Today I went to Lake Forest Park to do some research about Joe Rantz. Man, what a day!
I woke up pretty early and hit the road. It’s always a bit of a drive to get out there, but hey, it’s worth it for a good story, right? I got there and started to dig into Joe’s life. I found out this guy was incredible. He was a rower for the UW Huskies and never lost a race. Can you believe that?
After a few hours of research, I got a little hungry, so I got some food and then kept going with the story. It turns out Joe was not just about rowing. After he retired, he started making custom cedar products around the late 1970s. I saw some old photos of him, Joyce Simdars, and his family, including his wife Nellie and his parents Fred and Thelma. There was this one picture from around 1940, and it was just so cool to see them all together.
Later in the day, I went over to learn more from Judy Willman, who’s Joe’s daughter. She’s got tons of stories about him and his life.
- He studied chemical engineering at UW.
- Worked at Boeing for 35 years.
- Started his own business making posts and shakes after retirement.
Hearing all this, I was totally blown away. This guy had such a full life, from rowing to engineering to woodworking. And let me tell you, seeing those old photos and hearing Judy’s stories really brought it all to life. It’s one thing to read about someone, but it’s a whole other thing to see their life through the eyes of their family.
I spent the rest of the day soaking it all in, taking notes, and just trying to piece together this amazing story. By the time I left, I felt like I had a real connection to Joe and his journey. What a day, folks! I can’t wait to share more about this incredible guy with all of you.
It’s days like these that remind me why I love doing what I do. Every person has a story, and sometimes, those stories are just waiting to be discovered.
Well, that’s it for today’s adventure. I’m gonna wrap this up and get some rest. Stay tuned for more, and as always, thanks for following along!
