Yet, he possessed an entrepreneurial spirit which allowed the family business to thrive with new marketing ideas continually when chain groceries should have overtaken the landmark. From age 18 until 73, Bill conducted the business started by his father in 1917. In the fall of 1987, the family suffered a loss of the grocery business when it was consumed by fire. With a thriving country ham business still alive, it was at that time that the Colonel decided to turn his business over to Nancy. Raves about his hams through many newspaper and magazines articles through the years had given him the satisfaction of a job well done. This piece of poetry was dedicated to my father upon the 28th day of November, 1998. It was inspired through a conversation I had with him while discussing a living will. I asked him did he want to consider making one and he just said, “We’ll leave it to the lay of the land,” as he gracefully waved his hand. Whatever will be, will be was the way that I took it-that whatever happened, it was as it should be.....whatever came his way. So from his belief about his life, death and so forth, I was inspired to expound upon it.