Louis Vero and Juanita Vero

00:03 Hi, my name is Juanita Vero and I'm 47. And today is Friday, June 5th, 2020. We're in Greenough Montana and I'm here with my dad Louis Vero.

00:19 Good morning. My name is Louis Vero 81. It's the 5th of June and she said then we're in Greenough, Montana, Missoula County and she is my daughter.

00:36 And I guess we'll go to listen questions. Thanks Dad for doing this way about a person who has been.

00:51 Do you have tell me about a person who's been kind of Stew you in your life?

00:57 Kindest

01:05 Let me just think a little bit on that.

01:09 I would have to say my

01:13 PE teacher in Folsom, California

01:18 Whose name was Jack LaLanne and

01:23 He just really treated me real well.

01:28 Alongside the sports teams. I was on that he coached he was a good teacher as well in the classroom.

01:38 What made him a good teacher?

01:42 He listened and he had good things to say to keep you on your toes and keep you grounded. I would say at the same time.

01:52 Grounded on your toes to make sure I want to ask the questions that are of interest to make use of our time. So if there's good you had the answers to the ones I ran across like off.

02:23 Well, let's go through.

02:27 These first ones and at about 20 minutes if we're not getting to the ones that you have answers to logo from their one of your happiest memories.

02:43 Happiest memories goodness

02:47 I would say growing up in rural Sacramento County and being able to be outdoors and riding the family horse. How about one of your most difficult memories?

03:10 I remember being about.

03:13 7 years old in my older brother was a year older 8th and deer fighting.

03:21 In our house that was

03:25 On not on but ran by our grandparents on my mother's side and one evening. We were fighting my brother and I are over banjo a small banjo. Ukulele.

03:42 And bickering

03:46 Pulling back and forth and all of a sudden we hear some footsteps coming.

03:53 On the wooden floor to our room and we knew who is our grandfather.

03:59 And before we could do anything about it, he grabbed DIA.

04:04 Instrument out of my brother's hand who broke it over his head then hit me with remained in his head and about to head and shoulders.

04:14 I remember thinking I am going to run away from home so I ran out the door and

04:23 In the about 50 yards away hid in a irrigation ditch.

04:29 That lasted about 20 minutes until I got scared and went back in the house.

04:40 What tell me more about your feelings of what made you want to run away?

04:45 Didn't get away from the situation and feeling

04:53 Hurt

04:55 And sorry for myself favored youngest youngest of the group.

05:17 Grandmother used to hide candy Just For Me scene.

05:26 Okay, tell us about someone you'll always remember.

05:37 I'll always remember the

05:41 Old

05:44 Horse sure, it was about five or six miles away across the river.

05:50 And

05:53 Elearn hit that your horse. You ain't in the Cavalry the army.

06:00 And he could show horse in.

06:05 Less than an hour.

06:07 And when he would nail the shoes on he dryer drive all eight of one shoe around the foot.

06:16 And leave the nails sticking out. He wouldn't turn them over a cut them off until he drove all 8 and he did it so fast that by the time the horse maybe wanted to pull away or whatever he would he would be finished with that Foot Clinic Clinton Mall in in Bend them over but most people

06:53 But he would drive all eight and it look like looking at a rib roast.

07:04 You didn't waste any time Bill Kenzie was his name and he's a little guy. Wonderful. I have never heard that story. That is what they tell us about a person who had the Mustang.

07:31 And we had to cross the bridge highway bridge across the river to get to him.

07:39 And the first time I remember doing it, there was a crack in the in the

07:45 Pregnant and she would not cross it.

07:52 How do you get Heracross it I forget we finally did tell us about.

08:03 Without the one you just did. I'm sorry most grateful.

08:11 I was most what do you feel most grateful for in your life?

08:18 Well, I had the when I was 2 years old I had polio.

08:23 And that was during that time in the 40s.

08:27 I am very grateful that the I Survived and lived.

08:32 And the only infirmary and infirmity that I suffered was a of my leg my right leg.

08:43 On a pass my knee.

08:46 And thank goodness. I never had to spend any time in an iron lung just common in those days. How old were you when you had that first feeling of gratitude? What kind of Suddenlink when we have the disease?

09:03 Retroactively diagnose I was 13 when he was diagnosed as I had polio.

09:15 No.

09:17 I really don't because I remember my grandfather grandparents.

