Amanda Coltman and James Schuessler

00:03 Amanda coltman, I'm 30 years 30 years old is Friday December 20th 2019. We are in Yuma Arizona. I am interviewing James schuessler also known as juicer and he is my father.

00:19 My name is James schuessler. I'm age 57. Today's date is Friday December 20th, 2019. Where in Yuma, Arizona, I'm interviewing Amanda Lee Coleman. Who's my daughter?

00:33 All right. So my first question I'm going to ask you is you have lived throughout so many different and decades and pivotal moments in recent history of the United States. So what has been what's your first memory of just recognizing what the United States is on Amazon the map of the world

00:55 And I am taking from that you talked about maybe place in history and I would say that I remember when I was probably about 5 years old, which would have been about 67 and 1967 and we sat down at the dinner table every night at 5:30 as a family and that Walter Cronkite was the anchor on CBS news. That was definitely the dominant newscast and and every night, you know, I don't remember all of the news of the day, but I remember every night during the course of it that the newscasts they would talk about. How many dead in Vietnam and how many wounded that was just a given every single night.

01:40 So, what did you think about that than as a child? Like what was your I guess if that's the one of your first memories to history. How did that impact you with a child if you know probably didn't mean to too much to me, you know it at the time, you know, we get just what is became a course of your life, you know Monday through Friday it at the dinner table that you would you would have that account of what was going on when I got to be older and became eligible to register for Selective Service. I remember that the draft was over but I remember that that was not something that I wanted to do. It was it was very controversial when when these enlistees nnnn people that were drafted in the service came home when the four family finally ended about 1973.

02:37 A lot of people look down upon them they spat upon them. And I mean, I knew that now I'm 10:11 at this point, but I remember being at a parade not too many years after that where there were some Vietnam veterans marching in Lacrosse, Wisconsin Western, Wisconsin and everybody standing and giving him a standing ovation as they came along and the pride on their faces, so

03:00 What I what I remember from that first memory of of of of Vietnam and and the dead and the wounded to the the end of the war II to then, you know, seeing those veterans finally being remembered that you do finally in in positively realizing that they didn't make that more that other people. Can I can full circle on that? Those are those are some very Vivid memories that I still think about today. What do you think about me?

03:36 All of the the Middle Eastern conflicts that has happened since

03:41 Play 80s. We are the 80s. So how do you think that relates to anything today? Like would you think you would still see that same reaction today? The educate them self with history. And sometimes you do have in 1941, you know, when when Pearl Harbor was attacked that history was kind of forced upon, you know, America some things may have led up to that. But you do have many choices to make along the way. I remember when when America went into Iraq and I would say probably going to that experience of not wanting are having great respect for those that serve but not wanting to to be a member of the service person that was never been of a motivator of mine.

04:30 And I'll even extend beyond that too, encouraging yourself and and your two brothers to probably find a different path in life other than to to enlist in the military and those came from some of some of those experiences. I remember when the Iraq question happened during the George W Bush Administration. I was certainly a supposed to it. I understand why some elected officials voted for it, but I was opposed to it because the question of that I asked is how do you know where the winds going to look like? Because it was like pulling that loose thread on a sweater and it just kind of unravels and that's exactly in my opinion would happen. This is they've completely unraveled. You know, I'm with operation Iraqi Freedom just the different types. And even today like you just look about how the different War tactics are incredibly different or invasions are different and how now we don't necessarily have to go

05:30 In like we did in Vietnam, so it does just a technology differences there is just all so it's probably saved a lot of American Military lives the point now where Wars really can't be won. The only way that the people seem to to be able to try to find a solution to it. You know, it's for for example, you know, you got people asking their own people in that sort of thing and beat you can't you can't kill an idea and and so I just need the lessons that should have been learned we believe in you forget him about every 20 years.

06:08 Amanda and I can't imagine what's going to cause at the change in the future that your thoughts on that stemmed from the fact that you live through the Cold War. I think that's when the ideology fighting ideology starting to really become up at the concept of War. We're fighting a ideology has a spot when I really fighting people. So do you think the deal is to the opposite way more than I did? So do you think that's what were they so so people talk about socialism and communism and democracy. I really think I think that those are are are the wrong ways to view it. You either have some sort of freedoms or you have authoritarianism.

