember my friends Frank Shelton and Bob Forsyth would play Cowboy and Indians on a mountain on their property or very close to their property,
they used twenty-five-thirty rifles, one day when I got to Franks home, his mom, Mrs. Violet Shelton, Franks Mom, would tell me where Frank & Bob
went and to go saddle up one of their horses and ride out to them, which I did, and that is when I learned about Cowboy’s and Indian’s, Bob was on top of
the mountain and Frank was behind a rock at the bottom and they were bouncing shots off near rocks, we had a good life but never hurt anyone. I loved
their ranch. www.old-west.us/shelton-ranch.html
Frank and I would drive over the Wilcox Dry Lake bed and pick up machine gun bullets that were dropped from the army aircraft that used the lake for
shooting practice, during World War Two, I remember I would tie my steering wheel on my car with a little turn in it and set the throttle to a low speed
and turned it loose. Frank and I would start walking and meet the car on the other side of the lake and jump in and drive home, we would take the bullets to
Frank’s house and remove the gun powder and make hand bombs to fish with and other things but still, we never hurt anyone, might have, maybe messed
up his Mom’s water wells sometime but not on purpose, Just fun. www.old-west.us/willcox-dry-lake.html
A lot of things happened before I became seventeen, once we were Deer hunting, I think in the White mountains and Frank and I was walking up a trail
going back to our camp, and a wild Havelna Boar Hog was coming down the trail from the other direction, so Frank and I went off the trail about fifty feet
and hid behind a rock, that old pig just stopped and started up toward us and Frank shot his brains out with one shot, we all had good bar B Q pig that
night. I I remember that
to all of us Mrs. Violet Shelton was a real Arizona pioneer, one evening when Frank & I was going to go to town, his car would not start, we needed a push
or pull, Franks Mom said just get in and I will pull you, she did, she looped a rope around our front bumper and had the other end of the rope over her leg
and to the saddle horn and that horse kicked gravel and pulled us until it started, I always felt Mrs. Violet Shelton was a pioneer of Arizona. www.old-
west.us/arizona-pioneer.html
Frank had a little brother Mairon who had rickets and could not walk, had to drag himself around until after I gave them my dog, a German Sheppard
“King”. Marion would throw his arm over King and go any place across the yard that he wanted to, they were real buddies.
I understand that Johnny Logan, D.T.’s brother became a Motor Road Grader driver for the same county Highway Dept. that my Dad (Earsel Anderson)
used to work for years before. Dad was a shovel operator, Johnny Logan drove a motor grader for over twenty years, eating Arizona dust all that time and
now get’s no compensation for all he did for all of us, has very bad lung problems, they tell him, his problem was cigarettes, I wonder how many others
smoked on the job, of those that worked there at the same time but not on a motor grader and smoked as many or more cigarettes than Johnny did and
never had lung problems. Time for a good lawyer.
www.old-west.us/cochise-road-dept.html
As soon as I became seventeen, I did join the Navy, I joined for three years to try to figure out what I wanted to do with my life, first was the GED,
which I did receive, I got extended in the service for two more years because of the Korean war. I had a trip to Japan, and what a reunion we had there in
Japan, there were at least five guys there from our little home town Willcox, Arizona, Small world ?? There was Dan Cape - Airforce, Richard Cox - Navy,
Joe Mills - Coast Guard, J.W. Anderson - Navy. And a couple more there from Willcox. It’s either a small world or Willcox turns out special people, there
are more special ones like Rex Allen, Tanya Tucker, Monty Robbins and others that will be mentioned here. www.old-west.
us/willcox-celeberties.html
I understand that the movie star Jane Russell passed away Feb. 28, 2011, brought some memories, I was stationed on an Aircraft Carrier, the USS
Rendova and a friend of mine, “Wesley Basham” invited me to spend the weekend at his home in River Side California and he had a date that evening, so
we went to pick her up at Jane Russell’s home, she was Jane Russell’s Niece, Mrs. Russell invited us to a party at her home that evening, I was really
looking forward to it, I would meet some real live movie people but we did not go because my friend, Wesley was to shy, in the Navy Service we called
him Bashful Wesley Basham was a very good looking person and most of the girls chased him but he stayed a step ahead of them.
After round three years in the service, I fell in love with a very beautiful girl Mildred Joan Lee from Joplin Missouri, who I wanted to spend the rest of
my life with, she was a good Mom, and a good wife, very good. We had our first son “John” just before I receives my Honorable Good Conduct discharge
from the U.S. Navy in nineteen fifty two. She could really sing, I should have pushed her a little more to try out for a singing job, I tried to get her to try
out in San Diego California at the radio station but she was to shy and I understood and would not push her, but they were searching.
After my Honorable discharge, www.old-west.us/discharge.html I returned to Willcox Arizona, I brought my family with me, That was our first move
together my wonderful wife, Joan who I met in San Diego California and I also had my first born son John with us.
I started on the job training as an auto parts counter person on the GI Bill, should have been a good G.I. training contract but the way the company was
doing their part each month I would draw less from the GI Bill and supposed to get an increase each month from the auto company which didn’t
happened, in a few months I would not have enough to live on and feed my family, I had decided this job was very boring and a nowhere job, I quit.
My next job was driving truck, an eighteen wheeler, hauling fuel, gas & diesel oil from El Paso, Texas to Arizona and Mexico, after a short while it didn’t
seem like a very good future, by now I was age twenty five, married to a great person, Joan and had a son - John and a daughter - Mary (Flip) Anderson.
The age of twenty five seemed old at the time and I thought maybe I should try for a job that would offer retirement and vacations, I found one at the
South Phoenix Fire Department in Phoenix, Arizona.
www.old-west.us/gov/fire/pfd_onscene.html
While at the Fire Dept., I learned to fly, training before my shift started at seven am, later more on this story, after I went into aviation, we had a good
family, a total two boys and three girls, John, Mary (Flip), Salena, Larry and Barbara, I am very happy and proud of them all,
Barbara is a Registered Nurse at the Tempe Arizona Hospital and going for her Masters degree, www.old-west.us/barbara.html I think she wants to start
a school for nurses, in Arizona, she will do a good job she was a L.P.N for some time in the past before furthering her education, she gave me three grand
daughters, Leila, Salena (Little Salena) and Christen. Christen is in trhe Air Force, works with the Fighter Plane group and has some very good letters of
recommendation. She has been up in the fighter jets as some of here recommendation awards. , , www.old-west.us/Christen.html Little Salena was
born legaly blind and is in college to become Doctor of Psychology, Leila was a model, now a stay at home Mom, we have a Grandson and a
Granddaughter from Leila, she named her daughter Arayaa Lite and her son Elijah Jacoby.
Larry Anderson my son is a Business Manager and has a masters degree, he used to take white water rafters across America during the season, while he
was a manager at a Civil Air Patrol position in Florida and Tennessee, he would take wealthy kids all across America but only if the company would send
at least two under privileged kids with them, on one of their trips, they all spent two nights camped out at our ranch in Kentucky and they cleaned a hill of
mine off from fallen trees etc., I treated them all to steak bar-B Q dinner at the Greensburg, Kentucky Lake where they all took their showers and got
cleaned up, there is a good movie on DVD to see what they did in their white watering events, one of the boy’s wouldn’t help us , he got hot dogs for his
dinner. Get your own dvd movie about white water rafting. (The White Wolves) www.old-west.us/white-water.html
Salena Duncan, my daughter is an Artist and a stay at home Mom, she works in her office all the time, besides doing paintings, she makes beautiful
jewelry and sells and donates to different needs, I feel she is the Mom in the family to every one. She is good on our legal devise when needed. Salena gave
me a Grand Daughter J.J. named after me but a very sad not an accident, she was taken from us in a road rage situation, the other driver was never taken to
court by the police because the cars never touched but that person had done the same thing in another state, this is a long story, I feel our legal system
needs repaired. Salena also gave me a two Grand Son’s Toby who is a bike trick rider and is good, buys and sell bikes & parts over the internet with a good
success, and Jesse a school teacher and Principle in Missouri, I am very proud of them. www.old-west.us/salena-artist.
html
John my son was hooked on aviation, one day I took him up flying for his first flight lesson, in a Piper J3 Cub he loved it, later in life he joined the U.S.
Air Force and stayed with them until he retired, His job was with the Crash and Rescue department and had some exciting jobs, he is
is a retired Air Force person, he retired a Technical Sergeant - E6, his job was with the Crash and Rescue department and had some exciting and rewarding
jobs, he traveled to Osan Air Base in Osan Korea each year for special training and to Misawi Japan for the same and also to Rota Naval Air Station, Spain
for his specialized training, his job took him all over the world, he has a lot of letters of appreciation, that I will list here he gave twenty one years to his
country and to all of us. 1, A certificate - From the Military Department, State Of California - The California Commendation Medal, Signed by Arthur B.
Cornelius, Colonel, Commander, to Technical Sergeant John G. Anderson 2. The Department Of The Air Force, The Air Force Achievement Medal by
Brigadier General, Commander, California Air National Guard 3, Certificate Of Appreciation By Jacob J. Leisle, LTC. Ca. ANG, Logistics Group
Commander. 4. Certificate - Retired Reserve by Chief of the Air Force Reserve, Major General, USAF. www.old-west.us/john-airforce.
html
John while in the service wrote a lady in Mexico and received a very pretty lady bride ( A mail order bride) Guillermina - “Mina” from Mexico and now
has a very happy family two sons, Jose and Julio. They live in California and both work hard to pay off a very pretty Home that they bought.
