1975 - 1977
Say You Are Well, Or All Is Well With You, And God Will Hear Your Words And Make Them True.
Ella Wheeler Wilcox
January was still rough-going for us; on the 19th Bob felt terrible; on the 21st he came home from work at 10 in the morning and went to bed. Then, on the 30th, he stayed in bed all day.
February -- Bob was very sick again on the 4th.
April 7, Bob went to the Veterans' Hospital and again saw Sam Nakagawa. I overheard Bob telling Sam what he needed to do to get better reception on his TV.
May 11 was Mother's Day. Bob and I were out having dinner at Mr. Steaks in the Valley. Barry and Susan came in with a Mother's Day gift for me. They brought me a Japanese-style black vase containing dried cotton plants. Unique in this part of the country. They sat down and had dinner with us.
May 15, Bob was lucky enough to find work. He was hired by a friend, Bill Nadwornick, who ran a commercial radio repair shop.
 The Shop
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On July 21, guess what? After two months of working for Bill, Bob decided he could now run Nance Radio & TV full-time. So, back into business. We agreed that Bob should keep all his profits so long as he paid me $350 each month for "room and board." This worked well for both of us, but I was told this was not very nice of me. |
When I explained, "Well, that's all the 'take-home' it costs him to live," they could see the reasoning. So I paid all of our living expenses with my salary and the $350 from Bob. He used the balance of his earnings to buy supplies and new CB radios at wholesale, which he was always able to sell at retail. I didn't interfere with his expenditures; neither did he care what I spent of mine.
We both were happy with this arrangement. Bob operated the business for the next five years. He had built up hundreds of good customers and would not advertise because he was just able to keep up with the demands of the ones he had.
His good customers would say, "If you're busy, I'll wait. I don't want anyone else to work on my television."
And if any new customer came around saying, as one once did, "Your prices are too high. I could get a brain surgeon for those kinds of prices!" Or, "This guy I know would do it a lot cheaper than that!" Bob would tell them, "Then, that's the fellow to go to!"
In August we took a vacation and went to the Olympic Peninsula. While we were away, we had two driveways poured. This was my idea, and I put up the financing.
Gloria, my friend at work and I went to the Davenport Hotel to a seminar on Transcendental Meditation, a film by a Yogi, Maharishi Mahesh Yogi. He was a very old-appearing man. We were only interested in what the concept might be. Just curious.
Not connected with this in any way , Gloria and I began taking Yoga classes at the YWCA. It was more of an exercise group than anything religious. It was so relaxing that you could sometimes hear someone sound asleep and snoring!
Bob had a small car accident by University City. We had just picked up a couple boxes of Kentucky Fried Chicken, and he was making a lane change into the lane on his left which was already occupied. His pickup door was damaged. He was cited with "making an illegal lane change."
 Jack Nance
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October Jack Nance appeared on a Book Review program on television. He had written a book about a lost tribe in the Philippines. It was called The Gentle Tassaday. The foreword in the book was by Charles A. Lindbergh. |
We had 10" of snowfall on November 30, and the next day, my Pontiac stalled right on the busy street of Division as I was on my way to work. I called Bob on the CB, and he had a friend go with him to get the car started. Meanwhile, I slogged on to work through the deep snow . . . about a mile to get there.
I bought a new carpet at Burgans. This nice furniture store was conveniently located just across the street from MSC. So I spent quite a few noon hours there -- getting lots of ideas.
January I bought a yellow Toyota. Gene Westfall brought it to us to check out. I liked the tape player; otherwise it was pretty plain. It cost me $1,200. Easier to maneuver in the winter than my large Pontiac. I felt much safer driving it.
Medical Service started a fitness class to be held at the YMCA, our dues were all paid by MSC. We learned a lot about running and finally I got so I could do about three miles without feeling stress. As part of the fitness program, I was supposed to lose quite a lot of weight. Running made this almost easy.
Jim Lynch was hired in the Marketing Department, and he was very into running. He told me one day that he liked to see girls run. He was devoted to running. Being a good friend of Don Kardong's who was an Olympic winner, he and Don organized the first Bloomsday race held the first Sunday in May.
Gary was going to Spokane Community College to learn carpentry. He was so outstanding that he won trips to compete in National competitions in Miami, Florida, and then during his second year, he competed in Cincinnati, Ohio.
Gary was told by his instructor, "I can sure tell that you have been around someone who is a very good craftsman in working with wood!" It was hilarious, because Gary's dad had never built anything that looked very good. We always said he made "sturdy" carpenter projects. "Just so it served the purpose," Bob said.
Gary and Gerri were invited for dinner with us every Wednesday. We wanted to help them a little while he was going to school and Gerri was working full-time for Smith-Nielson.
On January 16, Susan's mother, Ozie Greening, died. She was living alone in an apartment in the Lincoln Heights area. Barry went on this morning to check on Ozzie, and found she had died in her sleep.
On February 3, our fifth grandson, Christopher Robert (Robbie) was born to Barry and Susan.
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Bob was quite partial to grandson, Aaron. Susan was pleased with this . . . because . . . as she put it, "Aaron was not the oldest (that was B J); he was not privileged to be the only one of his gender (as Katy was the only girl); and he was not the youngest |
 Aaron Nance
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Bob used a pocket protector in his shirt which contained several pens, pencils and small tools that he used to work on radios and TV's. It was always of extreme interest to the grandchildren when being held on his lap. Their curiosity was unbounded as they examined all these wonders. Grandpa always watched closely to be sure they didn't poke anything in their eyes or mouths. Going through his pocket change, Bob would give the grandchildren quarters. It never failed to make them happy.