09:22 Would would say always straighten up your foot walk straight.

09:29 Well as growing up.

09:31 If your foot wasn't straight and you couldn't walk straight, I guess I had to do and I was very lucky. Yes.

09:45 So when you are 13 and you under 13, you understood that you had survived.

09:53 Polio, that's correct. And that was your your first feeling of of gratitude time think they outfitted me with a shoe that have aluminum brace braces on it that I strapped to my leg and I was supposed to wear it 24 hours a day in bed and all that.

10:21 And I did but that only lasted for about a week because we lived out in the country in there is

10:28 All sorts of detritus on on the ground around us. That's right. Right now my right leg is about 5/8 of an inch shorter than left.

10:50 But the know I went to school with no problems.

10:57 What's a one of the most important lessons you've learned in your life?

11:05 Surround myself with good people

11:09 And about what age looking back like when did you think?

11:17 It's important to surround myself with good people after the Air Force.

11:23 People in in the service and I preferred the good people.

11:31 What is a what is your favorite memory with me?

11:43 I guess looking through the window and then seeing you being shown and you were covered with all this thick mucus and apparently was was surrounding you and glad to see you have ten toes ten fingers and two years and two eyes.

12:10 That's a good that's a good memory happy.

12:15 Cuz I didn't have to go through any of it except wash your mother had.

12:20 Had to Bear the brunt and you were delivered with a C-section. Yes, so did you know how that feel?

12:37 I guess I was used to waiting.

12:40 Are you concerned at all about the first childbirth? I mean you're in the middle of calving right or Kevin or Tuesday? And what would you that's right. I was working on cattle ranch during the Columbia Columbia River in Oregon in.

13:01 I had pulled my share of calves heifers and whatever but

13:08 No, I have faith in the system and concerned about I really had a high regard for doctors and other professional people in bath time.

13:20 I have changed somewhat in that regard.

13:26 What are you proudest of in your life?

13:32 I'm really happy and proud that have two children that are

13:40 Tearing up the world.

13:42 That makes us proud speaking for my brother.

13:47 Because I think both of us really value yours and Mom's opinions of of us and our actions and I definitely know that.

13:57 How I conduct myself I want to make sure my parents are proud of me.

14:06 And end of the best part is he?

14:09 We just kind of happen to me. You took care of yourselves and struck out on your own to see what the world was about and made the goal of its own.

14:22 That's a great parenting and I would like to see it model elsewhere 2.

14:29 Can you remember a time in your life when you felt most alone?

14:35 Yes, I was a recent college graduate and had my first job as a cowboy in a feedlot in in Idaho on the Snake River.

14:51 And I was boarding out with the

14:57 Rancher and going to work and then I remembered after getting the job I worked for it must have been at least three months straight with with not a day off for three months and would not get off work until

15:16 Dark because I can see the cattle.

15:20 What was lonely about that by myself?

15:26 End

15:28 Did you know you were lonely?

15:34 I want to know I just knew it.

15:37 What's up, man? Go through.

15:41 And knowing what you know now what would you done differently or what it just would you was just continue to go through a door.

15:51 I'm certain I would have gone through it.

15:59 And I suppose the

16:03 Which got more the other people would have been beneficial?

16:08 However, however at the same time it was when I first contacted shingles, and I don't recommend that for anyone.

16:17 Because once you give it it it says

16:20 Stay with it stays with you for forever.

16:25 Oh, that's interesting. I'm wondering if the loneliness and stress of that job at

16:32 Contributed to you contracted springles heard that the shingles can be brought on with the stress.

16:44 Whatever, so anything's possible, I guess.

16:53 You could hold onto one memory from your life forever. Which would it be?

17:01 Meeting your mother and have any children.

17:05 One day when does very moment you not Mom?

17:11 There was an energy or a spark or is it good to take a moment to take a while? When did you first when did she first interest you when she showed interest in me and that's what they really so you are not interested in her at all until until until she came walking down the road and wanted to come check out the new Wrangler. Come on to the ranch and

17:46 I was blown away by this Apparition coming down there the roadway from her house to the toward the bunkhouse. She had this old crushed straw hat.

17:58 And her grandfather's old white shirts. He just finished running horses out.

18:04 And these Big 3 inch butcher cowboy boots on your son heels.