Mary (Flip) Anderson was a straight A student and does something with
computers for different companies, she is also a book writer Mary got the nickname Flip because when a baby she never just turned over she flipped over
on her back or stomach. They all gave us beautiful Grand Kids and great Grand Kids. Mary gave me three Grand Son‘s, Jimmy, Georgie, Jackie. George
and Jimmy are store and restaurant managers, Jackie is looking. They live in Tennesse. I also have three Grand daughters in Tennesse, one, Julie is in the
High School Band. www.old-west.us/tennesse.html
After going to work at the Fire Dept. I worked up to Fire Engineer, driving fire trucks and worked on rescue, this was a job that did offer good feeling of
responsibilities. While being a fireman, I checked into Aviation, this was something that you could dig into the books and take your written exams and
what you scored was yours and no one could take it away from you, it was handled like civil service.
I started learning to fly airplanes before my shift started at the fire department, which was at seven AM, my flight lessons would start between five Am
and six AM and last a little over an hour. After around one year of this, I earned my Commercial pilots license. Latter in my aviation life, that teacher event
in my freshman year would effect another part of my life in my decision making process that at my retirement age today, I really realized what a sad
situation I had put myself into. I did enjoy a lot of different adventures. My wonderful wife Joan said she
would go anyplace with me to enhance my aviation goals, She did help me a grateful lot.
With my new Commercial pilots license, I applied for a crop dusting job in Arizona, I was ready to tackle the whole world, so I thought, but found out at
that time that I needed more flight experience to get hired. I needed more flying time, at least one thousand flying hours.
I started checking on different flying jobs to see where the most opportunities were,to work and build uo your flying time, most Crop Dusting companys
would not hire a commercial pilot with only a couple hundred hours. I found that there was a shortage of Flight Instructors and the best choice was in
Chicago, Illinois. I guess pilots did not like the weather there. I moved my family from Phoenix, Arizona to Chicago in the mid winter, January what a
change. My wonderful wife Joan was right there to help me. I made contact with a flight school that was looking for flight instructors and they hired me to
work in their shop and showed me what I needed to study and practice to get my flying up to par so I could pass a Flight Instructors written and flight
test to receive my license..
I became a Flight Instructor to teach for a Private Pilot and or Commercial
Pilots license. I taught thru the summer months in Illinois and then moved my family and myself back to Phoenix Arizona. I was very fortunate to be able
to return to the Fire Department, they had an opening that I filled.
I became a crop duster pilot in the next summer for Maricopa Flying Service in Maricopa, Arizona for Hugh Hines, The aircraft licensed mechanic was
from Willcox, Merril Forcyth, he kept us up in the air, more way’s than one, very good. I have a lot of respect for him, taught me a lot about crop dusting.
At the end of that first dusting season, Mr. Himes gave me a position as a Flight Manager in Queen Creek Arizona. That was a good responsible job. www.
old-west.us/crop-dusting.html
I had a very serious accident, on one of my early morning dusting job in Queen Creek, I had got some bad gas, and on take off the engine lost most of its
power and the Callair duster that I was flying was loaded and I couldn’t clear the electric lines and had no place to go, I could have dove under the electric
high line but I would have had to do a sharp pull up to clear a home that I knew had around six small children in it and I didn’t want to take the chance of
possible hitting there home so I chanced going over the electric line but the tail wheel got tangled with the wires and caused me to crash in their front yard
but was still better than to crash into the house, I wound up in the Williams Air Force Base hospital. I remember seeing the whole world hitting me in the
face and thanks to my loader, he took me to the base, I was out like a light. While there in the recovery room, two News Paper reporters came to me to get
the story, they wanted to talk with me and take a picture but I didn’t want that, a Nurse told me this is how they earn their income, so I agreed, when the
story was released, the headlines said (Crop Duster Pilot Crashes Plane -- No Broken Bones.) www.old-west.us/queen-creek-arizona.html
A little time later I figured I was thru with this life as a duster pilot and a few days later I called the owner, Hugh Hines in Maricopa Arizona and told
him if I had any money coming that I would be over tomorrow to get it and that I was finished with flying, he said he was sorry to hear this but OK, when
I got to his operation, no one except the mechanic, Merril Forcyth was there and he told me that everyone was gone and that the company had a real
problem, they were about to lose a large account the Bogle Farms, a very big farm and a very good customer, he needed someone to just show up and do a
little dusting and they could put off the big job until the next day. I told Merril that I was thru flying dusters, I am going to find an easier and safer flying
job. He said, Hugh gave you a chance and gave you your first crop dusting job, when most operators wouldn’t hire you without any dusting experience and
that I at least owed him this flight and I could stay high off the ground, just show up and dump some dust, I finally agreed because no one else was
available, so I put on my duster clothes, helmet and glasses and took the plane off and went to the farm and dumped some dust, as I did this, I thought this
wasn’t so bad, by the time I got back to the landing strip I felt pretty calm and said to myself, not to bad, maybe I can do this after I landed and parked the
plane, Hugh and Merril and a bunch of the pilots came running to me shouting - good job, thanks, I was hooked again, ``Merril was more than a mechanic.
THANKS. I dusted for five more years and then decided to move on to other flying jobs. After my accident, one day I saw another crop duster hit a power
line and went through the top of a tree and pulled about a I/4 mile of elect line off the polls, he was flying a by-plane, a Stearman with a 450 H.P. engine,
the next year, that was what I was flying for Lazy 8 flying Service, Chandler AZ. the owner was Mr. Tugg Watts, he and his Chief Pilot, Jerry Alley
taught me a lot, enough for me to survive five years crop dusting until I moved on. I remember some of our work was in Maricopa and we would fly there
at sun up, the farms were five hundred to one thousand acres, it would take us a few days to complete the job.- Our flight would take us across the Gila
River Indian Reservation, there was this Indian farming around five acres, growing Corn, I would save dust from the job the day before and would drop in
on his field and make about three passes and dust his crop , I think he had the best looking crop on the reserveration. www.old-west.us/arizona-indians.
html
I also was a flight instructor during the winter months at Sky Harbor Airport for Davis Flying Service , Mr. Cliff Davis, quite a guy. A great Flight
Instructor, I went to work for Sun Valley Flying Service, I did this for a few years and during that time I achieved my Instrument Flight Instructor and the
Primary, Advanced Instrument Ground Instructors license. I was working for Sun Valley Aviation, we said it was owned by Father - Son and Wholly
Ghost ???. They had a Cessna Distributor service and Cessna Sales service and a flight school and charter business. I met some interesting people while
doing the charter service, I wound up with a corporation job with a company that bought a twin engine Cessna airplane, Mr. Crocettie in Watsonville
California.
My next job, I was offered a Chief Pilot position at a Flight School in San Jose, California which I took and was a very good responsible position, I was
always looking for another type of job or position that would advance my flight experience. While there I also became a Federal Aviation Flight Inspector
a non paying personal position. You could give flight test to students ready for their Pilots License and if they did the exams according to the F.A.A flight
examiners book, they earned their pilots license and could fly passengers and friends.
Another opportunity came to me, while in San Jose, California, I was offered an opportunity to be hired and train to become a co pilot for a Triple A
Corporation, same as an airline like United, American etc,the company was Chanel Airlift in Hawaii, USA, came under the same rules as any airline. I
accepted the opportunity with a stipulation that I would be allowed on my twelve month check ride to be able to take a Captain’s check ride and to work
as a Captain Pilot, they agreed. We flew fresh baked bread from Honolulu to all the other islands, our hours were from around midnight to five or six in the
morning each day, so the stores would have fresh bread to sell each day, one morning around five AM on my way home to an apartment in Honolulu, I
turned left on to a street and from my car I saw the whole sky light up in purple arms of light spreading all over the sky, what a beautiful site, it was July,
16,1969, it was Apollo 11 on the first mission to the Moon, commanded by Neil Armstrong and the Lunar Module Pilot Edwin Eugene `Buzz` Aldrin full
filling their dreams, my thoughts, I would like to have been part of that dream. www.old-west.us/moon-flight.html
I moved my family to Hawaii, my wife Joan, son John, son Larry and my three daughters, Mary, Salena & Barbara. I worked with Chanel Air Lift in
Hawaii for one year and then my check ride came up. Two months before my check ride they had hired a new Director of Operations and he refused to let
me take a captains check ride because, he would never recommend a person without knowing him for six months, another upset, I took the co-pilot check
ride and had made up me mind to do my very best, I was very rough with that plane, flew it like it was a Piper Cub, the F.A.A. check pilot was very up
set, ended my test ride early, I thought, I did it this time but I heard him in the Directors office telling the director that I did a better flight check than any
of his Captains and that he should go back to school to learn his job. I was out of there in the next few days, the company was on its way out anyway,
they were facing bankruptcy.
I moved my family back to the U.S. to Joplin Missouri to stay with her Aunt Betty, later we bought a home in Joplin Mo., even though I was working
in the Virgin Islands. Our son, John stayed with a Hawaiian family and completed High School and received his diploma from Kane-Ohe Hawaii, then came
back on his own. He was grown now and I was very proud of him, he is not a quitter but a go getter. www.old-west.us/hawaii-
usa.html
That flight company in Hawaii failed and filed bankruptcy, I helped deliver one of the freight planes a C46 Curtis Commander to the Virgin Islands in the
B.W.I. and was offered a job with them, I agreed to take the job with a stipulation that I would be allowed to take a Captains check ride within thirty
days, which I did and passed with no problem, now was a captain with a different Airline in the Virgin Islands with a lot better pay.
I allso flew a Skyvane, a Twin Turbo jet engine aircraft, really fun flying, I had one trip to Dominica Island to pick up a load of bananas, I landed there
around nine AM, they told me it would around four hours to get me loaded, the reason was they do not pick the bananas before the plane in parked on
their soil because they have had planes not show up and lost all their picked bananas, I agreed, I went to the beach to spend my day.
Now in the Virgin Islands , this is the first place away from the States that my wife, Joan refused to follow, I understand now that was a big mistake on
my part, I filed for a devorce because I thought and was told that she had found someone that would care for her better than I did, a preacher, I said to my
self, I can’t compete with that situation, she knew and read the Bible often. that was a mistake on my part, I should have put up a better fight. That was
quite a change in all of our lives. I I was still in the Virgin Islands, I met a flight nurse, Carol Marsh from
Hollywood, Florida. I flew from St Croix, Virgin Islands to Puerto Rico in our Twin Engine Aero Commander to pick up her and her patient and the cook
and her house keeper and her full time home nurse, brought them to the Virgin Islands to one of her many world homes.
