I WAS VERY CLOSE TO VERN, HE HAD A STRANGE NEED TO CHANGE HIS IMAGE AFTER HIGH SCHOOL. THOSE CLOSE TO HIM DIDN'T UNDERSTAND IT, BUT ACCEPTED HIS NEED TO BE SOMEBODY. THIS BIZARRE NEED PROPELLED HIM TO SEEK AREAS OF QUESTIONABLE INTEGRITY FOR PERSONAL GAIN AND UNFORTUNATELY ASSISTED HIS EVENTUAL DEMISE. SMART GUY THAT CHOSE QUESTIONABLE DIRECTIONS.
I knew Vern really well. We met in home room because we were seated alphabetically. He was withdrawn and introverted in high school, even more than me. I kind of felt I was his connection to others in the school. We went to the Univiersity together to study mechanical engineering. I think it was his sophomore year he all of sudden became a ladies man and an aspiring big shot. We graduated and both worked for the Allen-Bradley company in Milawaukee. The dirty little secret is that we got occupational deferrements for working there eventhough all we did was drink, drive sportscars and chase girls. They fired him for basically being a smart ass. He came back to Minneapolis tried various businesses including headhunting. He got married and I think he had two kids. He bascially abandoned his family and went California to become a rich big shot.
I talked to him intermittently during that time and he was always on the verge of some giant deal that would make millions. Utimateltely he got in a huge amount of legal trounble and basically drank himself to death. As I write this it seems cruel to say them but they are true. On the other hand I have great affection for him. He was my very close friend. I really think there was emotional problem that drove him to do the bad things he did. I think he had the potential to be really great guy. I don't really know what went wrong.
Bill Dobbins
Vern: I met you again when you married one of my wife's class mates Cindy and lived close to us on Newton Ave. So. we had many things in common.
Jon Van Leer
I WAS VERY CLOSE TO VERN, HE HAD A STRANGE NEED TO CHANGE HIS IMAGE AFTER HIGH SCHOOL. THOSE CLOSE TO HIM DIDN'T UNDERSTAND IT, BUT ACCEPTED HIS NEED TO BE SOMEBODY. THIS BIZARRE NEED PROPELLED HIM TO SEEK AREAS OF QUESTIONABLE INTEGRITY FOR PERSONAL GAIN AND UNFORTUNATELY ASSISTED HIS EVENTUAL DEMISE. SMART GUY THAT CHOSE QUESTIONABLE DIRECTIONS.
Sheldon Strom
I knew Vern really well. We met in home room because we were seated alphabetically. He was withdrawn and introverted in high school, even more than me. I kind of felt I was his connection to others in the school. We went to the Univiersity together to study mechanical engineering. I think it was his sophomore year he all of sudden became a ladies man and an aspiring big shot. We graduated and both worked for the Allen-Bradley company in Milawaukee. The dirty little secret is that we got occupational deferrements for working there eventhough all we did was drink, drive sportscars and chase girls. They fired him for basically being a smart ass. He came back to Minneapolis tried various businesses including headhunting. He got married and I think he had two kids. He bascially abandoned his family and went California to become a rich big shot.
I talked to him intermittently during that time and he was always on the verge of some giant deal that would make millions. Utimateltely he got in a huge amount of legal trounble and basically drank himself to death. As I write this it seems cruel to say them but they are true. On the other hand I have great affection for him. He was my very close friend. I really think there was emotional problem that drove him to do the bad things he did. I think he had the potential to be really great guy. I don't really know what went wrong.
Jon Van Leer
THANKS SHELDON, A VERY HONEST ACCOUNT OF A REALLY SMART GUY THAT FOR AN UNKNOWN REASON WENT ON A BIZARRE COURSE.