Joe Holcombe came to Woodbine from Texas as a young teenager in 1931 to
  live with his Aunt Emma Holcombe Timm. He attended high school and graduated
  with the class of 1935.
       Joe recalls the depression and there were very few "Fat Cats". Harvest
  wages were $1.25 per day, wheat was 25 cents per bushel. But Joe says in his
  letter many good things grew out of these difficulties. The attitudes and
  values of the people were based on hard work, honesty and an enduring love
  and loyalty to family and friends. Everything and everyone stuck together in
  those days, families, marriages and friendships. We were rich in caring,
  sharing and deep emotional ties. I remember these things.
       Joe joined the Navy, not to see the world but to get a steady job and
  earn a living. It turned out steady - 23 years, three wars and many things
  and places that amaze me even today, 50 years later. The Navy was good to Joe.
  They took him in as an apprentice seaman, trained him, sent him to the
  University of New Mexico to be "polished", moved him up the ladder to 
  Lieutenant Commander.
       After retirement, he worked for North American Rockwell/Rocketdyne, the
  aerospace company which built rocket engines for the Redstone, Atlas and Thos
  ballistic missiles and later for the space programs - Apollo, Saturn and the
  Shuttle engines.
       Joe retired for the second time in March 1982.   
               
  Source: Woodbine, Kansas Centennial, 1887 - 1987, 
          Woodbine through the years pg. 88
          Submitted by Joe Holcombe