Carol worked at the Hospital in Hollywood Florida and this was a one time nurse deal. I brought them to the patients home in St, Croix, Virgin Islands,
U.S.A. she had homes all over the world. I guess I was looking and Carol was a good looking lady and had been raising her kids on her own for nine years,
I thought a good recommendation, Sometime later we got married and both worked very hard. We started our own Airfreight Business in 1974 going from
the Miami area to the British West Indies. www.old-west.us/bwi-airfreight.html
My son Larry and daughter Barbara came to live with us in Hollywood Florida, Larry helped us in our business for awhile, and later I had landed a
contract to fly Salmon, point to point in Alaska, I had to fly our airplane to Alaska and would be gone until my wife Carol could find a qualified pilot to
replace me, which she did in about three weeks, my daughter Barbara did not want to stay there without me so she went to Phoenix, Arizona to her uncle
Elmer and aunt Frances Anderson, and then later went back to her Mom, was probably a good idea. There was friction between her and Carols children
that I didn’t know about.
Now at this time, that event in my Freshman Science class, that happened twenty-nine years in the past would effect another decision making process
that bothers me everyday and will the rest of my life here on this Earth. In nineteen seventy five I received a letter from the
Federal Aviation Administration Department to come in to be interviewed for a possible position with the F.A.A. Flight Department. At that time I had an
Airfreight Business operating from the Miami Florida area to the British West Indies Islands, mostly Turks & Caicos Islands, we operated under the name
Caicos Caribbean Airways Ltd. I was pretty busy with our Island commitment to deliver freight to them, mostly food. We started with an ex Air Force
airplane, a Curtis Commando - (C46) a two thousand horse power twin engine aircraft that could carry around fifteen thousands pounds. It used between
two hundred and three hundred gallons gasoline an hour.-- Just a thought -- God Bless America. www.old-west.
us/turks-caicos-islands.html
After receiving that letter from the F.A.A. I felt I did not have the education to be an Federal Aviation Examiner. I had a great respect for them, I was not
sure I could write a proper report or to pronounce or spell the proper words for an investigation. I do know I could handle a flight or accident investigation
with the proper training everyone gets when they are employed by the F.A.A. but was not sure I could write a proper report that would pass the grade.
That Willcox High teacher shot me down again & again. I am bitter but know that I have to forgive, I did forgive but can’t forget. www.old-west.us/federal-
aviation.html The truth. I I really believe that Willcox is a great place to live and
I have some stories about the success that that Willcox High School directed a lot of students in the right direction, there were some very good futures
accomplished, I probably wont be able to tell them all, but any one reading this book wants to add their story, just let me know, there will be a revision
book later, just e-mail to me - J.W. Anderson = jwa1931@yahoo.com.
Now for some good true parts of growing up in Willcox Arizona, some good memories and people who made it worth while. Here are some true stories
about some friends that stayed in Willcox and some that found positions else where. Here are some of my friends in Willcox.
Donald Bethel became a city barber and worked with Mr. Perkins, and then Donald worked for the city and then went back to barbering full time , he did
that until he decided to move on, in 1973 0r 4 he became the Deputy Cochise County Assessor for the Northern part of Cochise County his family came
to Willcox when he was in the seventh grade, his Dad managed the Goar Service Station , Motel and Resturant, his Dad bought the Texaco Station later.
Don was married to Jonnie Belle Detlof and she was a great student and became the city Mayor in 1984 till 1992.
While growing up they used to have parties at D.T. Logan Jr. home and to play piano, maybe D.T.s Mom taught them, D.T. played by ear and was
good. Jonnie Belle had lessons when she was very young and loved playing the piano. I know Jonnie Belle and Donald had some good kids and grand kids,
here is some of their stories. SPORTS
Jonnie Belle’s parents came to Arizona in the 20’s they worked in Dos Cabezas at a store that served the mine workers and then they had the chance to
buy the Sweet Shop in Willcox on Railroad Ave. this was our favorite place for ice cream and all the goodies.
Her parents met in Flagstaff during college and was married in 1930. Johnnie Belle was born in Willcox, part of 5th. generation Arizona’ians and graduated
from the Willcox High School, same as her Mother did as did both her son’s Roger & Russel, they were 4th. Generation to graduate from Willcox High
School. Roger is retired from the County Road Dept. and travels all over the World as a paving consultant. He has been to Africa four times and China six
times, been to Ukraine, Croatia, Turkministan, Paraguay, Argentine and tenty four times to Nicaragua in South America. W Willcox knows how to turn
them out. I invite everyone to come visit Willcox, you might be amazed, They also had two Grand Son’s that graduated from the Willcox High School, one
was Ryno (nickname) graduated in 2001 from Grand Canyon University in Phoenix Arizona and in 2005 was drafted into the Tampa Devil Rays baseball
team, Tampa Florida, good job and now is Assistant Coach at Grand Canyon University, good job - go get em. www.old-west.us/arizona-sports.html
Russell, a Grandson is now a Teacher and baseball Coach at the Willcox High School, see what you can do when you dig in. I remember going to dances
where the Detlof band played by Jonnie Belle’s Dad, Mr. Double (nickname) Detlof and Jonnie Belle’s Mom, Carmen also played in the band and would
play at school dances and at the Mexico Way Restaurant and Dance Hall about three miles east of Willcox on Hwy. 86. I never missed any of his dances,
even today every time I hear the song “In The Mood“, I would and still do remember Willcox and his band, all through life and brought back good
memories. I did stop going to the high school prom dances because I was not in school my last two years in Willcox, I felt not qualified.
More great people of Willcox, My sister Nene Pew, she married one of the smartest person that I know Cliff Pew, he was a straight A student and sleep
in class a lot of the time, Cliff and his brother Roy helped their Dad farm in Willcox, a lot of early morning chores. Cliff went thru Arizona State
University in a little over three years, he was in a hurry to get started, he became a professor in California and retired there, my sister Nene was no slacker,
I remember she made a painting in the third grade of three different wild Wolves, each with a different expression, Happy, Sad and one Mean, she became
an artist with her own Sculpture business in California, they have two sons, Barry and Brett, Brett and Stacy has two boys, Bailey, the oldest is Autistic
and Brett volunteered his time at school to help and got so involved that he went back for his Masters Degree in teaching and now is doing it full time, and
should write a book about all you can do for anyone with Autistic before the school age. Bretts youngest son is Connor is strong= in sports. Willcox
started some very special people.
www.old-west.us/nene-cliff.html
Doris Thompson, now Doris Anderson. This is our story, I met her over the internet. After my wonderful wife Carol went to Heaven, I wasn’t sure
what to do, Carol had Alzheimer’s and was at that time in a Nursing Home and in and out of the Hospital and I was always there with her and the last
time in the hospital, I was standing by the door in her room and her Doctor, Dr. Abood motioned for me to come into the hall, she said, Carol will not be
coming back to the Hospital, I said what do you mean, is she going to Heaven? and she said yes. I went back into the room and since we never had secrets,
I said Carol I have something to tell you, she said, what? I said Dr. Abood said you will not be coming back to the hospital from the nursing home, she said
you will be going to Heaven,,, Carol said “ I better get my paper work ready” I felt a great relief and I said, don’t worry, I have it ready and then I said I
have a question for you, she just looked at me and I said how do you feel about it, she thought for a few seconds and said its alright. A After she went
to Heaven from the nursing home a few weeks later. C
Carol had a son, Pete who retired from the U.S.Army a police Sergent. Pete and Janet had two daughters, Heather and Christina, both college people.
www.old-west.us/marsh-life.html
Carol also had two daughters, Susan who is a High School Math Teacher and is good, her students call her at home, she is well liked, They gave us two
two grandson’s and two granddaughters all college people. Roby, Timmy, Elizabeth and
Becky. Her daughter Karen is a computer operator, manager at Dell computers in
Austin Texas at that time. They gave us two grandson’s, all college people.
After this hospital event, I thought what now?, I went to all my five children’s home and felt welcome but just out of place, I went to a friends home in St.
Augustine, Florida, Jim Rizer, used to own a Cattle Ranch next to ours in Kentucky, a story for later, any way he got me onto an internet web site, a
christen web site, that’s where I made first contact with my Wife Doris, our story - I told Jim I would contact only one person that I might like to meet
and go see her but would not contact a whole bunch different ones and I put on my résumé the kind of person I was and what I was looking for and when I
got on the Internet Site and found one in Willcox Arizona,
Doris : I thought, what! They have computers in Willcox, I’m glad they did because Doris and I are very happy, we have the rest of our life to help and
enjoy each other, Doris was married for 65 years to one person, Jack Thompson, Sept.30, 1941 in Norwood Colo. By Doris’s Grandfather, J.L.
Bowers he was the judge and was on his fifty’s anniversary, her Grandmother was Ella Trailer/Bowers.
They started the Hound Dog Diesel, a diesel service and repair business in Willcox Arizona in 1972, moved from Norwood Colorado. They had two
sons, William and Richard. They had four daughters, Lela, Dolly, Leona and Vivian. They had one daughter and three grand daughters graduate from
Willcox High School. Their youngest daughter Vivian Lorain Thompson graduated in 1979 and her three daughters, Cheryl , Kathy and Judy also graduated
from Willcox, Az. High School, should be on the school records if they weren’t burnt. Vivian lives in Holland. Doris was a coal miners daughter and also a
great Deer & Elk hunter in Colorado. She is writing her own book, will be very interesting, Coal Miners Daughter - a true story.
www.old-west.us/coal-miners-daughteer.html
Jim Rizer was our next door neighbor Cattle Ranch, he had I think around three hundred acres and some very beautiful registered cattle. Jim and Laurie
his wife had one son, Jimmy, who is in the Coast Guard and one daughter Betsie Rizer, they were home taught, Betsie was also an artist, she painted me a
picture of beautiful big Red Barn on a farm and I still have the painting on the wall in my office, Jim also has one son from an earlier marriage, and two
daughters, Penny and Robin. He named his son Hank Williams Rizer, now you know Jims most favorite singer, Jims son can really sing and play a guitar,
and has written some very good songs just go to my web site www.old-west.us and see a couple of his songs.
