Reflecting on Dad's 90th Birthday!
Nine decades is a very long time, yet it seems that many are reaching this birthday bench mark these days with relative ease! Thanks to God’s grace, good genes, healthy living and excellent doctoring, we now have one of our own who has joined the “ninety club!” My Dad turned ninety on December 9. Joseph Donald Keppler was born in Fayette County, Illinois on this date in 1929 to Kenneth and Thelma Keppler. Dad is the second oldest of what was 14 living children. Their farm house sat north of Vandalia on 80 acres at the base of “thrill hill!” This was only part of what my great grandpa, Joseph (Dad’s namesake!) farmed just south of the state property surrounding the Vandalia Correctional Center today. Joseph Donald Keppler Vandalia, IL Grandpa Joseph also farmed 120 acres on the east side of highway 51 in the bottom land of the Kaskaskia River. Dad said that they planted corn most years and sowed grasses for pasture. There were 14 milk cows, and 8 work horses along with 20 p...