L. Roy Wilcox, PhD - Autobiography, Part 2

(this section and the introduction pages are marked with “Redo-reorganize!!” No such reorganization has been found in the original notes)

PREFACE

To my daughter, Jean, who commissioned this work.

Writing biographies, in particular the auto – kind, is one of many things about which I know very little. Accordingly I have spent probably more time in thinking about this project that I have in carrying it out.

Probably this type of job is relatively simple when the subject’s life is essentially single – faceted, at least so far as readers’ interests are likely to be concerned as for example, in the case of a great statesman. But in a case where greatness, together with a consistent amount of mediocrity, if any, is spread over a number of “facets” and where salient features are far from constant over the years, the job is pretty complicated. This is so in part because a simple chronological account of such a life must deal at early stage with many or at least several related or unrelated facets; and the results promises to be a grand hodgepodge.

Therefore, since I regard myself as a multifaceted (a jack of many “trades,” master of at least two) I have decided to write my (auto –) biography into parts with inter-part and in intra- part biography, cross references kept to a minimum.

Part one is a chronological account in the form of a collection of commentaries, one for each of us set of “eras” with relatively little attention to the “facets.” Part two deals with the facets including hobbies, special areas of interest, or significant pieces of my career. A table of contents of each part appears at the beginning of that part.

In part one there is no implication of lack of continuity from one “era” to the next, but there is enough shift in lifestyle, Outlook and self-evaluation at each transition to justify the organization there are many anecdotal items, some possibly significant, which should appear somewhere but don’t fit well in part two; these are therefore included somewhere in part one although they may span two or more eras. Similarly in part two, the various items have sufficient identity to lead to their separation; yet there are many inter-relationships, some of which have become evident to me only through the sorting out processes in which I have been recently involved in connection with this project.

(Note from transcriptionist: some of the “unknowns” about the families mentioned here are known by the person typing this manuscript and have been identified in footnotes, marked * on the respective pages, for the edification of the reader. Numbered footnotes are from the original manuscript. This was transcribed using Dragon software and then hand-revisions, as necessary - JMWH.)

L. Roy Wilcox, PhD (1912-1999) - Autobiography, part 1

My dad wrote his autobiography.

When I started working on my Family History, I asked him to write it, record it, video it . . . something! I knew his life was extraordinary, but I also knew that there were a lot of pieces missing from my knowledge of it. Couldn't he please fill me in? I interviewed him, but he often steered the talk into another direction (his cousin did this, his mother said that, etc.) . . . so frustrating. I gave him tools (lists of questions he could answer, a cute book with topics he could expound on, pictures he could identify and discuss). Nothing worked. How was I to know that, all along, it WAS working? That he had begun writing the work and was keeping it secret (no doubt to surprise me with it in type-written form).

My mother was always Dad's secretary (this probably because she was the only one that could read his scribbles). Dad's writings were done in long hand on scratch paper (the most recent piece of which was dated in 1986, so he had to have begun the bulk of the work then or after . . . I suspected after). One reference mentioned something that happened in early 1990, so that gave me a more accurate date - he had to have written (at least that part) after early 1990. My mother died in June 1994. She had typed the first portions of the work (with a carbon copy, of course). Dad died on 31 December 1999. I suspect that he wrote little, if anything, after Mom's death - after all, how would it get typed? (Yes, he still had his Underwood typewriter, but he didn't really use it in his later years.)

Dad had outlined all the planned sections and subsections of the work and wrote on all of the items in the first section. Only two elements of the second section were addressed. While sad, he still ended up with about 82 pages of typed manuscript (I know this because I just finished typing it, learning to read his handwriting as I went). Now, what do I do with it? My brother and I are the only descendants of my parents and neither of us has biological children. Those who would care about this extraordinary man are, for the most part, dead. But maybe my readers would find his autobiography of interest. He talks about his life, those of his ancestors, and historical events in general (some with which he was intimately involved). So I am going to set up a series of blog posts of the Autobiography of L. Roy Wilcox, PhD and hope that his experiences will be found interesting or inspiring to those who read this work.

Tune in tomorrow for the life and times of a 20th Century mathematician, musician, electrician, and all-round incredible individual.

Everything I Need to Know I Learned from Doing Jigsaw Puzzles

14 hints for doing jigsaw puzzles or genealogy

1- if it doesn't fit,  it doesn't fit... Don't force it!
2 - work surface must be large enough to fit item but not so large as to require uncomfortable reaching 
3 - there are two different ways to approach doing puzzles: with or without the aid of the box cover; decide (with partners) which way you are going to do the process
     a.  if using the box, make sure it is available for everyone working on the puzzle to use it
     b.  if working "blind," plan for the process to take longer
4 - do straight edge pieces first to establish the boundaries (keeping it separate from other puzzle families) (From Sharon Sergeant)
5 - when working as a team, don't take over the part being handled by team mate(s) unless that person is agreeable for that or asks for help
6 - having time limits avoids working while exhausted (when mistakes occur and important pieces are overlooked)
7 - snack/meal breaks improve stamina, brain function, and motivation
8 - some comfortable listening music (according to personal taste) can help ease the soul when parts of the task are exceedingly difficult (all must agree on this, however)
9 - communication with the partner(s) helps work to be more efficient ("I'm looking for pieces with red and blue like this one") allowing the other(s) to assist by passing along the sought for piece
10 - if you have a term for a piece shape, be certain to let others know your terminology 
11 - check environment for fallen/overlooked pieces
12 - if a piece is apparently permanently missing, make note of it for the person or people who will work the puzzle in the future
13 - when the task is done,  it's done...don't forget to save (take a picture or otherwise record the accomplishment) and identify the date, time, place, etc. (cite sources and give credit where due)
14 - file your puzzle so that you can find it again for your use or to pass along to someone else