My Uncle Ray Hoffman. Ray was an engineering graduate of Bradley University and VP of a general construction contractor in Peoria, IL. When I was boy growing up, he would take me and his son (my cousin) to view the construction of I-74 through downtown Peoria. I was fascinated by the dozers and scrapers moving earth for the I-74 construction. Those experiences stimulated in me a desire to "build roads and bridges." With Ray's encouragement, that desire was later refined into a desire to design roads and bridges and become a civil engineer. I still remember him cheering me up when I was taking Calculus II in college by informing me that calculus was not used on a daily basis in the civil-works construction business. :-) Uncle Ray was a man of courage, strength, and integrity; a true professional. I am indebted to him for helping launch my career in civil engineering.
Warren A. Knoles, PE
Sr. Consultant & Principal Value Management Associate
Crawford, Murphy & Tilly, Inc., Engineers & Consultants
Springfield, Illinois
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In my case neither of my parents completed high school. Dad never went, mother had to quit sophomore year to provide for her brother and sister. Neither of my siblings went to college either. I actually have more years of formal education than both my parents put together. My parents knew little about "college" or "Engineering." I can recall walking out of the Registrar's office at UMR (now Missouri S&T) after talking about what I would be able transfer from my previous military college experience (a long story much about my hearing loss) to a BSCE degree. Dad had driven down with me to keep me company. Walking out of the office Dad questioned me, "Boy, what is a major?" "Boy, what is a prerequisite?"
My parents where likely the most "skilled" people I ever knew firsthand, true craftsmen. They were certainly the hardest working. Mother was a seamstress who made my sister's wedding dress. Dad was a lithographer (printer). Dad said his Apprenticeship was seven years. He would often work arithmetic on the side of the newspaper as he read. Big things with lots of long division, fractions, gallons and pints. He said he did it to keep his mind sharp so he could "mix" the inks and colors and get the right quantities, waste was bad. he would go by the hardware store to look at the paint swathes, said he was learning his "color wheel."
I never knew people who were as willing to learn and try and do new things as Mom and Dad. Everything from trying to keep the car running, to making the finest gourmet dinner to removing and pouring the concrete driveway. Dad always said, "Learn a skill, get an education, no one can take that away from you!" Both valued work and thought everyone had an obligation to contribute.
So I cannot say my parent's led me to Engineering. I can say they encouraged me to learn as much as I could and try and be useful. A little money support, when they really didn't have much and came from less, lots of encouragement , lots of respect for learning and the occasional kick in the tail. I hope I can give my boys half that.
Sorry for the long post, missing Dad this weekend.
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Michael Buechter P.E., D.WRE, M.ASCE
Program Manager
Metropolitan St. Louis Sewer District
Webster Grvs MO
(314) 968-9723
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