06:55 And there might be little blends of things in between but I think the happiest places on the planet right now are the places that are quite free of authoritarianism. They do have supports for their citizenry that could be considered to be socialistic, you know, like healthcare for example ideologies, but why is the foreign concept to the United States? And then I think it's Stephanie population merging think that the anti social media's been certainly a part of that but we've we've lived I loved my whole life, you know, when advertising and you know, an advertising causes US stick it's designed to create, you know, a desire and and and so that is exactly what we see, you know with the with slept with social media today is his people

07:55 Revising their ideas and people are definitely hurting up into into a groups.

08:02 That does seem to reflect values is a word that you know that values to me is is is kind of a constant things that you will do things that you won't do but there are people that have values I guess I'll stay small V that are kind of hurting up together that I have some very troubling ideas about your career when you're in advertising. I'm so what was the coolest thing in the guess he ever did when we lived in places like Los Angeles and I've heard really interesting stories. You know, you worked as Bill Nye when we're in Seattle and things like that. So I'm in Bill nye's pretty cool. So take your 90s kid. So tell me a little bit like some of the coolest moments that you experience and advertising cuz that was what your career was for so long we were working for for something positive. You know, what you want to do when I talk about Seattle. I mean, I remember it was said KING5 was the station, you know that I was working for the time.

09:02 Remember looking to my left and to my right, you know at a management team meeting and saying how on Earth did it get from Oconto Falls, Wisconsin get around these really really intelligent people change my life and you know you the the team they did the sense of team that at that I work to develop today, you know, my current role. You know, it it does Door County Economic Development came from those days, you know came from wrapping everybody around and idea pulling each other out make you itchy at each other better. So I would say that that would be among those are both positive experiences is is is is having each other pull each other up you can have environments for you've got people pulling each other down as a guy that I know that he used up using an analogy of a bunch of crayfish in a bucket.

09:54 And one of the crayfish is trying like heck to get out of that bucket. You just about gets to the edge of the bucket where he's going to be able to pull him or herself out and one of the other crayfish grabs him or her by the tail and pulls back in and in so that's kind of the opposite is is is is pulling each other down. So it's go back to your question is is I would I would say that that was among that it really it really raise the bar on me helped helped me with some of the values that that I tried to try to maintain as you know, what it is that is a beacon for you and in your brother is as in all living by a certain standard.

10:34 So and you're a first generation college student. So what made I don't think I've ever asked you this question just because I'm a second generation college students. So it's just what I've lived around with you and mom being first-generation College grads in their family. So what made you he talked about? You know, the small-town Oconto Falls Wisconsin, which is a very small town. It's getting even smaller now because people are fleeing small towns in the United States to go to bigger cities. So are you are you lived in places like St. Louis Seattle to Los Angeles, Ohio, you know figure to be like that. So how did that feel to know that your first generation college student and you've left those small communities in here you are working with these people. Would that be a really weird that really proud moment for you you are my motivator for for going to college was to get the hell out of Oconto Falls, Wisconsin, and it was a company Town paper mill company my grandfather.

11:33 Who was the fourth generation of german-american that it come over from Bavaria? And then my father who died when I was very young they both work for that paper mill and I were going into that paper mill one day when my dad died before my six birthday going in there one day and the loud paper Machines scared me and all these giant rolls of paper and I just knew even at that young age. That's not what I wanted to do. You know, I didn't want to work those three three shifts, you know, you just you slept in the middle of the day sometime. So they work these are swing shifts were sometimes it was 6 to 2 to 2:10 and then 10 to 6. So, you know, Falls was a town that wasn't really growing I'm nice people are you know, don't get me wrong, but I went to school at uw-platteville because Platteville was as far as this is a fact so as far as always I could get from Oconto Falls.

12:33 Keep that in state, Wisconsin tuition.

