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Today's Featured Biography
Merle Eberline
2020 update: Ackkkkkkk, turned 69 years old!, but still kicking.
2018 update: I retired from the clinic in the summer of 2016. Enjoying life, more time for travelling and loafing. I recently learned that Anson Jr High, is no longer a school. Since Anson was just down the street from where we lived, the old Anson elementary and the jr high were my school life before high school. Sad to see the jr high is no longer.
2014 update: Not much has changed. Keokuk is still home, still live in the same house, and am still working part time at the clinic.
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I've been found. My folks died 26-27 years ago, and I have no family remaining in Marshalltown. I visit their graves about once a year. The town always looks kind of different to me now. I attended the 10 year reunion. Since that time, I've been largely out of touch. Since the arrival of the internet, I have had contact with a few people. Then a few days ago, Lyle Jensen kept showing up on the caller I-D. I thought, I once knew somebody by that name.....and so.....here I am, alive and well. :)
I started summer school at the University of Iowa a few days after the 1969 event. I graduated from University of Iowa in 1973, with a BBA degree, double major Finance and Insurance. I was able to keep my student deferment just long enough to miss the draft and Viet Nam.
I worked for a year in finance at a consumer loan company in Ames. I hated it, but it was a million lessons all wrapped up in one year.
I then worked for University of Iowa for about 3 years as a mainframe computer operator. This began what turned into my career path. It happened largely by coincidence, and being able to start the job the same day. I worked in the administrative center for part of it, and University Hospitals for the rest of it.
Then I worked for 3 years at Winnebago Industries in northern Iowa, as a computer operator, and then as a programmer. I lived in a great farm house near Joice, Iowa.
In 1979 (wow 30 years ago this year) I moved to Keokuk to work for Hubinger Company, a subsidiary of HJ Heinz. Hubinger was a corn milling company, making lots of products from corn used in food, pharmaceuticals, paper, and other manufacturing processes. I was a programmer for a short time, then Technical Support Manager. In 1991 the company was purchased by Roquette, a French company.
After the Roquette acquisition I became Director of Information Systems. Being part of a French company was quite a culture change, and involved a lot of travel back and forth to France, with some side trips to Belgium, the Netherlands, and England. After I was in that position for about 8 years, we had a change at the top of Roquette in the USA. The new president and I didn't get along at all prior to that, and it started the beginning of the end. A week before 9/11/2001, I had my - take this job and shove it - moment! Timing wasn't the greatest, but oh well.
So I was retired about 6-8 years earlier than I'd planned, but embraced it well. I didn't work for 5 years at all. I loved it!
By this time in my life, Keokuk had become home to me, so really didn't feel like moving somewhere to start again. A couple years ago now, I offered to help a doctor friend of mine out, with some issues they were having in the clinic. When I completed that, they asked me to stay on and this turned into a part-time job as a clerk. I think I've finally arrived at something I can handle, with no more middle management hassles! I scan paper medical records and reports into the computer system. I answer phones and schedule appointments. It suits me fine. And with my computer background, they tap me to handle the computer problems too. Of course Windows isn't my forte, since I worked mainframes when I did hands on.
I was married for 11 years to Kathy Gammon, a Keokuk native. We divorced in 1995, but we have remained great friends. She was a busy career woman herself, and we did not have children.
I live on the bluffs over the Mississippi River. For fun and recreation I love to take the boat or the jet ski out and enjoy the river on Pool 19. I love to camp, and travel, and with my trip to Alaska in 2002, made it to my 50th state. I enjoy outdoor activities, hiking, cross-country skiing although southern Iowa lacks enough snow usually. I volunteer for the Keokuk Art Center, serve on the board of directors, and am treasurer.
In high school and college, it was always my intention to move away from Iowa. But as it has turned out, I have always lived in Iowa. Keokuk is about half the size of Marshalltown, and I've become quite accustomed to the quieter peaceful life of small town living. It's an easy trip to Saint Louis, or Iowa City.
I looked at a few profiles, and it's been interesting to see some of the variety of what people are up to. I noticed some gray hairs, so I'll get my pic posted soon here, and you can see, I'm pretty much white haired now, having turned gray about age 40.
Looking back on my MHS school years, I think the 2 most important classes I took, were Mr Dorr's speech class, and I can't think of her name, but I can picture her's, typing class. Life skills that have served my career well.
Best wishes all!
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