Interview with Kathleen Franck

On the campaign trail, you run into many interesting people.  You start to recognize all the news reporters and camera-people, and then there are the familiar faces you see here and there and everywhere, and yet can't seem to place.  

Photos in this post are courtesy of Kathleen Franck.

One of those faces was that of Kathleen Franck.  Eventually she came across some of my photos from events she attended on Facebook and sent me a friend request.  "I know this lady," I thought, "but who is she?!"  It turned out we had both been at the same places to see Jeb Bush, Marco Rubio, Donald Trump, and Carlee Fiorina!  We finally met after listening to Ted Cruz in Waterloo.

Kathleen sent me some photos from her travels, and I thought, "Wow, this lady is someone I need to write about!"  When I asked if I could interview her, she responded with warm hospitality and invited me to her home.  All of the beautiful photography showcased in this post is the work of Kathleen Franck.

Hawaii: Outrigger Canoe

Interview

Q: Would you tell us a little about yourself?

A: I grew up on a farm about 20 miles west of Cedar Rapids near the little town of Newhall. From grades 1 to 8 (no kindergarten in those days!) I attended a Lutheran parochial school.  For the first three years, the school was in the country, and was moved to Newhall for grades 4 to 8.  Then I attended high school at Newhall, where I met Gordon.  He was a senior when I was a freshman, but we really didn't get acquainted that year, even though it was a very small school (I had 18 in my graduating class).  The year I was going to be a junior, he called me for a date, and we went out.  After high school I attended Coe College in Cedar Rapids and Cedar Rapids Business College before we were married.

 Gordon taught school for two years, and the first year we were married we lived in Cedar Falls.  He was finishing up at UNI, back then they called it Iowa State Teachers College.  He graduated after we'd been married a year, and then he taught school in Delmar, which is near Maquoketa, Iowa.  We lived there for a year, and I worked for a chiropractor.  Then we moved to Waverly, and he taught at Allison for a year.  And then I started working for a lawyer. I was a legal secretary for 40-some years--just kept working for different lawyers, and the last 16 and a half, I was at the county attorney's office at the courthouse.

Q: When did you first become interested in politics, and what motivates you to meet so many candidates?

A:  I had my picture taken with George W. Bush the first year he announced he was running.

That would be '99?

Yeah, I think so.  In fact, before that one time, Elizabeth Dole was in town, and somebody took our picture with her; so that's my oldest political photo.  Anyway, then I met George W. Bush.  I guess we've always been Republicans and interested in the candidates.  Four years ago when Mitt Romney was running, we went to some of his events, and it has just continued on from there.

Colorado

Q: Have you decided on a favorite candidate?  If so, why, and if not, what factors will guide your decision?

A:  I'm not real sure yet.  I guess I've eliminated a couple, but we have so many good ones running right now.  I hate to really say.  I mean we like Donald Trump and some of his determination to make America great again; I think that sounds good.  We like the Christian values of Ted Cruz and Mike Huckabee and Rick Santorum.  You know, they're all great people.  And Bobby Jindal, you couldn't find a nicer guy than Bobby Jindal.  Marco Rubio has a good message.

Q: What do you think is the biggest issue that the nation's facing right now?

A:  There are a lot of them.  I think the ISIS thing is very scary, and the way they're coming into this country, so I think closing the borders [is the biggest issue].  I like that stand of Donald Trump: he's interested in closing the borders.

Colorado

Q: What are some of the things you like most and least about each candidate?
A: That is hard to say.  Well, again about Trump, I think some of the things he said knocking down the other candidates--I don't like that mannerism, although it doesn't seem to have hurt him in his popularity.  And I think he has toned it down a little bit.  And, oh, some maybe aren't as strong on the immigration or the illegal immigrants; that would be one of the negative factors.  And Jeb Bush, I think they have a great family, and I love George W. Bush and his dad.  But Jeb seems to be kind of not as forceful and doesn't seem to have the fire that his brother did.