12:37 And you can still drink it is 18 years old. So you could still drink in Wisconsin that are on the border of Iowa and things like that to a lot of fun friendship the change you I mean friendships that I carry for the rest of my life came from those pie Philly the years you wonderful people wonderful experiences and sometimes we don't see each other for years on on end, but we do all stay in touch. Is that how you felt like you knew you did something you do that that's fine. A lot of people feel that way and the bout currently like you when I get out of there smaller town situations, and so you left you graduated from Platteville you and Mom move to Iowa right Demoine in 1984.

13:37 Six-year-old goal or did that take more time. So, you know it was exciting and it was course scary at the same time. I knew I didn't want to go back to Wisconsin there were job offers. You know, what you're in Wisconsin. I wanted to go places when I was a kid. We didn't go anywhere. We when we made one trip to Kansas City and the first 18 years of my life that I can remember and and so I wanted to go and see places and and so I was very fortunate right out of college at done in internship. They liked me so they hired me and and so that's why I started building on top of that. That's how we made those moves, you know, the next step up the up. The ladder was St. Louis and that's where you were born at, Missouri Baptist Hospital. I think in 1989 if I remember correctly on 33rd on August 18th at 2 in the afternoon.

14:31 Right after your mom's soap opera. Yeah. So how did the first born so I can ask you questions? I've never asked you about me. So what is what is your favorite memory of me then?

14:49 One of one of the many favorites, you know, was you coming home from the hospital? So I'd arranged from some service in St. Louis where you could have this Pelican put in the front yard, and it had your name on it Amanda Lee and Anna and I remember pulling your driving the car way from West County to South City, which is where we live and in going about 2 miles an hour, because you're certainly didn't want you to be harm and just remembered driving up very carefully helping you and your mom, you know out of the car and I'm bringing any do I tear up first home on Gresham Boulevard as I recall?

15:31 I know this may sound wrong, but that's what you were. That's what you did. You know, that's you know back then that's that's what you did. You know, we had we had been together, you know, it's husband and wife for a few years. And this was the next logical step. I would say is is if we we felt you know, that that that was important for us as a family is is is to bring children into our family.

15:59 Currently checking on me.

16:00 Well, you know that was something else is actually making your nursery and drywalling that ourselves and and we can have a ton of money back then you know it and I'm so just doing all those things that later on. We probably fly her out. But my other biggest memory was as I was holding you in the front room of that house on Gratiot one day and and and I was trying to burp you and and you were you know, having an uncomfortable time and you ended up regurgitating all over me and trying to hold that all together on that was a

16:48 Do you want to I don't have any questions I do I do so so you decided to go to college what made you decide to go to college. I just wasn't that was instilled in me since I was a kid. That was what you do. And so that's what I did or did you decide you want so you w Marathon? How did you choose your career path? And so you I wanted to further understand why are teenagers such chaotic little brains and I work with teenagers to this day and I want to be a psychologist and then I just I just can't just can't do very well in math. And so I knew that there was going to be a lot of math involved. I was going to have to go if I wanted to I don't want to just be a Psychology major, you know if you want.

17:48 Psychologist you have to go and get some through doctorate degree. And so I knew I was going to really struggle with that. And so I went back to I remember being that I was in kindergarten. I wanted to be a teacher just like my mom was it sounds like there's another way to work with people. I've always wanted to work with people some which way shape or form and help people and so I was like play I Want To Be A Elementary teacher and then eventually it was like why I really like history. So but you know, you really don't teach just history to elementary students. So I want to go to history education, but unfortunately, I could not pass the math portion to get into the to get my education degree of the test that is required in the state of Wisconsin. I passed all the other portions of the test very easily. I'm I really bad test anxiety. I had testing accommodations pretty much my entire life. So knowing your mother and I as is I do all these years you were doomed on the map.

18:48 Find now so I did fine with everything else, but I just didn't pass the math portion. I took this test three times. I remember felt the third time I feel that by one point and I was sick of spending money on that test. So I got my bachelor's in history. And as I was trying to think of it, what can I do with this? You know, I was just about to graduate I was sitting in I was doing my dissertation and I was sitting in the uw-stevens point which is where I got my bachelor's degree from the archives up there in the library in the fifth floor and I was looking at slave documents and things that we had gotten from Camp Randall Stadium, which was a camp during Civil War, Wisconsin and I was just like, oh my God, this is what I want to do. I want to look at the stuff for the rest of my life. This is really fascinating until someone said he's going to get your Master's in library and information studies and technology and also do like archival studies.

