Recently I read a short book, "Looking Around for God," by James A. Autry. The theme of the book set me to thinking about my experiences with the people in my life.
I will start with a story about my dad, Chuck Phillips, known to the family as C.V. He moved to Wadena in 1932, working for a Moorhead Man who had sent him to open a store in Wadena. In 1933, Ed Dobs, who owned a hotel in Wadena, stopped into the store and put down $500 for C.V. to buy part of the store, and he told C.V. not to worry about paying it back. In fact, Ed did not care if he ever got it back.
When I think about my life, I realize how enormously fortunate I have been to have the many people who are as important to me as Ed Dobbs was to C.V.
So many people have been instrumental and significant in my life that it is impossible to include them all here. But here are a few, and I'll start with my early childhood: Hattie and Chuck Phillips -- my parents, Myrabelle Zosel, Tom Zosel, Tony Chermak, Fran and Milt Gaslin, Ann and Paul Richter.
Then in my school years there were Louise Pleidrup, Don Hammerlink, Coz, Lars, Willy, and Reg Mead.
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And, more recently, there are still more people who have had an impact on my life: Maury Bounds, Whitey Aus, Ray Brink, Bob Iken, Sr., Jerome Uselman, Eva lmdieke, Charlie Paper, Merle Sherman, Opal Forsell, Margaret Sherman, and the whole gang at Snyder Drug.
And there are three very long-term friends and my family. Friends first: Ken Chermak, Bill Gaslin, and Gary Davis. And my family: Mary, Molly, Pete, Mike, Shari, Dylan, Madison, Maggie, Max, Matthew, Jen.
This is quite a short list. And these all have a Wadena connection. Everyone on my list has his/her own story and connection, just as Ed Dobbs did with C.V. I have had fun doing this list of people, and I would encourage everyone to do the same.
There is one last name: Clem Kern. As C.V. would have said, "He's one of God's best."
Sam Phillips
Battle Lake