Later in my life when I was older I was working part time for a Flower Company. They had a good idea they take flower orders from all over the world
and have contracts with many small flower sale places and when they receive an order, fill it in that town, we had cubics with 4 or 5 computers set up and
would receive a phone call from a new or other customer and take all the information and see that the order would be filled, we were a 24 hour operation
and would really get slow sometime and the employees would set and talk and tell jokes, one night a bunch of guys behind me were at it, would ask what
do you get when you mix a goat with a donkey or ? most their jokes were real raunchy or to me sick, sometime I would say, if you don’t mind I have my
wife’s picture in my wallet, please watch your language, one time my best comment was, I bet I have one that none of you know, they said what? I said do
you know what they have in Heaven more than Angels, they said what? I said Sinners just like me, I will go to Heaven because I ask Gad to forgive my
Sins in the name of Jesus and I have been forgiven. Later that day a person came to me for advice on how to get to Heaven, a seed planted growing. It will
work for you.
NOTE) Anyone who has gone thru a school event similar to mine please e-mail or mail me your story, let’s help others.
James & Doris Anderson
895 E. McNeil Rd. No. 14
Benson AZ. 85602
E-Mail jwa1931@yahoo.com or grandmadorisking@hotmail.com
My next story will be about my Aviation Life “ Aviation Aviator”
A VERY TRUE STORY
To get the whole story, you will need your computer on & internet active.
The web page’s will change occasionally
Written by J.W. ANDERSON and MARY P. ANDERSON
James (J.W.) Former resident of WILLCOX, ARIZONA, USA and
D.T. Logan Jr., resident of WILLCOX ARIZONA, USA., Both now Age 80 +.== 2ND. BOOK COMING SOON ==
YOUTH IS A GIFT OF NATURE = AGE IS A WORK OF ART
WILLCOX ARIZONA USA
A GREAT PLACE TO LIVE .
COME VISIT
www.old-west.us/willcox-arizona.html
www.cityofwillcox.org
NO CHILD LEFT BEHIND
HELLO, my name is James Anderson, also known as J.W. Anderson and (Andy)
My story is about A Child Left Behind. I hope this story will not be boring and also hope it might benefit at least one child. This first part is for Teachers
to read, I hope they receive something from my story.
My story starts when I was a child around seventy years ago. I was probably like most boys are today, maybe not, but I was adventurous and I guess
was not a great student, I was happy if I could just get a passing grade of seventy percent. I think that was a good way to be graded, our whole life will
probably be graded in percentage’s.
My first problem started in the first grade. I remember that I wanted to write with my left hand and was told that I had to use my right hand, which I did
and still today have trouble sometime reading my own writing. I was lazy or just bored in school so bad that I failed the seventh grade exam to the eight
grade which was Jr. High and the eight grade was in the High School building, a few blocks from the grade school that we now call the Elementary School.
One teacher told me that he was sure that I knew the subject that I had failed and if I would work with him during the summer vacation that I would pass
into the eighth grade. I told him that I didn’t feel that would be fair and that if I failed that I should pay the penalty. I know now that was a big mistake on
my part.
When I did make it into and thru the eighth grade and into my freshman year, I decided that I only had four more years to prove myself, so maybe I should
try a little harder. I did dig into the books a little harder, some I didn’t care for, History was one, I liked the story but not having to remember the exact
dates, to me, just to know in the 1800’s was close enough.
Arithmetic, now known as math was not my good subject in the past, and now Algebra that made no sense to me at all, until one day the Math Teacher
ask me to stay after school and she would try to help me, I did and she did, about one hour into the session, it hit me like a ton of bricks, I said wow, this
is great, I understand it completely now, it all made sense to me, that teacher really cared.
I remember my first class in Science, there was something that really turned me on with that Science book, I couldn’t get enough of it, I read the whole
book in around my first few months as a Freshman and had started reading it again for the second time, that’s when my whole world would come to an end.
I was involved in a double car accident on Nov. 30, 1946, one car was driven by D.T. Logan Jr. and his passenger’s were me, J.W. Anderson, Red and
Harry Howe and the other car’s driver was Frank Shelton and his passenger was Donald Bethel, we were drag racing and one of my friend’s, ”Frank” in
the other car was seriously injured, he wound up losing site in one eye. www.old-west.us/shelton-ranch.html Franklin Shelton married Twila Garey, both
from Willcox and I believe they had a good life and devoted to Willcox Arizona , they had a great marriage, they got married in 1954 and Feb. 11 year 2011,
Frank & Ty have been married 57 years. That has to be some kind of a good record.
Donald Bethel married Jonnie Belle Detlof in 1950, both from and devoted to Willcox. Jonnie Belle became the Mayor of Willcox, story later.
I missed two weeks of school and went back to school on Friday the second week so I could get all my back lessons that I had missed so I could get caught
up on that weekend. That was the last day of school for me, something happened that made me walk out and never attend another public school. In my
Freshman Science class, the only class in my school history that really turned me on, turned me off and really completely changed my life in more ways
than I will ever know.
I do know that it was years later that I realized what I had missed out on and what I really wanted out of life was out of reach, if I had figured this out
earlier in life maybe I could have made a few changes and completed my education into the one field that I believe would have fulfilled my curiosity and
adventures mind and who knows what I might have achieved in this lifetime. So many things happened in the Science field in the past sixty years that I
missed out on. WOW! just imagine, the next sixty years. If only I had another chance, someone will (Have fun) God bless you.
That Friday when I returned to school to learn what I had missed out on in those two weeks from my classes, that afternoon when I got to my Science
class, my daily last class, the class was scheduled to take a two week written exam for those two weeks that I had missed, which we did take and I was the
only one out of thirty five in the class that made a one hundred which is an A, no missed questions. That might have been the only one hundred I ever
made in all my past school history, I’m not sure but I do know that was a very proud moment for me but very short lived, the teacher said I am giving you
an F, because the only way you could have passed this test was to cheat. I told him I did not cheat and that Science really interested me and I had read the
complete book and was starting my second reading now. He said you are getting an F and that is final, I said ask me anyone of those questions, I know the
answers, he replied you get an F, period, I jumped up from my desk and threw my book and papers at him and walked out from the science class.
I went directly to the Principals office and I told him what had happened, he said I have to back my teachers, I said will you please get my exam paper
and ask me those questions and if I can answer them correctly then believe me that I did not cheat, he said again, I have to back my teachers. My heart
broke and I realized that I didn’t have a chance at this school. I said you take all your teachers and shove them, I am out of here. For the next few days was
a very empty feeling and I felt very lost. I will never forget that feeling. www.old-west.us/highschool.html
When I got home that evening and told my parents what had happened, my Mom wanted to go to the school and see if something could be done, and I
didn’t feel it would do any good , they do not believe me, you would only be begging on my behalf and that I would never set foot back into that public
school. Now at this time since no one in that town tried to help me, as I look back now, I should have let her at them. Up to this point, I thought I had full
control of my life and was really ready to prove my self but others, not me had full control. I wonder if that teacher had molested me, what would the
School Principal have done ?? I was molested in my mind and could never get over it, it haunted me time after time the rest of my life. That event in my
life effected a lot of my decision making process in the future. Have you ever given someone a lower grade than actually earned?
I couldn’t wait to become the age so I could join the U.S. Navy to see the world and to get away from everyone in that town. I did join the Navy, I was
now the age of seventeen and had been accepted into the Navy, I owned a dump truck, another story for later, my first year in the Navy I enrolled into a
school class, while there I received my GED before my High School graduation date. I got leave from the U.S. Navy and went back to the Willcox School
Principal to see if he would allow me to graduate with the class, he said he couldn’t do that because other student’s might try to do the same, I suppose he
was right but I do know some schools do. No help.
I had some real good friends that I remember and hope they remember me, and sorry that I was not a part of their growing up years. I do remember, I did
date some very pretty girls, one of them I got leave from the U.S. Navy, I was going to ask her to marry me, when I got into town, Mrs. Anne Clarence
picked me up at the bus station, Mrs. Clarence was to me, my second Mom, I told her my plans, she told me that Leola Sch??? wedding to some one is
already set in a few days, so to me Willcox had nothing for me, so out of here. Annie & Charlie Clarence was my Mom “Mary” and my dad’s “Earsel”
Andersons best friends and their kids were my friends, there was Bill, Buddy, Ruth and Charlene.www.old-west.us/willcox-clarence.html
A lot of things have happened since that day in 1946, especially in the Science world, just maybe I would have been part of it, but because of one teacher
and one Principal in the Willcox High School in Willcox, Arizona whom I guess had not much respect for students, I never had a chance to find out, their
names are on the school records, my name should be there also.
I will always feel I was not a failure but I was a quitter, you see, I believe there are no failures, only quitters in this world. If you ever feel a student is
going to fail or if She or He feels they are going to fail, please don’t let them quite. I did not fail that class. I should have fought back but no one would
listen, I did not fail but I did quit. Who cared? If only one teacher from that Willcox High School would have came forward maybe things would have been
better, I am not really bitter anymore but just writing my book, hoping that teachers have more respect for their students, I am sure more do now in this
modern age. If only one Teacher will read this book, it might make a change. (Note) A good movie to see concerning what parents, teachers and others can
stop doing to mess up lives, movie made in nineteen eighty eight.(The Accused) Some go to far but most can be saved.
My life and some other fantastic people growing up in Willcox, a very good part, and some very exciting times, the best part, we all had some good
unforgettable times.