19:44 So I went and applied for grad school for Library information studies and Technology. I wanted you to technology aspect of it. I did take a couple archiving classes, but there's not a lot of archiving jobs in the United States anymore. So I made sure to be really I made sure to take classes all across the board. So archiving business organizations. So if I wanted to have a business wanted to hire me and organize all of their stuff they could do that if I wanted to go into work in the school. I can do that and so should all these different classes in my Master's and I took a lot of Technology classes would I don't like to tell everybody because and everybody comes to me wanting to fix their technology. So now I'm working in the school library for high school students. And so I'm back to what I really want to do is helping people and working with people, but if I ever wanted to work in an archive, I still have that option and I would love to do that are born in st. Louis lived in La Seattle other other places. What what's your most?

20:44 The child memory

20:48 But I can hear about I don't care whatever.

20:56 Sad, but when we're in Sioux Falls living in Sioux Falls on there was a really big I don't remember that house really whatever my vision like really badly, but I don't remember. I remember that huge Landscaping. He was a really Steep Hill across the street and I remember

21:16 Biking on that hill and you know how when your kid you just do really dumb things. And so I put my legs out like a V shape and I fell but I fell forward and my whole face went to get it all the way back down like probably a quarter at the end of that hell, that's my first memory, but it was it was

21:38 I remember going camping a lot when we lived in Seattle. I remember is the Slugs the banana slug bugs. I remember seeing them in the tent but I don't remember it's time we can otherwise we went up to the Cascades after that. I hate being naughty if it's like 4, so I don't remember in the tent to my mom's spray me with that stuff. You have burned spray. It smells really bad, but I can still remember like the smell but that's a doesn't like my electromatic.

22:20 2003 you move to Northern Wisconsin kind of a very rural area the most rural area. I think you were in turn your freshman year. How did that impact you?

22:38 I went I feel like I went I live in all of these like

22:43 Big cities

22:45 And then in these affluent neighborhoods in all these majority of the cities of my most memorable Parts in my life and with everyone being very like educated and

22:57 Knowing more about the world than just whatever they are. Whatever there was ever an outside their front yard, and I think that didn't do much for me in a good way like moving out there was not

23:12 Positively impact on my life

23:16 That's why I never felt so I never thought you would mom for that obviously, but it just wasn't a place that I felt. Like I wasn't raised their I know is I think it would have been different if I'd been there much younger age, but although you never met him if you hadn't made that move and me personally, I feel like I would have done something way different with my life if I would have I think I so would have helped people but I don't think I would be in Yuma Arizona right now. Do you have about your grandparents either maternal or paternal great-grandparents?

24:03 So I've knew them. I don't really have any I don't have any of either my grandma my grandparents and your dad passed away when you were five and then my mom's dad passed away before a week for you guys got married on her birthday. So it's I wasn't born yet. But both of them got remarried. I would say that I have I have really good memories with my grandmother's and then my your stepdad.

24:34 But

24:37 Anything stand out?

24:40 Positive

24:42 Your choice

24:45 I wish my grandmother. I might my paternal grandmother wasn't so judgmental throughout my life. It's Tommy's not be that way. I do not have those combat like Justin. I don't know Thanksgiving is just never a good holiday when we moved up there because it was very like

25:07 Casa. It just wasn't I imagine how other people experience is there Thanksgiving but my my maternal grandmother I have a lot of good memories with her whenever I go and visit her when I'm in Wisconsin. She's always super welcoming we do whatever.

25:25 And her deramus, Wisconsin

25:29 Alcohol is going to fall the Fall colors, but I know we can go to Flagstaff if I want to see no, I don't I don't I feel like what I feel like the Midwest in general is this is a really big blanket statement and I'm sure I'm going to get slapped for it, but it's

25:48 As if I ever States for a reason, I feel I feel Wisconsin people can be very nice. But I also feel like they're only nice to people that you they know and then that's where that ends but not willing to be here in about your 6 year in Yuma, Arizona.

