And So, In Conclusion...

January 3, 2022

My professional career as an educator began as a teacher and then as school principal a in the East Aurora Public Schools. After thirteen years of successful service in the East Aurora School System, I accepted an appointment at SUNY Fredonia where I served for the next 40 years as a Professor and as a University administrator. Those 53 years as an educator were indeed most pleasing and pleasant in the highest and most genuine regard.

During these past many years, I have always enjoyed writing. I am most pleased to have authored nine published childrens' books as well as three books, one dealing with leadership development and two books concerned with societal trends and activities.

It was back in 2003, September 14 to be exact , that my first newspaper column was published. Since that date, 475 of my newspaper columns have been published. All 475 of these columns have been published in THIS newspaper. I am deeply indebted with gratitude for the strong and faithful support from the Publisher, Editor, and Staff of this newspaper THE DUNKIRK OBSERVER. Further, I extend heartfelt and grateful appreciation to a most thoughtful and supportive readership. The generosity of their comments have been most gratifying to say the least! Further and foremost, I am deeply thankful to my wife Elaine who has always been there to give me most helpful, generous, and gracious moral support Elaine served for 34 years as a public school teacher and as a church organist for 75 years. I could never have accomplished this work with out her moral , informational and encouraging support.

And now friends the time has come , at the age of 92, to put down my pen and pad. This piece is my last routine column. It has been a great pleasure faithfully communicating with each of you and especially hearing from so many of you during these past years. I extend to each of you a faithful heart -felt "Thank You ". And so with this the last of my routine columns, and as a former U.S. Marine, I choose to use these concluding words..."always be faithful".