James Edward Johnson

My step-dad is a man of many adventures. He grew up in the hills of Kentucky about 7 miles from Morehead, where he lived with his four brothers (Otto, Ellis, Donny and Gary), his mom and his dad. They all lived out in the country in a small house with a kitchen, living room and three bedrooms. They used an outhouse until he was 10.

When he was young, he walked to a small school with eight rooms, one for each grade. He was an average student in school where he was taught by a teacher and he was a good worker for his parents when he was at home. His mother was a housewife and his dad worked for a brickyard and he drove a school bus.

When he wasn't at school, he was at home in the hills, catching rattlesnakes, hunting squirrel, rabbit and grouse and just being a kid. He also had a yard that had tons of nightcrawlers. He and his brother used to catch as many as they could and sell them for fishing bait. He had some farm animals, like two ponies that were named Sugar and Daisy. He also had a big garden. When the vegetables and other things in the garden were ripe, his mother would put them in the cellar, which was in the side of the hill, for storing for winter.

His father died when he was 14, and his mother really needed his help. She had never driven a car or held a job outside of the home. He got odd jobs to help out. Then after he graduated, he started his own drywall business. When building homes came to a stop, he moved to Valparaiso, Indiana and worked for a while at Union Tank Car. He then went to work at Monon Trailer and moved to Medaryville. After Monon Trailer went out of business, he got a job at PowderTech, where he works to this day.

He is my hero because he is always there to help us out, whether it is with our homework or something else, like teaching me how to shoot a bow and arrow. He always has something to teach me and he always has a story to tell us. That is why he is my hero.