26:05 Yes, Did she have a drink my protein? What are its strongest characteristics? And so everybody it's just one big Melting Pot with a hundred fifty thousand people two hundred thousand people whatever if you want to include some of the other outlying communities, but I think the people here are just incredibly friendly and really accepting and don't really care where you came from or what you've done or what you have inside and just I just love that about you, What do you think your future holds?

26:38 I don't know. I'm taking my day-by-day. I feel like is this a message is ended for school? I think I don't know if you must going to we're going to be here forever. But I do feel like the future is going to be really positive. I feel like I'm married to a really good person and have a lot of really good friends expectations 10 years down the road. What does it look like for you?

27:08 Now just for me or like my family or just I hope I'm either doing something that I love doing. Like I said, I love my job. I work at a high school here and I absolutely love those kids. So I'm hoping I'm still in the careers. I hope I still love the Career Education. So it's it's political even if you don't want to see political it's not it's a really really hard career and I just hope I still have enough perseverance 10 years from now. I'm patience to still be doing it cuz I love it. I hope I still love it.

27:42 Some taking one off the list now. What's your favorite memory of me? I don't like to talk about me.

27:58 I love the fact that you even in my graduate high school. We didn't go to Florida by didn't go on my class trip just because they went to Florida and we spend a Florida and so you asked me where I if I ever want to go anywhere in United States, where would it be and I told you as a history person that I was and still am I told you wanted to Salem Massachusetts. And so we landed in Boston and we went all the way up to Maine and everything in between. We went to New York City. We went to Salem Connecticut, and I would love to recreate with my future kids with Ian.

28:41 I think the cherry blossoms. I still really really remember in Washington DC cuz it was Springtime. So they're in full bloom and you could really smell it and I just I really enjoyed that trip with you. I wish you would look for Boston more and more smithsonian's looking back in like we never even saw the Declaration of Independence and we are Washington Memorial. Yeah, that was on those steps are it was just a beautiful day in Georgia and South Carolina and I thought that was really cool that we had Saint Martin Luther King's Eternal Flame. So that brought back the memory is trying to Kennedy's so that is

29:29 That's a long memory is the week-long memory, but that's why my favorite memory that trip the Carnegie Deli cheesecake a stove egg in New York City New York City. It was so overwhelming. I don't know if you ever watch like my facial reactions about some of those places, but the plan was for you and your brothers is okay. You're going to see me or kamasi Washington. Is he New York because you realize the world's a lot bigger than you think it is and then you see Washington because everybody needs to see Washington wear these things actually happen. Then you got your multiple opportunity and you pick your ears. I think it was Matthew pick Gettysburg. And so so that was just to kind of demonstrate some of that stuff because that was about the last time we had any control over what was happening with you kids.

30:26 Is Emily inspired me a lot to travel? I mean, that's all he and I do that every year. We always go somewhere that we've never been and shifting gears little bit. So what's the happiest memory from your life thus far?

30:42 I think

30:46 Just moving to Arizona by myself Justine and I we weren't even married for a year. Yes. We are like 11 months, but we are just coming out of here and we succeeded and we absolutely love our jobs and we didn't even like really looked on Google Maps what the city looks like and it was a couple years dated but we we trusted God in the whole situation and so but we're like hair parents had started in Hawaii and I was born in Missouri. I'll declare parents didn't start off where they were from so

31:18 Why can't I and so why can't we eat and so I think that is probably think of myself as I was able to do this by myself pretty much and toast.

31:37 Tupelo High School staff

31:40 People

31:42 And iPhone x you all leave home, very nice. Yeah.

31:49 I'm glad like I work with high school students so hard question, but you highlighted this is the last time you ever spoke to me. What would you say to me?