My life Achievements & Failures and some others Successes and Achievements from Willcox Arizona.
I remember my family and I went to a Rodeo in Willcox and my dad got me a ride in a little J3 Cub airplane, the pilot was a Barnstormer, traveled the
rodeo’s and sold rides, wow! was I thrilled, saw my house from way above it, I was really sold on flying that showed up in my life in my later years.
www.old-west.us/airplane.html I suppose we were all born adventures.
My Mom was born in a covered wagon in Lulu, New Mexico, Adair county, my grandfather Ben Glascock and my grandmother Alice were moving from
Austin, Texas to Pleasant Valley, Arizona, they farmed the property, used mules and worked very hard, my grandmother raised around one thousand
turkeys, they had three girls and two boys, born on the farm, that’s what made America what it is today. www.old-west.
us/covered-wagon.html
Some things in my life started early in my life, as I look back, I can see now that I was in a hurry to get going and maybe doing things to fast and ahead of
my time, when my friend Bill Clarence and I were abut age eleven, we decided to run away from home, we left after dark from Willcox we walked along the
railroad tracks heading for Tucson Arizona, we knew when the train got to the hills it would be going pretty slow and we could jump on. So our family
wouldn’t worry, we left a note on a record in the old wind up record player , we knew Bills sister Ruth would play that player around eleven pm, the same
she did every night and we would be long gone by then, we came back home the next day, we decided home wasn’t so bad.
I had a home made motor bike in my early age of twelve. I also had a donkey and buggy that I used often and gave my friends rides in town. We had a
lot of fun with that old Donkey “Ass”, later I sold my donkey and saddle to my good friend Richard Cox for ten dollars, very good transportation buy at
that time.
I bought a Motorcycle, an Indian and it needed a lot of work so I sold it and bought a Harley Davidson, I remember my Mom took the engine for me to
Tucson Arizona to get overhauled, I had removed it from the bike myself, that over haul cost me eighty five dollars and made my Bike run great, I used it a
lot, www.old-west.us/motorcycle.html I remember once to Benson Arizona to a school dance. There were more trips to Benson, Bowie, Tombstone and
other close Arizona towns. www.old-west.us/benson-arizona.html A lot of old west history to learn about. Go to; www.old-
west.us/tombstone.html
After awhile I decided I would like to have a car, my very own car, we lived about ten miles from town, D.T. Logan Jr., my friend, had his first car, so I
guess he was a little ahead of me, he was the age of thirteen. I got mine at age fourteen. He got his car about a year before I got mine, it cost him $30.00. A
very good buy. A 1926 Chevrolet Coup bought in 1944 and we had a lot of fun in it. www.old-west.us/dt-cars.html
I knew that I needed permission from my Dad to get a car so I ask him and he said if you want a car it’s OK with me but you have to pay cash for it and
you will have to save your own money and then he said to make it more interesting, you save one half and he would match my half when you are ready to
buy. He didn’t know I had been saving from my part time jobs for sometime and all I had to do was find one that would fit into my budget. I was looking
and soon I would be fourteen and felt that should be old enough to drive. I knew a friend of mine, D.T. Logan Jr. had his own car, so why shouldn’t I.
I had a job with a neighbor, building fences and cleaning chicken pens, they had a beautiful black horse and would let me saddle him up and ride him to
town and to Rodeo’s, one Saturday I wanted to take him to a Rodeo but was told I had to finish a new chicken pen that I was building for them before I
could leave. I really worked hard and fast and after I finished, I saddled up old Black and went to the Rodeo and when the owners got home and saw that I
finished the project, they were surprised that I did it so fast and so well pleased they told me when I got back from the Willcox Rodeo after they looked it
over they told me we have been paying you fifty cents an hour and we are giving you a raise today to one dollar an hour, I said Wow, Thanks, I was
thrilled and vowed that I would never let them down, now I was really saving for a car, can you imagine a one hundred percent pay raise increase. www.old-
west.us/arizona-rodeo.html
I found a used car for ninety dollars, I had my forty five dollars an my Dad matched it. I was now driving my very own car, a 1929 Model A ford, a two
door sedan, if I still had it, it would be worth fifty or maybe even one hundred times that amount that I paid. www.old-west.us/jw-cars.html
I also came across an old Dodge dump truck that was beat up, didn’t have a windshield, I talked my Mom into trading her old Plymouth car for it. I went
to a wrecking yard and found another windshield and with a little effort made it work, this old truck ran good. I thought not bad, I am now in business. I
was age fifteen now but really didn’t think to much about that.
I drove the truck around town and started getting work from people who wanted fill dirt and top soil, I think my first customer was my old retired first
grade teacher, Mrs. Randle. I was in business at age fifteen.
Later after my High School problem in my freshman year, all I wanted to do was get away - Navy. I was killing time, waiting for my seventeenth
birthday, the service entry age. Almost every afternoon at the end of the school class, I would be ready to give girls a ride in my car to town, about eight
blocks to the restaurant “ The Sweet Shop” where we all meet, I always had an ice cream sunday, as I walked into the ice cream parlor, someone would say
the usual? my reply would be yes. www.old-west.us/willcox-sweetshop.html I still have contact with most of my old
friends.
I remember two seniors from school, football stars, would jump into my car at the school and tell me to drive them to town, which I did they were
pretty big, I guess I was under their control. They are the one’s that while I was trying out for football that Freshman year, I caught the ball and they both
hit and knocked me out completely and after that the coach would only let me set on the bench and never play, they bullied me often.
I dreamed up an idea, I bought an old model T Ford ignition coil and wired it to my back seat, the next time they jumped into my car, I drove them about
one block then I turned it on, they almost tore my car up getting out, they said we will get you and I said come on anytime you wish to get another electric
shock, I had also wired my car so any one that touched it got a shock , only when I turned it on. I could also make the car parked next to me, shock any one
that touched it. I now had full control over any bullies. Just try it. www.old-west.us/model-t-coil.html
One Saturday night there was a dance at now called the Old Mexico Dance hall a few miles East of Willcox I took small copper wires from an old battery
and connected a bunch of cars together and to my car, when I turned it on would charge all the connected cars with electric, it was dark and some guys
would come to their cars to get a drink of alcohol I would turn it on and every once awhile hear someone shout, Ow, Ow , you knew what that meant, they
got a shock,,, some way. Ha, Ha, Ha. Maybe on a wheel.
I remember one Friday or Saturday night, we had a beer party way out in the boom docks, we thought was a hidden place and after some time there, we
were all laughing and having a good time and some was just drinking Coca Cola, we saw a car coming toward us a few miles away and we said to each other,
isn’t everyone here that we invited, yes, so who is this coming, the car pulled up to us and it was my Dad, Earsel Anderson, we were shocked, he just
looked at us and ask is everyone ok, we said, yes, he said ok and drove off, I guess he wanted us to know that he could always find us.
I can remember other events, all us guys always had guns and did a lot of shooting practice at different times, we went hunting during the open hunting
season, I’m not sure who was the best shot, but I knew D.T would hardly ever miss, I trusted his shooting so much, I would hold a Coke bottle in my
hand and from a distant away he would shoot ii out of my hand --- dumb --- huh, I don’t think so, he was that good. I wouldn’t do it today!!!!.
Another time I remember, I think we had two cars full of us Willcox boys going to Chiricahua National Park to camp out and when we got there and
checked in at the Forest Rangers Station we had to check in all our guns, there was, I think five or six of us guys in the two cars we checked in thirty guns
and still, D.T. had one that was all apart and still in his car, we had Dove that night for supper. www.old-west.us/arizona-parks.html
One of our friends got a great brain storm to carve his name on one of the wooden tables, but he also but his home town and address on it, later we got
called into the Sheriffs office, thanks Richard Cox, all we got was a warning but Richard was always good with a knife but better with a gun.
Richard and Vera are real old time Willcox people, they were married 1/30/1949, soon will be sixty one years. Richsrd born Oct.6,1931 about 6 months
after me and Vera was born Aug.30,1933. They have a son John, still in Willcox. The whole family made Willcox their home. www.old-west.us/willcox-cox.
html
I remember my friends Frank Shelton and Bob Forsyth would play Cowboy and Indians on a mountain on their property or very close to their property,
they used twenty-five-thirty rifles, one day when I got to Franks home, his mom, Mrs. Violet Shelton, Franks Mom, would tell me where Frank & Bob
went and to go saddle up one of their horses and ride out to them, which I did, and that is when I learned about Cowboy’s and Indian’s, Bob was on top of
the mountain and Frank was behind a rock at the bottom and they were bouncing shots off near rocks, we had a good life but never hurt anyone. I loved
their ranch. www.old-west.us/shelton-ranch.html
Frank and I would drive over the Wilcox Dry Lake bed and pick up machine gun bullets that were dropped from the army aircraft that used the lake for
shooting practice, during World War Two, I remember I would tie my steering wheel on my car with a little turn in it and set the throttle to a low speed
and turned it loose. Frank and I would start walking and meet the car on the other side of the lake and jump in and drive home, we would take the bullets to
Frank’s house and remove the gun powder and make hand bombs to fish with and other things but still, we never hurt anyone, might have, maybe messed
up his Mom’s water wells sometime but not on purpose, Just fun. www.old-west.us/willcox-dry-lake.html
A lot of things happened before I became seventeen, once we were Deer hunting, I think in the White mountains and Frank and I was walking up a trail
going back to our camp, and a wild Havelna Boar Hog was coming down the trail from the other direction, so Frank and I went off the trail about fifty feet
and hid behind a rock, that old pig just stopped and started up toward us and Frank shot his brains out with one shot, we all had good bar B Q pig that
night. I I remember that
to all of us Mrs. Violet Shelton was a real Arizona pioneer, one evening when Frank & I was going to go to town, his car would not start, we needed a push
or pull, Franks Mom said just get in and I will pull you, she did, she looped a rope around our front bumper and had the other end of the rope over her leg
and to the saddle horn and that horse kicked gravel and pulled us until it started, I always felt Mrs. Violet Shelton was a pioneer of Arizona. www.old-
west.us/arizona-pioneer.html
Frank had a little brother Mairon who had rickets and could not walk, had to drag himself around until after I gave them my dog, a German Sheppard
“King”. Marion would throw his arm over King and go any place across the yard that he wanted to, they were real buddies.
