color of our skin

The Color of Our Skin

My wife Carla shares a story of when she was a little girl of about four years old. Her mother took her to a store in the big city of Gastonia. I’m assuming it was Kress’s Dime Store on Main Street. There Carla was permitted to select her first baby doll. I can see her…Read More

trinity group

Trinity Gave Voice to Fellowship, Lasting Friendships

This article was originally published in the Gaston Gazette. When I moved from Raleigh to Gastonia in 1981, my family joined Holy Trinity Lutheran Church, then led by a dynamic pastor named Peter Setzer. Among our early friends at the church were Don and Lynn Leonard, who had recently moved to our community from Salisbury….Read More

scotty carrigan

A Life Worth Remembering

I wrote this piece for the Gaston Gazette to honor Scotty Carrigan, who recently passed away. On May 5, my high school classmate, Scotty Carrigan died. His obituary said simply that Scotty was born in Gastonia on June 26, 1947. He died in Atlanta where he was cremated. Two dates separated by nearly 70 years:…Read More

luckiest boy on the planet

Recently at the Gaston Gazette: The Luckiest Boy on the Planet

Here’s an excerpt from my latest piece, “The Luckiest Boy on the Planet,” which was recently published in the Gaston Gazette: When I joined my new classmates, they were at morning recess on the playground across from the school. I quickly found some boys with whom I had played baseball and football. As we stood…Read More