I would like to nominate our own Bob Sturtsman, Ol' Music Man himself, for the "Without Them" pages.

  I just finished reading the thank you note from Gail and the statement that Bob made. I think the impact Bob has had on so many young people's lives has been profound. Michael Shepard and his wife Kim who performed last Sunday are prime examples of this. Bob started him out with work when Michael was 18 years old. He made work available for Michael so he could feed his young family. Bob gave them his camper to live in when the Shepard kids were small and they could not afford a place of their own.

  These stories came from Ashley Shepard, the 19 year old daughter of Kim and Michael. She told me that she had grown up with Bob and of the impact he had on the lives of her mother, dad, brother, sister and herself. She told me that there is no way her dad would have made such a success of his music if Bob had not done the things he did for them.

  Then there is the story of the young boy with such talent and who had no horn of his own because his family could not afford one. Bob's friend who owns a music store in Anderson had him listen to this boy and Bob marveled at the way this kid played the horn. Bob took his prized Doc Severinson trumpet to his friend in Anderson, had the horn totally gone over, repaired and made like new and had him present it to the young man without telling him who had done this. Just from an Ol' Music Man to a New One is all he wanted the boy told. Today that young man is a professional who plays with big names in all venues and because of Bob Sturtsman, many people are enjoying music they would otherwise never have heard.

  For him to honor all of us with his thanks is very humbling and certainly gives me pause to think about what he gave to us last Sunday (September 2, 2001). The physical effort he put out for those of us who attended the special concert made me look at this man as some one I am very privileged to know.  He would have given his last breath if that is what it took to entertain us. He gave us way more than we took up the the campground, but we came home with more than any of us ever thought we would receive. To me he is, indeed, a legend and I would very much like to see this legend be honored by all those on this Den List that he so loves.

Sharon (Benedict) Hurst '53

  When I think of Bob back when we were kids, I always smile because he had such a sense of humor! He was funny!  Everyone always enjoyed being around Bob because he made us laugh. A lot. He had an infectious chuckle that in itself made you laugh. I went through all 12 grades with Bob and he always stood out wherever he was (not just because he was big - well, that, too) and he always had a smile for you.

  He played guitar and sang in grade school -- mostly country songs or hymns -- long before we got our horns from Mr. Brugger. I believe his grandfather taught him guitar. He, Larry Fetz and I practiced our music after school at my house for a few months when we went to Edgewood. We wanted to be famous with our little music group of piano, trumpet and guitar. They remember the three of us playing one evening at the Moose Lodge while we were still in Edgewood grade school.
    

  So, as it turned out, Bob's career was launched at about age 11! He was destined.

Loretta (Jarvis) Dodd '56