OLD FRIENDS

There was a kid my age who lived about six houses down the street from where I grew up.  His name is Don Wuebbling  (web-ling).  I met him when I started to grade school and we became friends.  He lived in an upper apartment of a four-apartment building. 

He was different than me for a number of reasons.  He was an only child.  His father worked for the railroad, as an engineer I presumed, and he seemed to keep odd hours.  The big advantage to that was they took long train trips in the Summer and saw places and parts of the country I only dreamed of.  Our playtime together always took place in the living room of his apartment.  I don't think he had his own room - of course, I didn't either.  He had tropical fish (Siamese fighting fish that actually fought) and lots of interesting games.  We went to the museum together a few times and took a class there one Summer to study rocks, minerals and fossils.  He NEVER played outside although the schoolyard was right across from his house. 

Donny had no interest in sports - zero.  He was a large featured person and always somewhat overweight as a youngster.  He got me to join the Cub Scouts when I was in the fifth grade.  For me, that only lasted a short while - I think he stayed in and became a Boy Scout.

He was only an average student - very quiet, not very sociable, no interest in girls that I know of.   We had little contact from grades six through twelve even though we lived so close and went to the same schools.  In high school, he wasn't placed in the advanced placement courses with me.  I suppose he did well in what he took. 

He didn't make it to our 50th reunion last weekend so I haven't seen him in fifty years; I wish I would have.

He and his wife Carol live in the Hyde Park/Mount Lookout area; raised two children and now have grandchildren.  Here is his brief bio taken from Bloomberg Businessweek.

"Mr. Donald Joseph Wuebbling is a Vice President and General Counsel at the Western Southern Life Insurance Company.  He is a Secretary at Fort Washington Investment Advisors, Inc.  [He] is the Chief Legal Officer and Director at Touchstone Advisors, Inc.  He is Director at Todd Investment Advisors, Inc. and Touchstone Securities, Inc.  He received an A.B. and M.A. in Economics in 1967 and a J.D. from University of Michigan." 

He was a Board of Directors/Trustees member of the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra and the May Festival.  He actually retired as General Counsel of WSL three years ago. 

Sports ain't everything!
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