I was born is a very small town, Booneville, Missouri. The story I heard from my mother is that it was the coldest day in March that Missouri had records of. And it snowed, hard! I always loved her telling it because it was just a snippet of what really happened. My grandma told me that she never saw my dad so upset. You see he couldn't get the car started and my grandpa's car was stuck in at least a foot of snow. So my dad had to borrow a neighbors "Military Jeep". My mother was wrapped in all the quilts she had. Wore my daddy's army boots and off they went. I was born around 9am on 11th of March 1953 Elida Kay Klug, 6 1/2 pounds and 20" long. I had black fuzzy hair and dark eyes. And there ya go!

My name has a real cool story behind it. After the war my daddy worked in the one and only gas station in a 30 mile radios around Booneville.  (I'm getting my accent back here folks). Daddy was asked to stay late and close up occasionally. One night, he could hear the other station attendant (who was from Germany) yelling and hitting his 17 year old daughter because she brought his dinner and it was cold. The story I heard was my daddy brought her home and since her mother had died she had to do everything for her father. My mom was about 3 months pregnant with me. My mom needed some help with my brother of 3 years old, David. So they gave her the small back room and she lived with them till she graduated from Highschool. She went on to college with full scholarships and became the 1st woman to be the Dean of the first  Catholic College for Girls. Why is this so important? Her name was Elida. I always loved to hear this story. I didn't get to meet her till she retired and reached out to my mother. I just happened to be visiting my mother and we were able to visit her. I was so honored! So there you go! My name means a gift from God. And I believe it truly was!