Hometown: Aurora; moved to Decatur in 1983

Family: Married to Jeannine for 24 years

Occupation: Retired salesman

Education: West Aurora High School and an associates degree in supervisory development from Waubonsee Community College, Aurora

My "I'd rather be" bumper sticker would read: "I'd rather be volunteering than resting," because there are so many things to do and no time to waste.

Hobbies/interests: Reading and veterans issues.

My first job: Working retail sales in menswear.

Why I do what I do: To help repay my debt to those who have gone before me.

Personal approaches to challenges: Step back, look at it from all angles, and take it one day at a time when possible.

Community involvement: chairman, Veterans Assistance Commission of Macon County; chairman, World War II Memorial Committee; member, Macon County Veterans Honor Guard; president, Korean War Veterans; past commander, American Legion Post 105; van driver from Decatur to the veterans hospital in Danville; chairman, First United Methodist Church ushering staff; Decatur Chordsmen Barbershop Harmony Chorus; past president, Breakfast Sertoma Club of Decatur; member, Decatur 9-12; member, Restore Our Constitution; former health and safety director,–Decatur–American Red Cross, and a disaster volunteer, having responded in the aftermath of Hurricane Andrew in–Florida and an earthquake in Los Angeles.

Based on your involvement in veterans groups, it appears you are a veteran yourself. Tell us about your military service. I spent 10 years in the Army, from 1956 to '66, serving in Korea–and Germany–with the–504th PIR 82nd Airborne Division. I have 17 parachute jumps. I was sent to–Berlin when the wall was being built between East and West Germany and helped build bridges, roads and infrastructure in Korea after the war.

How did the idea for a World War II memorial come about? E.E. "Pete" Nicholls, a World War II veteran who died in 2008, conceived the memorial more than five years ago. It was his dream, and a committee was formed to see that his dream became a reality. Pete and Gordon Brenner, a Vietnam War veteran, researched newspaper microfilm in search of Macon County World War II casualties. In 1991, Pete published "Heroes in Our Midst," with the names of 223 World War II dead. The final number that will appear on the memorial is 302.

Why is such a memorial needed? We need the memorial to remind people of how our freedom was won and the sacrifices made by our veterans and families during World War II to end all wars.

What took so long? We couldn't find a site and lack of financing.

What will it look like? Constructed mostly of granite, the memorial will be nearly 60 feet across at the widest point and will feature a large granite globe in the center, atop a pedestal on which the names of Macon County servicemen and women killed in action will be engraved.

Where will it be located, and how did you come to select the site? City Councilman Larry Foster visited Pete before his death and promised to help find a site. The Decatur Park District board offered the Scovill Park location east of the Children's Museum of Illinois.

How much will it cost? How much has been raise and from where? It will cost about $328,000. We now have $87,000, which we raised by selling bricks and community donations. We have a promise of $150,000 in state funding from state Rep. Bill Mitchell and another $100,000 from state Sen. Bill Brady, which should give us enough to build and maintain the memorial.

How can people help? By donating to the World War II Memorial Fund and buying a brick to honor a veteran. Tax-deductible donations can be made to the Community Foundation World War II Memorial Fund, 125 N. Water St. Suite 200, Decatur, IL 62523 or to Veteran's Assistance Commission of Macon County Inc., 141 S. Main St., Decatur, IL 62523. Call 429-3000.

There were a lot of ill feelings circulating after your booth at the Decatur Celebration failed to generate much cash. Anything you'd like to say about that situation? What's done is done. We hold no one at fault. We thought it would be a good moneymaker, but it didn't pan out.