I understand that Johnny Logan, D.T.’s brother became a Motor Road Grader driver for the same county Highway Dept. that my Dad (Earsel Anderson)
used to work for years before. Dad was a shovel operator, Johnny Logan drove a motor grader for over twenty years, eating Arizona dust all that time and
now get’s no compensation for all he did for all of us, has very bad lung problems, they tell him, his problem was cigarettes, I wonder how many others
smoked on the job, of those that worked there at the same time but not on a motor grader and smoked as many or more cigarettes than Johnny did and
never had lung problems. Time for a good lawyer.
www.old-west.us/cochise-road-dept.html
As soon as I became seventeen, I did join the Navy, I joined for three years to try to figure out what I wanted to do with my life, first was the GED,
which I did receive, I got extended in the service for two more years because of the Korean war. I had a trip to Japan, and what a reunion we had there in
Japan, there were at least five guys there from our little home town Willcox, Arizona, Small world ?? There was Dan Cape - Airforce, Richard Cox - Navy,
Joe Mills - Coast Guard, J.W. Anderson - Navy. And a couple more there from Willcox. It’s either a small world or Willcox turns out special people, there
are more special ones like Rex Allen, Tanya Tucker, Monty Robbins and others that will be mentioned here. www.old-west.
us/willcox-celeberties.html
I understand that the movie star Jane Russell passed away Feb. 28, 2011, brought some memories, I was stationed on an Aircraft Carrier, the USS
Rendova and a friend of mine, “Wesley Basham” invited me to spend the weekend at his home in River Side California and he had a date that evening, so
we went to pick her up at Jane Russell’s home, she was Jane Russell’s Niece, Mrs. Russell invited us to a party at her home that evening, I was really
looking forward to it, I would meet some real live movie people but we did not go because my friend, Wesley was to shy, in the Navy Service we called
him Bashful Wesley Basham was a very good looking person and most of the girls chased him but he stayed a step ahead of them.
After round three years in the service, I fell in love with a very beautiful girl Mildred Joan Lee from Joplin Missouri, who I wanted to spend the rest of
my life with, she was a good Mom, and a good wife, very good. We had our first son “John” just before I receives my Honorable Good Conduct discharge
from the U.S. Navy in nineteen fifty two. She could really sing, I should have pushed her a little more to try out for a singing job, I tried to get her to try
out in San Diego California at the radio station but she was to shy and I understood and would not push her, but they were searching.
After my Honorable discharge, www.old-west.us/discharge.html I returned to Willcox Arizona, I brought my family with me, That was our first move
together my wonderful wife, Joan who I met in San Diego California and I also had my first born son John with us.
I started on the job training as an auto parts counter person on the GI Bill, should have been a good G.I. training contract but the way the company was
doing their part each month I would draw less from the GI Bill and supposed to get an increase each month from the auto company which didn’t
happened, in a few months I would not have enough to live on and feed my family, I had decided this job was very boring and a nowhere job, I quit.
My next job was driving truck, an eighteen wheeler, hauling fuel, gas & diesel oil from El Paso, Texas to Arizona and Mexico, after a short while it didn’t
seem like a very good future, by now I was age twenty five, married to a great person, Joan and had a son - John and a daughter - Mary (Flip) Anderson.
The age of twenty five seemed old at the time and I thought maybe I should try for a job that would offer retirement and vacations, I found one at the
South Phoenix Fire Department in Phoenix, Arizona.
www.old-west.us/gov/fire/pfd_onscene.html
While at the Fire Dept., I learned to fly, training before my shift started at seven am, later more on this story, after I went into aviation, we had a good
family, a total two boys and three girls, John, Mary (Flip), Salena, Larry and Barbara, I am very happy and proud of them all,
Barbara is a Registered Nurse at the Tempe Arizona Hospital and going for her Masters degree, www.old-west.us/barbara.html I think she wants to start
a school for nurses, in Arizona, she will do a good job she was a L.P.N for some time in the past before furthering her education, she gave me three grand
daughters, Leila, Salena (Little Salena) and Christen. Christen is in trhe Air Force, works with the Fighter Plane group and has some very good letters of
recommendation. She has been up in the fighter jets as some of here recommendation awards. , , www.old-west.us/Christen.html Little Salena was
born legaly blind and is in college to become Doctor of Psychology, Leila was a model, now a stay at home Mom, we have a Grandson and a
Granddaughter from Leila, she named her daughter Arayaa Lite and her son Elijah Jacoby.
Larry Anderson my son is a Business Manager and has a masters degree, he used to take white water rafters across America during the season, while he
was a manager at a Civil Air Patrol position in Florida and Tennessee, he would take wealthy kids all across America but only if the company would send
at least two under privileged kids with them, on one of their trips, they all spent two nights camped out at our ranch in Kentucky and they cleaned a hill of
mine off from fallen trees etc., I treated them all to steak bar-B Q dinner at the Greensburg, Kentucky Lake where they all took their showers and got
cleaned up, there is a good movie on DVD to see what they did in their white watering events, one of the boy’s wouldn’t help us , he got hot dogs for his
dinner. Get your own dvd movie about white water rafting. (The White Wolves) www.old-west.us/white-water.html
Salena Duncan, my daughter is an Artist and a stay at home Mom, she works in her office all the time, besides doing paintings, she makes beautiful
jewelry and sells and donates to different needs, I feel she is the Mom in the family to every one. She is good on our legal devise when needed. Salena gave
me a Grand Daughter J.J. named after me but a very sad not an accident, she was taken from us in a road rage situation, the other driver was never taken to
court by the police because the cars never touched but that person had done the same thing in another state, this is a long story, I feel our legal system
needs repaired. Salena also gave me a two Grand Son’s Toby who is a bike trick rider and is good, buys and sell bikes & parts over the internet with a good
success, and Jesse a school teacher and Principle in Missouri, I am very proud of them. www.old-west.us/salena-artist.
html
John my son was hooked on aviation, one day I took him up flying for his first flight lesson, in a Piper J3 Cub he loved it, later in life he joined the U.S.
Air Force and stayed with them until he retired, His job was with the Crash and Rescue department and had some exciting jobs, he is
is a retired Air Force person, he retired a Technical Sergeant - E6, his job was with the Crash and Rescue department and had some exciting and rewarding
jobs, he traveled to Osan Air Base in Osan Korea each year for special training and to Misawi Japan for the same and also to Rota Naval Air Station, Spain
for his specialized training, his job took him all over the world, he has a lot of letters of appreciation, that I will list here he gave twenty one years to his
country and to all of us. 1, A certificate - From the Military Department, State Of California - The California Commendation Medal, Signed by Arthur B.
Cornelius, Colonel, Commander, to Technical Sergeant John G. Anderson 2. The Department Of The Air Force, The Air Force Achievement Medal by
Brigadier General, Commander, California Air National Guard 3, Certificate Of Appreciation By Jacob J. Leisle, LTC. Ca. ANG, Logistics Group
Commander. 4. Certificate - Retired Reserve by Chief of the Air Force Reserve, Major General, USAF. www.old-west.us/john-airforce.
html
John while in the service wrote a lady in Mexico and received a very pretty lady bride ( A mail order bride) Guillermina - “Mina” from Mexico and now
has a very happy family two sons, Jose and Julio. They live in California and both work hard to pay off a very pretty Home that they bought.
Mary (Flip) Anderson was a straight A student and does something with
computers for different companies, she is also a book writer Mary got the nickname Flip because when a baby she never just turned over she flipped over
on her back or stomach. They all gave us beautiful Grand Kids and great Grand Kids. Mary gave me three Grand Son‘s, Jimmy, Georgie, Jackie. George
and Jimmy are store and restaurant managers, Jackie is looking. They live in Tennesse. I also have three Grand daughters in Tennesse, one, Julie is in the
High School Band. www.old-west.us/tennesse.html
After going to work at the Fire Dept. I worked up to Fire Engineer, driving fire trucks and worked on rescue, this was a job that did offer good feeling of
responsibilities. While being a fireman, I checked into Aviation, this was something that you could dig into the books and take your written exams and
what you scored was yours and no one could take it away from you, it was handled like civil service.
I started learning to fly airplanes before my shift started at the fire department, which was at seven AM, my flight lessons would start between five Am
and six AM and last a little over an hour. After around one year of this, I earned my Commercial pilots license. Latter in my aviation life, that teacher event
in my freshman year would effect another part of my life in my decision making process that at my retirement age today, I really realized what a sad
situation I had put myself into. I did enjoy a lot of different adventures. My wonderful wife Joan said she
would go anyplace with me to enhance my aviation goals, She did help me a grateful lot.
With my new Commercial pilots license, I applied for a crop dusting job in Arizona, I was ready to tackle the whole world, so I thought, but found out at
that time that I needed more flight experience to get hired. I needed more flying time, at least one thousand flying hours.
I started checking on different flying jobs to see where the most opportunities were,to work and build uo your flying time, most Crop Dusting companys
would not hire a commercial pilot with only a couple hundred hours. I found that there was a shortage of Flight Instructors and the best choice was in
Chicago, Illinois. I guess pilots did not like the weather there. I moved my family from Phoenix, Arizona to Chicago in the mid winter, January what a
change. My wonderful wife Joan was right there to help me. I made contact with a flight school that was looking for flight instructors and they hired me to
work in their shop and showed me what I needed to study and practice to get my flying up to par so I could pass a Flight Instructors written and flight
test to receive my license..
