Dad's Biography

As I was going through some stuff, I came across the biography my Mom wrote down to give to the family friend, Steve Botschon, who did my Dad's eulogy at his funeral. I thought it would be a good idea to have it written down in more than one place. Here it goes.

* Born in Shreveport, Louisiana September 23rd, 1952.
* His Dad was in the Air Force, so he lived in various stateside places, including Wichita Falls and California.
* Graduated from North Burlington High School in New Jersey in 1970.
* He excelled in tack in high school, and was captain in his senior year.
* After working in the Jersey area at various jobs, including a parts factory, he felt he needed a change and decided to join the Air Force in 1977.
* He was trained as a Radio Communications Analysis Technician- Communication or Systems Analyst for short. This put him in the Electronic Security Command of the Air Force. There are only a few stateside bases, so his first duty assignment was Iraklion AZ, Crete, Greece.
* While there, he met his wife Anita, who was also in the Air Force stationed there as a Morse Systems Operator.
* After a brief engagement, they were married in the base chapel and took a short hop to Athens, Greece for their honeymoon!
* He found the LDS church in Crete by unconventional means. Learning all they could and studying it out, he and Anita were baptized about 3 weeks later at sunset in the Mediterranean Sea there on the island of Crete.
* Trent stayed in the Air Force for 9 years and 3 months before becoming dissatisfied with the promotion system, and decided to finish up his enlistment and go to school.
* While in the military he received quite a few awards, including the Meritorious Service Medal, Air Force Commendation Medal, Air Force Outstanding Unit with 2 oak leaf clusters, Air Force Good Conduct Medal with 2 oak leaf clusters.
* Trent returned to Mississippi where his Dad retired to go to the University of Mississippi. Having family there, he was always an Ole Miss fan.
* He was planning on going to school to become a high school History/Current Events teacher, but the Spirit guided him to go to Pharmacy school.
* He started pharmacy school as a father of 2 children, and bu the time he graduated in 1991 he had 3 more.
* So, promising Anita that they would live close to her family once out of school, they packed up the five kids and moved to New Mexico, where her Dad retired and one of her sisters lived.
* Coming from a military family, Trent always had "itchy feet", so needless to say, they didn't stay in New Mexico too long.
* After a couple of years or so, and another baby, they moved to Utah.
* They stayed in Utah for about 4 years and 2 more babies, but Trent always wanted to live in the Midwest because of the fond memories he had of visiting his grandparents in Illinois.
* While in Wisconsin Trent participated in the Civil Air Patrol wand was able to fly a Cessna for about 10 minutes. He loved being involved with the boys and girls looking at the military as a career.
* Even though he enjoyed living in Wisconsin, he agreed to move back to Utah because Anita wanted to be close to her oldest daughter, who was getting married and planned on living in Utah.
* So, back to Utah they went, settling in Orem, while Trent's job was in Sandy at a long term care home as Director of Pharmacy.
* Trent decided to move south after a bad winter in Utah. He interviewed with various hospitals and visited some otehr locations, but Athens won his heart. Bob Gutches(?) and his wife were so welcoming that after the visit, Trent hoped he would be offered the job. (He was.)
* Trent always felt at home here in Athens. This is where he planned to retire...

One thing Steve said that always sticks out in my mind from the eulogy is when he talked about the first time he met my Dad. He had talked to him on the phone, so he knew a tiny bit about him. He knew he had come to Athens to take a pharmacy position at the hospital and was staying in an apartment with his son, while the rest of his family was in Utah preparing for the move. Knowing he was a pharmacist, and seeing my Dad's BMW parked outside, he wasn't sure if they would hit if off or not. But, when my Dad opened the door wearing sweatpants, an Ole Miss T-shirt and a big smile on his face, Steve knew they would be good friends!

If you remember anything else that was said, or have any other memories you would like to add, please leave it in the comments. Thank you!