by Ned Ratekin (Author)
Increasingly I have asked myself how I came to realize such a favored and enjoyable life. My search always leads to the same answer, my family. First there was the family of my birth, my parents and four brothers who held me close yet let me feel free, and then my own family, my wife Ruth and three sons Kent, Jack and Joel who led the way to adventure, variety, and great joy, and then my five grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren who amaze me with their love and their enthusiasm. Now in the ninth decade of my life, more occupied with reflecting on the past than plotting the future, I have decided I really wouldn't object to doing it all over again. But with the impossibility of that, together with a firm curiosity about my true future, I decided that I might realize the best of both worlds by recalling and sharing a few memories from the past.
Author Biography
Dr. Ned Ratekin is Professor Emeritus at the University of Northern Iowa in Cedar Falls, Iowa. His research and publications centered on theories of text comprehension. Ned and his wife Ruth, business educator, realized extensive professional and personal domestic and international travel experiences. They established the Carlson House Bed and Breakfast in Swedesburg, Iowa. He now resides in Cedar Falls, Iowa.