I became a Flight Instructor to teach for a Private Pilot and or Commercial
Pilots license. I taught thru the summer months in Illinois and then moved my family and myself back to Phoenix Arizona. I was very fortunate to be able
to return to the Fire Department, they had an opening that I filled.
I became a crop duster pilot in the next summer for Maricopa Flying Service in Maricopa, Arizona for Hugh Hines, The aircraft licensed mechanic was
from Willcox, Merril Forcyth, he kept us up in the air, more way’s than one, very good. I have a lot of respect for him, taught me a lot about crop dusting.
At the end of that first dusting season, Mr. Himes gave me a position as a Flight Manager in Queen Creek Arizona. That was a good responsible job. www.
old-west.us/crop-dusting.html
I had a very serious accident, on one of my early morning dusting job in Queen Creek, I had got some bad gas, and on take off the engine lost most of its
power and the Callair duster that I was flying was loaded and I couldn’t clear the electric lines and had no place to go, I could have dove under the electric
high line but I would have had to do a sharp pull up to clear a home that I knew had around six small children in it and I didn’t want to take the chance of
possible hitting there home so I chanced going over the electric line but the tail wheel got tangled with the wires and caused me to crash in their front yard
but was still better than to crash into the house, I wound up in the Williams Air Force Base hospital. I remember seeing the whole world hitting me in the
face and thanks to my loader, he took me to the base, I was out like a light. While there in the recovery room, two News Paper reporters came to me to get
the story, they wanted to talk with me and take a picture but I didn’t want that, a Nurse told me this is how they earn their income, so I agreed, when the
story was released, the headlines said (Crop Duster Pilot Crashes Plane -- No Broken Bones.) www.old-west.us/queen-creek-arizona.html
A little time later I figured I was thru with this life as a duster pilot and a few days later I called the owner, Hugh Hines in Maricopa Arizona and told
him if I had any money coming that I would be over tomorrow to get it and that I was finished with flying, he said he was sorry to hear this but OK, when
I got to his operation, no one except the mechanic, Merril Forcyth was there and he told me that everyone was gone and that the company had a real
problem, they were about to lose a large account the Bogle Farms, a very big farm and a very good customer, he needed someone to just show up and do a
little dusting and they could put off the big job until the next day. I told Merril that I was thru flying dusters, I am going to find an easier and safer flying
job. He said, Hugh gave you a chance and gave you your first crop dusting job, when most operators wouldn’t hire you without any dusting experience and
that I at least owed him this flight and I could stay high off the ground, just show up and dump some dust, I finally agreed because no one else was
available, so I put on my duster clothes, helmet and glasses and took the plane off and went to the farm and dumped some dust, as I did this, I thought this
wasn’t so bad, by the time I got back to the landing strip I felt pretty calm and said to myself, not to bad, maybe I can do this after I landed and parked the
plane, Hugh and Merril and a bunch of the pilots came running to me shouting - good job, thanks, I was hooked again, ``Merril was more than a mechanic.
THANKS. I dusted for five more years and then decided to move on to other flying jobs. After my accident, one day I saw another crop duster hit a power
line and went through the top of a tree and pulled about a I/4 mile of elect line off the polls, he was flying a by-plane, a Stearman with a 450 H.P. engine,
the next year, that was what I was flying for Lazy 8 flying Service, Chandler AZ. the owner was Mr. Tugg Watts, he and his Chief Pilot, Jerry Alley
taught me a lot, enough for me to survive five years crop dusting until I moved on. I remember some of our work was in Maricopa and we would fly there
at sun up, the farms were five hundred to one thousand acres, it would take us a few days to complete the job.- Our flight would take us across the Gila
River Indian Reservation, there was this Indian farming around five acres, growing Corn, I would save dust from the job the day before and would drop in
on his field and make about three passes and dust his crop , I think he had the best looking crop on the reserveration. www.old-west.us/arizona-indians.
html
I also was a flight instructor during the winter months at Sky Harbor Airport for Davis Flying Service , Mr. Cliff Davis, quite a guy. A great Flight
Instructor, I went to work for Sun Valley Flying Service, I did this for a few years and during that time I achieved my Instrument Flight Instructor and the
Primary, Advanced Instrument Ground Instructors license. I was working for Sun Valley Aviation, we said it was owned by Father - Son and Wholly
Ghost ???. They had a Cessna Distributor service and Cessna Sales service and a flight school and charter business. I met some interesting people while
doing the charter service, I wound up with a corporation job with a company that bought a twin engine Cessna airplane, Mr. Crocettie in Watsonville
California.
My next job, I was offered a Chief Pilot position at a Flight School in San Jose, California which I took and was a very good responsible position, I was
always looking for another type of job or position that would advance my flight experience. While there I also became a Federal Aviation Flight Inspector
a non paying personal position. You could give flight test to students ready for their Pilots License and if they did the exams according to the F.A.A flight
examiners book, they earned their pilots license and could fly passengers and friends.
Another opportunity came to me, while in San Jose, California, I was offered an opportunity to be hired and train to become a co pilot for a Triple A
Corporation, same as an airline like United, American etc,the company was Chanel Airlift in Hawaii, USA, came under the same rules as any airline. I
accepted the opportunity with a stipulation that I would be allowed on my twelve month check ride to be able to take a Captain’s check ride and to work
as a Captain Pilot, they agreed. We flew fresh baked bread from Honolulu to all the other islands, our hours were from around midnight to five or six in the
morning each day, so the stores would have fresh bread to sell each day, one morning around five AM on my way home to an apartment in Honolulu, I
turned left on to a street and from my car I saw the whole sky light up in purple arms of light spreading all over the sky, what a beautiful site, it was July,
16,1969, it was Apollo 11 on the first mission to the Moon, commanded by Neil Armstrong and the Lunar Module Pilot Edwin Eugene `Buzz` Aldrin full
filling their dreams, my thoughts, I would like to have been part of that dream. www.old-west.us/moon-flight.html
I moved my family to Hawaii, my wife Joan, son John, son Larry and my three daughters, Mary, Salena & Barbara. I worked with Chanel Air Lift in
Hawaii for one year and then my check ride came up. Two months before my check ride they had hired a new Director of Operations and he refused to let
me take a captains check ride because, he would never recommend a person without knowing him for six months, another upset, I took the co-pilot check
ride and had made up me mind to do my very best, I was very rough with that plane, flew it like it was a Piper Cub, the F.A.A. check pilot was very up
set, ended my test ride early, I thought, I did it this time but I heard him in the Directors office telling the director that I did a better flight check than any
of his Captains and that he should go back to school to learn his job. I was out of there in the next few days, the company was on its way out anyway,
they were facing bankruptcy.
I moved my family back to the U.S. to Joplin Missouri to stay with her Aunt Betty, later we bought a home in Joplin Mo., even though I was working
in the Virgin Islands. Our son, John stayed with a Hawaiian family and completed High School and received his diploma from Kane-Ohe Hawaii, then came
back on his own. He was grown now and I was very proud of him, he is not a quitter but a go getter. www.old-west.us/hawaii-
usa.html
That flight company in Hawaii failed and filed bankruptcy, I helped deliver one of the freight planes a C46 Curtis Commander to the Virgin Islands in the
B.W.I. and was offered a job with them, I agreed to take the job with a stipulation that I would be allowed to take a Captains check ride within thirty
days, which I did and passed with no problem, now was a captain with a different Airline in the Virgin Islands with a lot better pay.
I allso flew a Skyvane, a Twin Turbo jet engine aircraft, really fun flying, I had one trip to Dominica Island to pick up a load of bananas, I landed there
around nine AM, they told me it would around four hours to get me loaded, the reason was they do not pick the bananas before the plane in parked on
their soil because they have had planes not show up and lost all their picked bananas, I agreed, I went to the beach to spend my day.
Now in the Virgin Islands , this is the first place away from the States that my wife, Joan refused to follow, I understand now that was a big mistake on
my part, I filed for a devorce because I thought and was told that she had found someone that would care for her better than I did, a preacher, I said to my
self, I can’t compete with that situation, she knew and read the Bible often. that was a mistake on my part, I should have put up a better fight. That was
quite a change in all of our lives. I I was still in the Virgin Islands, I met a flight nurse, Carol Marsh from
Hollywood, Florida. I flew from St Croix, Virgin Islands to Puerto Rico in our Twin Engine Aero Commander to pick up her and her patient and the cook
and her house keeper and her full time home nurse, brought them to the Virgin Islands to one of her many world homes.
Carol worked at the Hospital in Hollywood Florida and this was a one time nurse deal. I brought them to the patients home in St, Croix, Virgin Islands,
U.S.A. she had homes all over the world. I guess I was looking and Carol was a good looking lady and had been raising her kids on her own for nine years,
I thought a good recommendation, Sometime later we got married and both worked very hard. We started our own Airfreight Business in 1974 going from
the Miami area to the British West Indies. www.old-west.us/bwi-airfreight.html
My son Larry and daughter Barbara came to live with us in Hollywood Florida, Larry helped us in our business for awhile, and later I had landed a
contract to fly Salmon, point to point in Alaska, I had to fly our airplane to Alaska and would be gone until my wife Carol could find a qualified pilot to
replace me, which she did in about three weeks, my daughter Barbara did not want to stay there without me so she went to Phoenix, Arizona to her uncle
Elmer and aunt Frances Anderson, and then later went back to her Mom, was probably a good idea. There was friction between her and Carols children
that I didn’t know about.
