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Cover Story Archive
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July 2009
Will
You Hunt or be Hunted?
“Getting out of debt is key.” –
Roger Gregg
By Joanne Reese
With today’s economy causing many families
to struggle, I wanted to pull some money saving tips
together for our readers. I also interviewed folks who
lived in Turlock just after The Great Depression to
hear their story of overcoming hardship. As I sat with
Roger and Sheila Gregg, it was plain to see that taking
a trip back through history, and focusing on the hobby
of one man can reveal much about saving money! (For
money saving tips in Turlock, see the links at the end
of this article.)
The towering grizzly stood only a few feet away, close
enough to do some real damage. Fortunately, as I nestled
myself onto the living room couch, a trip to the taxidermist
months earlier kept danger at bay. Wildlife from all
over the world surrounded me. Goat, sheep, warthog,
hyena, pheasant, leopard, zebra, even a crocodile: they
were all mounted with precision. I didn’t know
whether to gasp or take a picture. I did both.
Every trophy mounted displayed the courage and perseverance
of a man determined to give his best. Taking his hobby
and his money management very seriously, it is easy
to see why Roger Gregg carries home the trophy.
“I am in charge of the air conditioner. I wanted
to make sure the house was comfortable for our visit
today,” Roger said as I settled in. Sheila giggled,
with a comment about how he normally doesn’t like
to spend money cooling the house off.
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I began the
interview. Stories of adventure and wisdom, laughter and
tragedy unfolded. As high school sweethearts, they found
each other again after living separate lives?both of which
ended in divorce. Today, their blended family includes
five children and thirteen grandchildren.
At eight years of age, Roger Gregg moved from Davenport,
Iowa to Turlock, California in 1944. Leaving his father
in Iowa, Roger moved here with his mother and grandfather.
As an only child, his earliest memories include Lowell
Elementary School (where Turlock Library sits today).
“I liked math, which is the backbone of engineering,”
he said. The three story building, holding classrooms
and administration offices, also sported a baseball diamond
nearby.
“The population was only about five thousand,”
Sheila said. She recalled learning how to swim in the
canal, and purchasing Big Hunk candy bars for only a nickel.
“My mom went back to work, so I knew things were
tight. We ate potato soup and cornbread with beans an
awful lot.” While her mother worked at the old Safeway
store, Sheila and her siblings spent lazy summer afternoons
at the old Turlock theatre. Bananas and apples were packed
for snacks. “Those were great times. It is all we
knew, and we were happy.” |
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Roger’s early memories
include hunting. “I used to hunt ducks in the Mississippi
River. My grandfather took me out for the first time when
I was about four or five years old. They gave me a BB
gun and when a duck fell, they told me I had shot him.
So I figured I must be a pretty good shot.” Years
later, at the age of twelve, Roger jumped on his bike
to meet up with the local hunters. Dan Schmidt, a big-time
hunter in Turlock at the time, took a liking to Roger
and became his mentor.
With a healthy respect for the virtue of saving money,
Roger saved for years so that he could purchase a decent
shotgun. Babysitting and working odd jobs around the neighborhood
garnered two years worth of savings. He purchased a top
of the line over-and-under shotgun. “Today, they
cost $5,000. I bought it in those days for $248.53, approximately.” |
Roger began saving his pennies again
to create a nest egg for college. “I was a walk-on
with a scholarship for baseball. UC Berkeley won the college
world series that year. Every player got signed by some
organization or another. I went into the Kansas City Athletics
(now called the Oakland Athletics). I only played pro
ball for one year; it was all I could afford. I made as
much money in a whole season as the players nowadays make
going to bat one time.” |
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| With a degree in engineering,
Roger worked for SMUD from 1960 to 1964. From there, he
worked as a city engineer for five years and then opened
a private practice. “Our bread and butter is subdivisions,
which are pretty much non-existent right now. We do boundary
surveys for people who want to remodel or add onto their
property. Nobody is building anything right now, so our
business is absolutely rotten,” said Roger.
Two hundred trophies have been collected from all over
the world, but the recent strain of the economy has kept
them close to home. “My focus, and the most challenging
of all, has been on getting the sheep and the goats of
the world. They are the most difficult to hunt, living
in the remote places. The biggest challenge is the Marco
Polo, hunting at sixteen thousand feet with very little
oxygen. Just walking can be an ordeal. You take a few
steps and then you have to take a gasp of air. Temperatures
are often below forty.”
Sheila accompanies Roger on hunts from time to time. She
has taken over twenty trophies herself. “These animals
are so beautiful,” she said. “I learned that
you don’t just randomly shoot at something, watch
it stagger and leave it for the vultures. You learn to
respect the sport of hunting.”
While many folks their age prefer to golf, Roger and Sheila
continue to hunt. “It is a costly hobby, but I don’t
have any others. My hobby is very beneficial to the countries
we visit. A large animal, because there is no refrigeration,
will be taken to one of the villages. They will make use
of every part of the animal.” |
| As I wrapped up the interview,
I realized an interesting parallel. As the animal of choice
is never wasted on a hunt, the Greggs use their own resources
to the best of their ability too. Roger, who is big on
budgeting, believes in knowing where your money is going.
“I highly recommend a book called, ‘Total
Money Makeover’ by Dave Ramsey. I think it is important
to keep track of where you are spending, and work to get
your debt eliminated.” Sheila is big on coupons,
buying the off-brands and hunting for things on sale.
She also tries to keep an eye on loads of laundry. |
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