Letter to the Editor:
When I moved from Texas to Collegedale in 1963, the valley where Wolftever Creek carves its way through White Oak Mountain was actively in transition from being the farm town of Thatcher Switch to the college and bakery town of Collegedale.
My mother was a Seventh-day Adventist, and in the mid-1950s, she had attended Southern Missionary College (SMC). So, when she ended up divorced, with four children under age six, she decided to move somewhere that felt more like home. Since her twin sister and brother-in-law were living in Collegedale and attending SMC, she returned to the valley.
In my new book, “Not-So-Normal People: Great American Stories Preserved,” I recall my early life in the Collegedale area and the construction binge, which led to the Collegedale Church, built in 1965; Wright Hall, in 1967; Thatcher Hall, in 1968; the Village Market and McKee Library, in 1970; and other landmark buildings that emerged over the years as the college and town grew into the bustling small city it is today.
I went to both Collegedale Academy and Ooltewah High School, which gave me a strong connection to both communities. In the late 1970s, I also attended both SMC and the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. From there, I went on to live an adventurous life, which I document in the book.
In a year when our nation is celebrating its 250th birthday, I have crafted a mosaic of sometimes raw but resonant true stories recounting the military, political, social, cultural and religious history of our nation, all through the lives of people with a Tennessee connection. My subjects are both average Joes and icons of Americana, and my stories are set in the historical eras when they took place.
“Not-So-Normal People” includes numerous stories of historic individuals with whom I had the privilege of crossing paths — four-star generals, political leaders, billionaires, civil rights leaders, rock stars, leaders of national service, business icons philanthropists and prisoners of war.
The list includes U.S. Senator Howard H. Baker, Jr.; O.D. McKee, of McKee Foods; Forrest and Aubrey Preston, of Life Care Centers of America; Greg A. Vital, co-founder of Morning Pointe; General Carl W. Stiner, the second Commander-in-Chief of the U.S. Special Operations Command and Claude Ramsey, the Hamilton County Mayor who brought Volkswagen to town, along with numerous other notable Americans.
On Tuesday, Nov. 10, I will read excerpts from my book during a book signing at Ooltewah Whistlestop, located at 5503 Main Street. The event will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. in historic Ooltewah, not far from where I lived as a child.
I look forward to sharing my unique experiences, along with the stories of other local “not-so-normal people,” with all who attend.
