A regular feature of The Icon is "15 minutes with..." Our first interview is with James Pannabecker ([email protected]).
Hometown: He and his wife, Karen, and their son, Adam, live outside Natural Bridge, Virginia
Bluffton High School, 1970 graduate
Bluffton College, 1974 graduate
University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill 1978 graduate
Juris Doctor, Master of Regional Planning
When did you leave Bluffton?
1970
Will you spend the rest of your life in Virginia?
No idea. We could end up in Montana or New Zealand. We were thinking of moving to New Zealand before we moved here.
What book are you reading at the moment?
"Ulysses," by James Joyce and "Come Be My Light," by Mother Teresa. I'm in an on-line book club reading Ulysses.
How many books do you read in a year?
Anywhere from 45 to 50.
What is your occupation?
I'm an author of books for bankers and lawyers. I've done this since 1994 with Sheshunoff publishers.
Who is the most famous person you ever met?
When I was 9, William O. Douglas, United States Supreme Court justice, spoke at Bluffton College. I read "Go East, Young Man," which he wrote. I remember getting his autograph.
What do you remember from Bluffton grade school?
Not much from first grade. Miss Stepleton was my teacher. In second grade, with Mrs. Klay, we once played out in the snow. When we came in she had us all take off our pants and hang them in the cloak room to dry. We wore our coats while our pants dried. In kindergarten, some of us went to Crow's because they were giving free balloons. When we returned, Miss Groman asked everyone who went to Crow's to stand up. I didn't stand, but went to Crow's. Everyone who stood up received a spanking. I didn't get spanked and felt bad about it for the next five years. I probably never lied in the next five years either.
What was your first job?
I had a Toledo Blade paper route. Made $3.50 a week. Probably had 35 to 40 customers. Eventually, my brother, Tom, and I took over the entire village.
When you think of Bluffton, who comes to your mind?
Peggy Ruggley, Dales Jo Kohli, Helen Stratton, Greg Emans, Garth Gerber, Jacob Friesen, J Friesen, Rob Strahm, Mick Chidester and John Dailey. Oh, yeah, and Mrs. Schellenberger.
Who took you on your quarry test?
My Dad. He swam with me. Cliff Eastman, the lifeguard, watched.
Who did you take to the senior prom?
Joan Kreider.
Tell me about your music.
I play regularly with a violinist. We play classical, Milhaud, Debussy, Shostakovich, anything. Three weeks ago we went to an area retirement home with a cellist. We call ourselves the Commonwealth Piano Trio. It went over very well.
What is a Commonwealth?
It's the same as a state.
Tell me about your piano.
I have a Baldwin concert grand.
Who did you vote for in the recent presidential election?
Obama. He was the better of the two choices.
What do you do when you are not working?
I like to run, read and garden. Our garden is about a half-acre.
How many cups of coffee do you drink a day?
I don't drink coffee. I like a fresh squeezed orange or grapefruit and I add some grape juice. Before that I usually drink a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar with one tablespoon of honey in a cup of hot water.
What are you driving these days?
Our farm truck is a 1987 Dodge Super Ram, eight cylinder, four-wheel drive. It has 95,000 miles. We bought it at an auction about four weeks ago.