31:59 Deez Nuts Captain Obvious you that I love you, but just like thank you because you we traveled so much and we did so many things going up and down really I'm not a first-generation college student, but I'm really proud that my parents were in that you push mom to go to college because she wouldn't have left Gillett Wisconsin another tiny little town in Wisconsin left and she knows that in that, you know, you and Mom persevered a lot of things just because you have all your siblings you only have one of the sibling that have a college degree mom doesn't have any and so and you guys both have

32:40 6 + living so I think it's I think it's I think I would tell you that that was that's really important to me.

32:48 So what's the biggest thing that you and or your brothers pulled off on your mom? And I that we don't know yet know about that was the boys. I just sat there. I'm pretty funny all those years later that I think we ever did anything really ridiculous who used to be nowhere kids. So you're always like a pyrotechnic wannabe and a lot of times in the cabin in northern, Wisconsin. We would put napkins on the

33:37 Stove burners. I remember just to see how long it would take for it to light on fire in the scramble to get it out because of my mom's going to kill us so

34:00 You guys didn't find out cuz there's three of us sure. I'm pretty sure there's three of us, so

34:08 I feel like it was just it was way too easy to get caught brother is 4 years younger than me. So it's not like we like mysteriously went and did things.

34:19 Matt and I used to just

34:22 Team up in Glee Jake would have you ever experienced any Miracles or spiritual type experiences that are beyond what one would consider normal think? So before we move to Yuma a lot of you know when Anna was losing his job as an education because they were a newbie and they were increasing classroom sizes. So he was the last last hired first fired basically is how that goes people were asking us questions, like what about Arizona and it was never something I would have thought about Arizona of all the 50 states that would never do we never discuss Arizona and so

35:03 But you and Matt my brother and Mom had just gone to Arizona for Christmas and New Year's when you guys went and went to that Packer bar and Matt have that door in the car. And so so we never considered a trip and then I had dreams of us moving in Arizona and then people were putting things like Arizona in our conversation and I never reflected back on those things until we've officially took jobs in Arizona. Do the way till story is is it yeah, I even went to that change with it with his job Walker was jacking up now education what's concert anyway, and so I said, hey look you got the rest of your life to live get out of map and figure out where you going to live. Yes. We literally went down the whole 50 states. We skipped a couple. I don't have it wrong. And you decided you couldn't live in Arkansas because Sarah Sanders

36:01 We skipped a couple States just because we knew we do the Environmental Education environment wasn't going to be in a weird teaching and Racine Wisconsin and it was a really hard community and I know it's just gotten worse, which is really sad cuz it's a beautiful city. It was a shame. What happened?

36:28 But I was back in the Box, We'll see what they do with it. That's that's basically I think those are some of the Miracles that experience is like literally I think I was telling me this is what you're going to do and it's going to be fine. But he and I experienced different things. So I was really like wanting to move when that happened and I took our jobs Ian was very reluctant. And then when you healthy and move down here

37:00 In July in degrees

37:09 I didn't want to go but he was like ready to go. So I'm really grateful that we also experience those emotions at the same time. So I think we've been really toxic if we had both experience negative at the same time if I would have happened or something. So I guess you and ask you if you if I was this is the last conversation that we ever had what we say.

37:34 I'm proud of you really amazed what a team you and enr.

37:40 And I think I think you really set yourself up for good quality of life. And I think that's what my parent wants is is is I think that a parent can be done if you know beyond life. Once they know their kids are going to be okay and it's the most frightening thing on earth is in your brothers are certainly keeping this active right now it is you know, you just you want your kids to be. Okay. That's all they don't have to be, you know.

38:15 The at the top of the mountain top you just want them to have a quality of life. You want them to wake everyone up every morning and in and embrace another day and and then ultimately, you know, you know parents be no pass on and yeah, I think that that can be very satisfactory. So we didn't always make the right turns but you know, they're always been great intentions, you know, and I'm they were made in the vacuum, but and I and I think that if you really thinking

38:48 You you make you recognize things that ultimately be regrets, but then it's like okay, you don't wallow in will forward the boys are going to be. Okay. We're going to be good that Wisconsin thing. I don't hold any of that against you. It's just it just wasn't a place where I needed to be at the time, but it's

39:11 You're right. I would have met you two didn't happen. So it was an exceptional place at one point in time. Thank you for this time.