18:12 And

18:15 I just couldn't believe here this thing was coming toward me it was right and you were excited about seeing her.

18:29 Better just cuz you so different and then when she started showing some interest in me as a person. Of course encouraged me to keep I got it. I got it. So long was so different just because in that moment her walking down to come see you to meet the new Wrangler. That was what was different or was it just her physical I would say a person of the opposite sex again to show interest in me. And so and so besides that first cuz she could just be polite like this is just what you do you go meet new people.

19:27 Nice. You tell something different you felt something. She was just wasn't being polite. There was some interest there or energy there in in in my with my background. Yes.

19:50 She expressed interest in you where you were like, there's something here to tease each afternoon. We take the swimming truck and take the guests to the Clearwater River.

20:09 And I take him swimming and so just sit back and forth there and watch while we were watching the guest.

20:18 Swim, okay, but when you say the visit back and forth, do you need flirting or what to wear?

20:32 Have interest I mean to the point that she got ahold of my wallet one time.

20:38 And so my ID cards in Ender was was fascinated that I was I was I was eight years older than your mother.

20:54 That she was going to 1826.

21:03 Relay that information to her partner in the college classmate Ginger.

21:13 And we went on from there.

21:16 Do this all kind of happened in the cab of the swim truck and on the banks of the Clearwater?

21:29 How has your life been different than what you'd imagine?

21:37 I don't know. I just looked back in and then I guess I have this talk answering my question in my mind that.

21:47 Had it not been for.

21:51 My outside exposure in

21:55 Meeting people. I like to say that I just beyond the streets of Sacramento, California ponding of pounding the pavement and getting flat feet and playing the saxophone.

22:10 Ndnd thought the thought was going to happen.

22:14 What size are stock answer you think about it now? Did you ever have expectations?

22:22 This is what my life is going to be like and it's turned out differently.

22:30 Tough to answer that one.

22:33 Mostly because of while I was growing up and then and whatever I

22:39 Never thought too much about the future being Pleasant and

22:53 I'm not really steering the future. I'm not saying I'm going to go do this or be this I just been very very lucky was 12 things that spring up rate my experience as well. I can't tell if I'm picking that up because that's what you've done is rated my whole life to be grateful for that or if

23:19 Yeah, I am not sure if I could separate the two.

23:26 How would you like to be remembered?

23:31 Oh my well, he's pretty good cowboy.

23:39 That's that's a good one. That's I think you have been successful and being able to accomplish light.

23:53 If you were to die, I'm sorry. Do you have any regrets?

23:59 No.

24:00 Pretty good to live a life with no regrets.

24:05 I am just grateful and

24:10 Excited to live this long

24:21 May I don't think being

24:23 Having regrets this is dumb.

24:28 Anyway to go myself.

24:33 If you were to die suddenly this evening, what would you regret not having done?

24:44 Since I don't have any regrets, I

24:47 Can you answer that?

24:53 Possibly the to visit Spain and Portugal War

25:03 On horseback

25:07 Well

25:10 Cuz that look when when when when

25:14 You and your mother went along and

25:17 We did we did those family writing. That was great.

25:26 That was that was that was good laughter coronavirus. Maybe we can go back to Spain or Portugal.

25:38 When was the last time you cried?

25:44 And why?

25:46 Oh my goodness.

25:50 Does having tears being broke my eyes count?

25:55 Sure. I mean I can I get Siri during this this conversation the past week I've seen.

26:07 TV shows that

26:11 Has moved me to tears.

26:21 Or what was the the scene?

26:25 Or why do you think you are moved having to go through what people are going through now themselves like Gus wearing masks talking to each other and and

26:42 All the recent killings in

26:50 Yes, so let's talk about protest and

26:56 Racial unrest would it would it would you live through that?

27:02 40s 50s

27:13 I don't think I ever heard the word lynching Norton or certain a.m.

27:21 Experienced it observed it.

27:28 Being that you're in Sacramento, California in the country, so

27:35 Expose you to groups of people was was pretty limited and then the greatest extent is probably

27:45 In grammar school and high school

27:52 No.

27:55 Can't think of anything like that.

27:58 No sew London was civil rights movement and what it what do you remember the in the 60s?

28:15 Again, not much.

28:20 I was just

28:22 Keeping my head above water while going to college at that time.

