THE LIFE AND TIMES OF DONAVON (DON) SHRINER SINCE 1952
(the short version so you won't be too bored)
After graduation, I spent just over a year working in Rolfe and then joined the army just before the end of the Korean War. I spent most of my time in the service in France doing what peace time members of the Armed Forces do - not much except practice in case we are not at peace.
I got out of the service in 1956 and spent just over a year working in Spencer, Iowa and in the fall of 1957 I started college. In December of 1957, I married Joyce Philiph of Hartley, Iowa. That's the best decision I've ever made. I finally graduated from the University of Iowa in January of 1962 with a degree in Mechanical Engineering. I went to work for the 3M Company in St. Paul, Minn. We spent some time in Hartford City, Indiana and then I worked in New Ulm, MN for the rest of my career with 3M. After working in just about every department of a production plant for 31 plus years, I retired in October of 1993. That's the 2nd best decision I've ever made.
Joyce and I have two sons. They are both married and one lives in San Diego and the other one lives in Rochester, MN. We have three grandchildren in Rochester that we get to see fairly regularly. Of course, they are the cutest, smartest and best behaved in the world with the possible exception of yours (you are entitled to your opinion, I guess). We will be celebrating our 45th anniversary in December of this year.
Since retirement, we've managed to keep busy doing our own things. I fish, garden, do woodworking, fish, do volunteer work, fish and read. Joyce quilts, knits, bowls, reads and does a lot of volunteer work. We have a cabin in North Central Minnesota and we go back and forth between there and home in the summer. In the winter we spend a couple of months on South Padre Island in Texas and some time in Mazatlan, Mexico. We also like to travel and have been trying to take at least one significant trip per year. Retirement is definitely the best job I have ever had.
Sorry we can't be with you for this celebration but family obligations call. I hope you all have a good time and have one at the steak fry for me.
If any of you are ever in the New Ulm area, give me a call. If we are home, we would like to see you. Our address is: 921 N. Payne, New Ulm, MN 56073 and our telephone number is (507) 354-6527.