February 25, Tom and Nikki and boys moved from Palouse to Veradale. Now, at last, they would be close by.
April 1 Gary got chickenpox. He was sufficiently over them for his and Gerri's trip to Miami for the carpentry competition. While there, they went to Disney World -- a new attraction at that time. They also went on a cruise to Nasseau.
On July 4th we had a Nance reunion at Paul and Nora's.
One day after work Jim Lynch loaded up his briefcase with work and said he needed me to go with him to his home for some overtime to get us caught up. When we arrived at his home, he left for the bedroom to "change into something more comfortable!" I thought, "Oh, oh!" But he had put on his jeans and taken off his dress shirt and necktie. We worked till midnight before we finished.
I bought a pear-shaped diamond ring (almost 3/4 carat) set in white gold. It cost me $612.
In August I began learning to use the "mag card" typewriter. I went to the IBM center for lessons. I would be putting all of the "merit" contracts on mag card. I typed all these large contracts for Jim. He gave me the information that needed to be changed when contracts came up for renewal.
Bob and I spent a weekend at Waitt's Lake with Harry and Clara Silvernail. They kept a big Silverstreak trailer there. Bob and Harry fished. We had a wonderful weekend. We took along a supply of food to augment what they had.
In October I took a class in resin sculpture at the Spokane Art School. Through several processes, I made a satisfactory sculpture of an Eskimo with a walrus -- called The Hunt. It was begun with a clay mold which was covered with plaster. The plaster was cut in two and the clay removed. Then the plaster cast was fitted together and filled with the resin. The finished sculpture had to undergo a lot of sanding before being finished.
October 17 Barry and Susan moved to Missoula where Barry was the sole Architect in the Missoula Barnard and Holloway office. He had to run the whole show and agreed to stay in Missoula for two years, which he did. Kim Barnard's wife, Sherri, became the Mayor of Spokane in 1990.
 Usk, Washington
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Through an article in the Sunset Magazine, we discovered the "Manressa Grotto" located at Usk, Washington. It was originally a cave in which Catholics held services for the Colville Indian Tribe. There was a steep walk uphill to reach it. Inside were several rows of stone benches, and a good-sized pulpit, also of stone. The view was spectacular, overlooking the Pend Oreille River. A favorite drive in the autumn for us to see the bright, colorful leaves. |
November 2 I voted for Jimmy Carter for president. He won!
December 11 we accompanied Tom and Nikki to Missoula for a visit with Barry and family. We took Christmas gifts. While shopping for "just the right gift for Aaron," Bob decided on a "Big Wheel." I thought he was too old for it. I objected that Aaron was three years old, but Bob insisted upon getting it. Susan was ecstatic when she saw it. She said, "Aaron has wanted one of those above all else!"
This finishes up the year 1976. The US was celebrating its Bi-centenniel (200 years). I was finishing up my first attempt at needlepoint. It was maybe just passable! A little on the bias. Of course, it should become an heirloom! On it was an eagle holding a banner with the years 1776 - 1976.
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On March 23 the sales office was moved into a new part of the building. I was doing the entire typing -- rules, regulation, etc. for Jim Lynch and Don Kardong in order to get the First Annual Bloomsday Race organized. It seemed the race might evolve into something big, but little did we realize what it was to become! A celebration held on the streets of Spokane, scheduled for the first Sunday in May. The runners were assembled on the steps at Riverfront Park on the morning of the race which this year began at one o'clock. Thereafter the race was early in the morning. |
 Don Kardong
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 1st Bloomsday
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MSC people worked as "officials" at the finish line where occasionally a father would cross or recross the finish line to show their little ones the "duckies" in the river. It was difficult to keep observers back from the line even though we were wearing our T-shirts with OFFICIAL printed on the back. Our shirts were the same design as those the finishers were awarded. Afterwards, the T-shirt was kept secret until the day the finishers received theirs. |
When Don Kardong finished early on in the race, he came to stand beside me at the finish line. We saw examples of barely-moving humanity crossing the line with very little energy left. Don told me, "They are just going on their egos!"
On Mother 's Day, Bob and Gary, both wearing huge grins, came bringing me a Mother's day gift -- a statue of a Roman soldier. I had admired it while shopping with Bob, and commented that I thought it "was kind of nice."
MSC had a contest for a slogan for the E B A. (Employee Benefit Association). I was in a creative mode, and suggested:
This won and was put on the letterhead. The E B A dues were voluntarily deducted from our paychecks and used for entertainment: picnic, Christmas party, flowers for the ill, etc. I can 't remember what my award was for the idea -- probably $5.
My Toyota was not conducive to taking my lady friends anywhere on our lunch hour. The small 2-door car made it impossible for Joy and Collette to contort themselves enough to get into the back seat. They were both quite physically challenged. Bob and I found a nice 4-door Datsun. It had automatic shift, and although it didn't move out fast, it did have easy access to the back seat.
At this time a new diet, "Slender Now" appeared. April 21 I began this milkshake diet weighing 130#. Bob began the diet with me; he weighed 210#. In a little over one month on May 24 I weighed 118#. Also, exercising, I could run one mile easily.
I passed the Washington State Health Insurance Agent test. This was the first time I could say I had a real honest-to-goodness title.
June 20 Gary again won the State-wide contest in carpentry and got to go to Cincinnati for the National competition.
Less than three months after I bought my Datsun I was going to work on the busy Division Street when I was suddenly rear-ended. My fellow employee, Jim Nolen, said, "I'm sorry, Leta, I just didn't see you!"
Cindy Keener was married to Bill Loftin in San Jose on September 10.
We had 12 inches of snow by December 30, and on that day, we worked only until noon.
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