Dick Trail's column, "The trash lady's grandson," caught the attention of a number of Internet readers who have an interest in the F-105 Thunderchief and the crews who flew it into dangerous combat missions in Vietnam. Among them was Gary Baker of Marietta, Ga., who contacted some of the late pilot, Robert L. Weskamp's relatives and created the artwork at left. Baker maintains a Web site in honor of the planes and crews, "Craig Baker's F-105 Site, The Awesome Thunderchief," at http://www.burrussptra.org/thud.html "You never know where it will go," Trail said of his column. [Click to enlarge]

Today I take personal privilege to write about a very important person. Ann passed a significant milestone in her life Thursday, clocking out she formally ended some thirty-six years in the work place. So, as of yesterday, she joined that great portion of mankind who consider themselves retired, whatever that means.

The year was 1979. After 25 years in the military, I faced the choice of moving to an assignment that I didn't want or coming back home to take over the family farm. As much as I loved Air Force life, the decision was easy. I had grown up with a love of the farm in my heart and was eager to return.

Ann too had grown up on a farm; some thirty miles north and west of McCook, yet her memories of farm life were not so fond. She remembered feeling remote from civilization dwelling at the end of thirty five miles of dirt road connecting McCook or North Platte either way. If the family was in town and a cloud came up it was time to head for home. When it rained one couldn't make it on muddy roads. In our married life she had gained a taste of urban living. Ann especially liked Boston, Oklahoma City, and Merced which is not far from San Francisco. The isolated remote pastoral life of way that is rural Nebraska definitely did not appeal.

Well, I retired from the Air Force anyway and we purchased a house in McCook. Ann gracefully accepted the move back to this area and quickly embraced our new lifestyle. She made the comment to me that she wanted to "be somebody"; she wanted to be able to go down the street and people would say "That is Ann Trail" as opposed to "That is Dick Trail's wife."

Ann first made her mark by qualifying as a Mary Kay Sales Director. She had learned the direct sales trade in California, carried it to Ohio and on to Michigan. Back home in McCook she qualified in short order to win the use of a pink Buick. Two years later she earned her first brand new pink Cadillac. Yep, she was somebody and that beautiful pink car definitely made a statement.

Ann then made the agonizing decision to quit direct sales and devote her life temporarily to care for her mother whose health was failing. No complaint, she cheerfully did what had to be done to honor her parent.

When Alice passed Ann went to work at Corky's Modern Interiors. As a mark of her enthusiasm to sell, she especially loved it when panicked husbands would appear a few hours before Christmas Eve to buy the big present for their wives. "How much would you like to spend?" she would ask. The poor procrastinating fellow would suggest "$100" and she would display the perfect gift costing a minimum of $300. In short order the poor distressed fellow would go home with a present to make his surprised wife happy at the expense of a much flatter wallet. She loved the challenge and made many friends in the bargain. Many people indeed came to know the real Ann Trail.

Some 16 years ago a group of investors capitalized on a new concept of senior living that eventually became Willow Ridge Retirement Community. Dian Trail was named manager of the not yet built venture and she chose Ann to help market what was then only blue prints. Those two ladies had a lot of fun presenting the dream that in short order morphed into a classy facility ready to be occupied. Then the people that they'd signed up moved in and Ann became the "Resident Services Director."

This was a job that no one seemed to know what was to be done, so she just winged it. Her training in the social graces and protocol of being a Squadron Commander's wife held her in good stead. For "her" residents she developed daily activities including a regular exercise program, nail care, current events and several times a year put on a formal "tea."

Integral to the independent living for seniors came a new concept, that of "assisted living," which again was totally new to this area. Assisted living is for people who need a little help with bathing, getting dressed, keeping medicines organized yet are pretty much were able to do most of their daily living age appropriate activities. She helped sell the concept to doctors and other medical professionals in the area. In short order the assisted living wing of Willow Ridge filled, expanded, and now has a waiting list.

So far as the public was concerned, they heard Ann's sales pitch for Willow Ridge each fortnight on "Open Line." No matter where we go people respond with "I heard you on Open Line." Yes I think that people have come to recognize that the shy little hometown high school girl, that I married almost fifty years ago, has earned the right be to be somebody; "Ann Trail (!)," a whole lot more than just "Dick's wife."

What is next? Well, Ann has already threatened to join one of the "men only" morning coffee groups that meet daily "on the bricks."

We also want to do a little traveling here in the "lower forty eight" and maybe to Alaska while our health permits. I also think we need to quit reading the obituaries as way too many of our contemporaries keep showing up in that column. For sure she won't let me be disorganized or bored!

Written with love and that is the way I see it.