Vern Fehnel Bio

www.79thArmyBand.org - The Unofficial Website of Former Band Members 1964-1967

VERN FEHNEL
Saxophone

Sept.1965 thru April 1967 I was stationed in the Canal Zone with the 79th Army Band, which at the time was not the norm since I was drafted by Uncle Sam for two years. I was sent to the 79th Army Band right out of boot camp ( Fort Gordon GA ). I played the wind instruments (clarinet and saxophone) while with the 79th.and spent my spare time pitching softball for a team in the Canal Zone and also for the 79th Army Band Special units. When I received my NEW assignment to leave the 79th Army Band, WO Iggy called me into his office and questioned me if I really wanted to go stateside. After all, he would see to it that I only played softball and did nothing else relating to the band, other than living in the barracks. At the time that sounded really good to me, but I had a fiancé waiting for me back home in PA. So I departed the Canal Zone and finished my Army career with the 75th Army Band in Alexandria, VA.

Maybe some of the guys also remember me cutting their hair during late night hours in the latrine, thanks to WO Iggy. He didn't like the military haircut for his band members and found out that I was also a licensed barber, so he ordered me to send home for my barbering tools.

I was discharged in July,1967 from the Army and started working in a barber shop a week after being discharged. On April 6th, 1968, I married my wife, Maria, who had just graduated from East Stroudsburg College in PA with a teaching degree. Maria taught Kindergarten for three years then took a maternity leave and gave birth to our first child, our daughter Marla, in Sept.71. Maria never went back to teaching. Our son, Douglas, was born in Nov.73 and Maria was content staying at home and raising our children.

In 1972 I decided that I could no longer work 60 hours a week (in barber shop), making minimal wages and try to raise a family. I left the barber shop and started working for Wickes Lumber. I stayed with Wickes Lumber for 10 years and saw a better opportunity ( at the time) and left Wickes and joined Triangle Building Centers (local family owned lumber and retail business). I started as inventory control and after 1 year worked my way into the corporate office as a purchasing agent. I really loved that job. After 10 years, our family owned company was bought out and sold right out from under our feet! Ouch! I was out of work for about three months and then the BIG ORANGE BOX (Home Depot) moved into the area (25 miles away). Some of my fellow employees from Triangle had already hooked up with Depot and called me about working for them. Why not -- I needed a job and knew the industry so I worked for Home Depot for 1 year before my son set me straight. He was right.

I have now been working for Phillips Feed & Pet Service for 14 years, as a purchasing agent, and am looking forward to retiring in about 1 1/2 years. Meanwhile, my wife Maria started her own Nursery School which she operated for 25 years and after 25 years closed the doors because of all the day care centers popping up in the area. She now teaches Kindergarten at a private school and loves it.

Maria and I are still happily married -- celebrating our 40th Anniversary in 2008 with an Alaskan Cruise. We have four wonderful grandchildren - 2 that are 8 yrs old and two that are 4 1/2 yrs old.. I still cut hair in the privacy of our home (family and friends) and I finally retired from pitching softball 4 years ago. I now spend my leisure time playing in a golf league (9 holes/week), going to all the sporting events of the grandkids, and helping my son learn the art of pitching fast pitch softball. These are my summer activities. During the winter months, I bowl in a Church League. I also sing in the Church choir.

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