Do unto others... Part 3

It was while she was in high school that Gloria and a friend went to Swarthout's roller skating rink and Gloria saw Ken skate. He was not only a good skater, but "he could dance on skates," and so her friend asked Ken if he would teach Gloria. Ken say, "I thought she was cute and a really nice gal, so I agreed, but she never learned to skate. I'd pick her up, and we'd go down to the skating rink, but it didn't work out." Eventually instead they would go out to a friend's house on Saturday night, eat popcorn, and watch "Hit Parade," "Lawrence Welk," and wrestling "because we didn't have any money." Gloria adds, "It wasn't me that wanted to watch wrestling!"

Ken had attended the Christian Church when he was younger, but it wasn't until he met Gloria that he entered a Catholic Church. The first Easter they went together Ken bought corsages for Gloria and Gloria's mother and Gloria's best friend and went to church with them. That gesture won Myrtle's heart. Gloria, too, thought that was especially kind because at that time Ken didn't have much money.

As a junior Ken worked as a hired hand for Amos White and then he worked for Ralph and Florence Dean until he went into the Army. (Ken always wanted to be a farmer and still wishes he lived on a farm, but Gloria is happy right where she is.) Ken served from 1953 to 1955. The U.S. and Korea signed a cease fire agreement just before Ken got out of basic training, so he spent eighteen months in France "living in tents and mud" and working with heavy equipment. After returning home Ken ran a hatchery in Clio and a CAT for Keith Kent in Lucas. He was working at Soar Aircraft when he had an opportunity to work for the postal service. It was his Uncle Oren who strongly urged Ken to take the postal job. Ken is grateful for that advice as he enjoyed working there for 35 years and left with one and one half years of unused sick leave.

In July 1990, just before he retired in September, Ken was named National Postmaster of the Year in Anaheim, California. He was elected National President of Retired Postmasters in 1992, and in 1995 he was elected to the National Executive Board of United Commercial Travelers. Gloria was truly Ken's helpmate through out his career. She hosted several large parties and served as president of the State Auxiliary of Postmasters and on the National Executive Board. Gloria was especially thrilled to enjoy dinner with Mary Ellen Winthrow, the Treasurer of the United States, at a Postal Forum. Also, around the early 1970's, Ken and Gloria attended the State Knights of Columbus Convention in Cedar Rapids. The main speaker was Bishop Fulton J. Sheen. When he walked into the auditorium filled with 2400 people, Gloria recalls "You could have heard a pin drop!" Oh, how Gloria's mother and father wished they could have been with them to hear him.

It was while Ken was home on leave from the Army at Thanksgiving time that he and Gloria became engaged. They were married at Sacred Heart on December 10, 1995 after Father O'Connor had baptised Ken and given him his First Holy Communion. Ken was confirmed in Melrose.

When Gloria dated Ken, she found him to be "very kind, generous, and good-hearted," and she says he still is. Over the years she has really appreciated what a wonderful person he was to her folks and what a good father he has been. He was "easygoing but strict in the right ways. He knew how to talk to the boys and they respected him. They still do."

Ken says that he likes that Gloria is "always friendly, always has a smile on her face, and has been really tolerant of me, and that's asking something!" He also appreciates that she is a good cook and good housekeeper.

Ken and Gloria prayed a long time for children, and finally along came Randy Joseph. After five days in the hospital, Gloria gave birth to him on November 23,1961. His brother, Timmie Joseph, joined the family on November 20, 1967. Why Joseph for a middle name? It was Gloria's grandpa's name and "a good saint's name."

Randy and his wife Boni have three children: Jeremy, Skyler, and Jessica. Randy is the Director of Human Services for Gardner Denver in Sedalia, Missouri. Boni is Director of the Advising and Resource Center at the Sedalia College.

Timmie and his wife Stacey, who live in O'Fallon, Missouri, have two children: Shelby and Peyton. Timmie is the Manager of Distribution Services for The Arthur Wells Group. Stacy works as a client support analyst for Ceridian.

Ken and Gloria have long thought that it is important to do unto others as you would have them do to you. Over the years, while busily working and raising their family, they also cared for Gloria's parents, two sets of aunts and uncles, and Ken's grandmother. In addition both have been actively involved in church activities such as religious education, Sacred Heart's women's groups, the Knights of Columbus, the Buildings and Grounds Committee, and Bible studies. In other ways too numerous to mention they have served our church. As the years have passed, their faith has become more and more important to them. Gloria says, "I couldn't live without it. Every time I have a problem, I have to go to church to see God. I don't know how people who don't have faith could make it through life!"

There was at least one time when Ken and Gloria felt that God was really trying to help them. After Gloria's father died, her mother "went to bed for nearly four years, grieving for Dad. I'll never forget," Gloria says, "that it was a Sunday morning, and she was dressed and standing in her bedroom shaking her finger at me." She said, "Gloria Ann, your father came to me last night and told me to get up out of this bed and straighten up because I was driving you and Ken crazy."

From a young man unfamiliar with the Catholic Church, Ken has become a faithful parishioner here at Sacred Heart. He says that belonging to the Catholic Church has "given me another perspective on my life... made me feel like I was doing some good... The people here are like part of my family... The Church has given me a greater understanding of life and how I should be living it."

Ken says that his fellow parishioners are like part of his family, and we certainly are glad that Ken and Gloria Lee are members of our Sacred Heart family!