28:28 And things like

28:32 Ronald Reagan becoming the governor

28:36 California was with something. I remembered.

28:39 What do you remember about? It just my mind is unexpected. I mean

28:46 He's a movie after.

28:51 And again, I just trying to get through my classes.

28:55 And not being very socially involved.

29:00 Is how I would put yeah, who is the first president you you could vote for?

29:12 Or maybe who was the first president you were excited to vote for?

29:22 Well, no,

29:27 Minion

29:35 But what I can say for now.

29:39 Never thought of it too much.

29:44 And when you're saying you're just trying to keep your head above water in college and you were socially

29:53 Aware

29:56 Right, is that what you were saying or what are conscious or critical or strange like dating or wasn't dating didn't know the first thing about it. Just would try to go to class and make the grades.

30:14 And that lasted for about three years and then I flunked out of college.

30:20 Why do you think he's locked up?

30:26 Probably from my background and then

30:30 Being overwhelmed at the whole scene not applying myself, but what did you think was overwhelming?

30:42 I guess the size of everything and plus when I was a junior.

30:49 I mean one more year and I'd be a college graduate in my goodness. I didn't know the first thing or have the first thought about what I was going to do after graduation the other job.

31:01 You supposed to be able to get a job.

31:05 And make money and all that so

31:09 I didn't have a clear view of all that.

31:14 So I sent you a nice essentially flunked out and nowhere to go. So I went and

31:21 Okay know where to go. So I and I went into the Air Force.

31:28 US Air Force Air Force

31:39 Play Survivor.

31:43 What does what does your future hold?

31:49 At my age

31:56 Not much.

32:00 But we live in Montana and we live.

32:10 The environment is

32:13 Pretty clean not too many people in the whole state.

32:23 The basic needs of people who are

32:28 Taking care of

32:31 So

32:32 And

32:34 The future of this place, especially very confident that you young people who are taking over and operating place.

32:46 Are are capable and energetic and I look forward to.

32:52 Just seeing you continue with with operating operating the place.

32:59 If this was to be our very last conversation, is there anything you want to say to me?

33:11 Will certainly

33:14 REI, I love your mother and your brother and you

33:19 And

33:22 Hopefully very best.

33:24 In all of you

33:27 And they have fun.

33:30 The great lie

33:33 No, I think we're so lucky that.

33:39 Then we have opportunity and chance to do that.

33:43 Implement that

33:45 For future generations of our family listening to this years from now family to be whether blood is there any wisdom you want to pass on to them?

34:03 Whatever you find it.

34:07 You think you're good at?

34:11 Just do it and be mindful of other people and take them along to on your journey if you can.

34:24 It's what I would say. I'm glad you said that.

34:30 What are things about me that you've always wanted to know but have never asked minutes?

34:40 How do you get to boarding school in how do you?

34:47 Meet all those City people from the East

34:52 I think it was growing up on a dude ranch and having the confidence of growing up here and being a host to those folks that help me help me survive that boarding school experience who I was because of how you and Mom raised me and Boise.

35:29 Who's Brother?

35:31 Fa so be comfortable with those people and the freedom you talked about that earlier in the conversation the freedom that how you and Mom raised us.

35:47 We're able to develop our own sense of self. I think that's important.

35:52 Now we have like 30 seconds left.

35:56 Turn the tables tell the person you're so honored that you're my father. I am so lucky. I think that every day right back at you. Can't think of any two different people that I would rather have.

36:20 As my children, so

36:23 Here's to you.

36:26 Best Buy

36:30 Yeah, I get emotional.

36:36 Edit song

36:40 You get that for me? I think it's great to be able to.

36:52 Tell thank you. Thank you.

36:58 Well, I don't know Mia. Are we done?

37:01 This is great.

37:08 Well, how else do we want? What and what else can we do?

37:15 Well, I would.

37:18 Think that

37:21 It'd be neat if other people could have some of the experiences that we've had.

37:28 Then Anne survival survived them for that matter.

37:40 You're the fourth generation on this place and

37:45 Keep the ranch going.

37:48 Accepting guests to come on and see how things are done in Montana and

37:58 Take care of the ground.

38:03 That's beautiful.

38:13 And I think that's a great way to go about living one's life is to have those foundations those values when you get a little lost you can always come back to them.

38:26 Feels good.

38:31 Okay, we might be. Hey, we got two thumbs up.