I was born in 1943 in the picturesque Gordon County, Georgia, where I spent my early years immersed in the rustic beauty of farms for a delightful 12 years. After a memorable childhood, I graduated from Sprayberry high in Cobb County, Georgia, in 1961, marking the first step in my educational journey.

Life took an unexpected turn when I was drafted for the Vietnam conflict, and from 1965 to 1970, I proudly served in the us navy as an electronic technician. The experiences during those four years shaped me in ways I could have never imagined.