Now at this time, that event in my Freshman Science class, that happened twenty-nine years in the past would effect another decision making process
that bothers me everyday and will the rest of my life here on this Earth. In nineteen seventy five I received a letter from the
Federal Aviation Administration Department to come in to be interviewed for a possible position with the F.A.A. Flight Department. At that time I had an
Airfreight Business operating from the Miami Florida area to the British West Indies Islands, mostly Turks & Caicos Islands, we operated under the name
Caicos Caribbean Airways Ltd. I was pretty busy with our Island commitment to deliver freight to them, mostly food. We started with an ex Air Force
airplane, a Curtis Commando - (C46) a two thousand horse power twin engine aircraft that could carry around fifteen thousands pounds. It used between
two hundred and three hundred gallons gasoline an hour.-- Just a thought -- God Bless America. www.old-west.
us/turks-caicos-islands.html
After receiving that letter from the F.A.A. I felt I did not have the education to be an Federal Aviation Examiner. I had a great respect for them, I was not
sure I could write a proper report or to pronounce or spell the proper words for an investigation. I do know I could handle a flight or accident investigation
with the proper training everyone gets when they are employed by the F.A.A. but was not sure I could write a proper report that would pass the grade.
That Willcox High teacher shot me down again & again. I am bitter but know that I have to forgive, I did forgive but can’t forget. www.old-west.us/federal-
aviation.html The truth. I I really believe that Willcox is a great place to live and
I have some stories about the success that that Willcox High School directed a lot of students in the right direction, there were some very good futures
accomplished, I probably wont be able to tell them all, but any one reading this book wants to add their story, just let me know, there will be a revision
book later, just e-mail to me - J.W. Anderson = jwa1931@yahoo.com.
Now for some good true parts of growing up in Willcox Arizona, some good memories and people who made it worth while. Here are some true stories
about some friends that stayed in Willcox and some that found positions else where. Here are some of my friends in Willcox.
Donald Bethel became a city barber and worked with Mr. Perkins, and then Donald worked for the city and then went back to barbering full time , he did
that until he decided to move on, in 1973 0r 4 he became the Deputy Cochise County Assessor for the Northern part of Cochise County his family came
to Willcox when he was in the seventh grade, his Dad managed the Goar Service Station , Motel and Resturant, his Dad bought the Texaco Station later.
Don was married to Jonnie Belle Detlof and she was a great student and became the city Mayor in 1984 till 1992.
While growing up they used to have parties at D.T. Logan Jr. home and to play piano, maybe D.T.s Mom taught them, D.T. played by ear and was
good. Jonnie Belle had lessons when she was very young and loved playing the piano. I know Jonnie Belle and Donald had some good kids and grand kids,
here is some of their stories. SPORTS
Jonnie Belle’s parents came to Arizona in the 20’s they worked in Dos Cabezas at a store that served the mine workers and then they had the chance to
buy the Sweet Shop in Willcox on Railroad Ave. this was our favorite place for ice cream and all the goodies.
Her parents met in Flagstaff during college and was married in 1930. Johnnie Belle was born in Willcox, part of 5th. generation Arizona’ians and graduated
from the Willcox High School, same as her Mother did as did both her son’s Roger & Russel, they were 4th. Generation to graduate from Willcox High
School. Roger is retired from the County Road Dept. and travels all over the World as a paving consultant. He has been to Africa four times and China six
times, been to Ukraine, Croatia, Turkministan, Paraguay, Argentine and tenty four times to Nicaragua in South America. W Willcox knows how to turn
them out. I invite everyone to come visit Willcox, you might be amazed, They also had two Grand Son’s that graduated from the Willcox High School, one
was Ryno (nickname) graduated in 2001 from Grand Canyon University in Phoenix Arizona and in 2005 was drafted into the Tampa Devil Rays baseball
team, Tampa Florida, good job and now is Assistant Coach at Grand Canyon University, good job - go get em. www.old-west.us/arizona-sports.html
Russell, a Grandson is now a Teacher and baseball Coach at the Willcox High School, see what you can do when you dig in. I remember going to dances
where the Detlof band played by Jonnie Belle’s Dad, Mr. Double (nickname) Detlof and Jonnie Belle’s Mom, Carmen also played in the band and would
play at school dances and at the Mexico Way Restaurant and Dance Hall about three miles east of Willcox on Hwy. 86. I never missed any of his dances,
even today every time I hear the song “In The Mood“, I would and still do remember Willcox and his band, all through life and brought back good
memories. I did stop going to the high school prom dances because I was not in school my last two years in Willcox, I felt not qualified.
More great people of Willcox, My sister Nene Pew, she married one of the smartest person that I know Cliff Pew, he was a straight A student and sleep
in class a lot of the time, Cliff and his brother Roy helped their Dad farm in Willcox, a lot of early morning chores. Cliff went thru Arizona State
University in a little over three years, he was in a hurry to get started, he became a professor in California and retired there, my sister Nene was no slacker,
I remember she made a painting in the third grade of three different wild Wolves, each with a different expression, Happy, Sad and one Mean, she became
an artist with her own Sculpture business in California, they have two sons, Barry and Brett, Brett and Stacy has two boys, Bailey, the oldest is Autistic
and Brett volunteered his time at school to help and got so involved that he went back for his Masters Degree in teaching and now is doing it full time, and
should write a book about all you can do for anyone with Autistic before the school age. Bretts youngest son is Connor is strong= in sports. Willcox
started some very special people.
www.old-west.us/nene-cliff.html
Doris Thompson, now Doris Anderson. This is our story, I met her over the internet. After my wonderful wife Carol went to Heaven, I wasn’t sure
what to do, Carol had Alzheimer’s and was at that time in a Nursing Home and in and out of the Hospital and I was always there with her and the last
time in the hospital, I was standing by the door in her room and her Doctor, Dr. Abood motioned for me to come into the hall, she said, Carol will not be
coming back to the Hospital, I said what do you mean, is she going to Heaven? and she said yes. I went back into the room and since we never had secrets,
I said Carol I have something to tell you, she said, what? I said Dr. Abood said you will not be coming back to the hospital from the nursing home, she said
you will be going to Heaven,,, Carol said “ I better get my paper work ready” I felt a great relief and I said, don’t worry, I have it ready and then I said I
have a question for you, she just looked at me and I said how do you feel about it, she thought for a few seconds and said its alright. A After she went
to Heaven from the nursing home a few weeks later. C
Carol had a son, Pete who retired from the U.S.Army a police Sergent. Pete and Janet had two daughters, Heather and Christina, both college people.
www.old-west.us/marsh-life.html
Carol also had two daughters, Susan who is a High School Math Teacher and is good, her students call her at home, she is well liked, They gave us two
two grandson’s and two granddaughters all college people. Roby, Timmy, Elizabeth and
Becky. Her daughter Karen is a computer operator, manager at Dell computers in
Austin Texas at that time. They gave us two grandson’s, all college people.
After this hospital event, I thought what now?, I went to all my five children’s home and felt welcome but just out of place, I went to a friends home in St.
Augustine, Florida, Jim Rizer, used to own a Cattle Ranch next to ours in Kentucky, a story for later, any way he got me onto an internet web site, a
christen web site, that’s where I made first contact with my Wife Doris, our story - I told Jim I would contact only one person that I might like to meet
and go see her but would not contact a whole bunch different ones and I put on my résumé the kind of person I was and what I was looking for and when I
got on the Internet Site and found one in Willcox Arizona,
Doris : I thought, what! They have computers in Willcox, I’m glad they did because Doris and I are very happy, we have the rest of our life to help and
enjoy each other, Doris was married for 65 years to one person, Jack Thompson, Sept.30, 1941 in Norwood Colo. By Doris’s Grandfather, J.L.
Bowers he was the judge and was on his fifty’s anniversary, her Grandmother was Ella Trailer/Bowers.
They started the Hound Dog Diesel, a diesel service and repair business in Willcox Arizona in 1972, moved from Norwood Colorado. They had two
sons, William and Richard. They had four daughters, Lela, Dolly, Leona and Vivian. They had one daughter and three grand daughters graduate from
Willcox High School. Their youngest daughter Vivian Lorain Thompson graduated in 1979 and her three daughters, Cheryl , Kathy and Judy also graduated
from Willcox, Az. High School, should be on the school records if they weren’t burnt. Vivian lives in Holland. Doris was a coal miners daughter and also a
great Deer & Elk hunter in Colorado. She is writing her own book, will be very interesting, Coal Miners Daughter - a true story.
www.old-west.us/coal-miners-daughteer.html
Jim Rizer was our next door neighbor Cattle Ranch, he had I think around three hundred acres and some very beautiful registered cattle. Jim and Laurie
his wife had one son, Jimmy, who is in the Coast Guard and one daughter Betsie Rizer, they were home taught, Betsie was also an artist, she painted me a
picture of beautiful big Red Barn on a farm and I still have the painting on the wall in my office, Jim also has one son from an earlier marriage, and two
daughters, Penny and Robin. He named his son Hank Williams Rizer, now you know Jims most favorite singer, Jims son can really sing and play a guitar,
and has written some very good songs just go to my web site www.old-west.us and see a couple of his songs.
Later in my life when I was older I was working part time for a Flower Company. They had a good idea they take flower orders from all over the world
and have contracts with many small flower sale places and when they receive an order, fill it in that town, we had cubics with 4 or 5 computers set up and
would receive a phone call from a new or other customer and take all the information and see that the order would be filled, we were a 24 hour operation
and would really get slow sometime and the employees would set and talk and tell jokes, one night a bunch of guys behind me were at it, would ask what
do you get when you mix a goat with a donkey or ? most their jokes were real raunchy or to me sick, sometime I would say, if you don’t mind I have my
wife’s picture in my wallet, please watch your language, one time my best comment was, I bet I have one that none of you know, they said what? I said do
you know what they have in Heaven more than Angels, they said what? I said Sinners just like me, I will go to Heaven because I ask Gad to forgive my
Sins in the name of Jesus and I have been forgiven. Later that day a person came to me for advice on how to get to Heaven, a seed planted growing. It will
work for you.
NOTE) Anyone who has gone thru a school event similar to mine please e-mail or mail me your story, let’s help others.
James & Doris Anderson
895 E. McNeil Rd. No. 14
Benson AZ. 85602
E-Mail jwa1931@yahoo.com or grandmadorisking@hotmail.com
My next story will be about my Aviation Life “ Aviation Aviator”