Hawaii (Clockwise from top): Sunset in Kauai, Napali Coast, Kona Sunset,  Black Sand Beach @ Waianapanapa State Park.

I remember we went to one George Bush meeting, but I was pretty young back then.  Have you seen Jeb?
Yes, I was at Gravy's Diner.  I think you were there too; I saw your picture.  Yeah, in fact it was on Jeb Bush's Facebook page.  Oh, your picture with him?  Yes, I was looking through it and I said, "There's me!" Oh wow!  And then the biggest surprise was when we were at Marco Rubio's when he was at Mudd Advertising.  I went up and had my picture taken with him, and then I spotted a friend from our church there, and we waved at him.  So the next Sunday in church we were talking, and he said, "Well, how did you like Marco Rubio?"  And I said, "Oh, well we thought he really was good."  You know, it seems like everyone we've seen, we like him the best.  And then we see the next one, and we like him the best.  Yeah!  We have the same problem!

Colorado (Clockwise from top left): Rocky Mountain National Park, a lake in the high mountains, Monarch Pass, and Ohio Pass Road.

But anyway, my friend from church said, "I didn't get my picture taken with him, but as I was leaving, a reporter from the Wall Street Journal interviewed me, and he was asking all about my World War 2 experiences.  I've tried to find it in the paper, but I haven't found my interview."  And I thought to myself, I'm going to look online and see if I can find a quote by him.  I first went to Wall Street Journal online, then to politics, then Rubio, and I opened it up, and there's a picture of me with Marco Rubio.  Oh wow!  You're famous now--in a national paper!  In the Wall Street Journal!   I've got it here; I'll show it to you.  I think he was signing a prior picture.

Colorado: Black Canyon of the Gunnison, Taylor Reservoir, Home in Crested Butte, Flowers & Bench in Crested Butte.

Oh, you made a scrapbook?!  Yeah.  I'm working on my first scrapbook like this.  Have you ended up in very many papers, or is this the first surprise?  Oh no, a lot of local.  I've been in the Courier several times, and the Waverly paper.  That is a smart idea to take the pictures for them to sign.  I've been doing that.  I have a whole folder of Newsmax magazines.  If they're on the cover I take that along.  And that's what I took to the Trump event.

Canadian Rockies (Clockwise from top): Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel, Kathleen & Gordon, Lac Beauvert, Flowers at Banff Cascade Gardens.

Q:  Historically whom would you say is your favorite president?
A:  I don't know.  I can't really decide.  I liked George W. Bush a lot, when he was president, mainly because I had met him, and I was more familiar with him.  I'm not the history buff that you are.

Q:  What advice would you give to a young voter?
A:   Young voters should look at all the issues and what candidates stand for, and decide what it means to them in their own belief system and values.

Alaska (Clockwise from top): Sunset, Denali National Park, Yukon Railroad, A Float Trip.

Q:  If we can change the subject, you're also a photographer, and you love to travel.  How did you get started with photography, and what are your favorite subjects to photograph?
A:  I always enjoyed taking pictures.  I was an only child, and if we'd go on a family vacation, I would always take the pictures, mainly because my dad wasn't that interested in doing it.  My mom wasn't interested either I guess.  And so I started early.  When we were first married, we didn't even have a decent camera.  On our honeymoon we borrowed my folk's camera.  We went to Niagara Falls.  And of all things, I forgot to take a picture of the falls!  I guess Hawaii would be my favorite place.  I mean you can't get a bad picture in Hawaii.

Hawaii: Whales

Q:  So what would be the most challenging photo you've taken?
A:  Challenging?  Whale watching.  You sit on the boat, and they're so fast.  You have to be ready, and it depends on how you have your camera set.  If you have to have that second delay, like on automatic (it focuses and then takes the picture), you've missed the whale.  So you have to have the shutter pressed halfway down if it's on that setting.  A lot of times I put it on the action setting for whales, and that works real well.  But they are so fast, so if you get a good whale picture, you're very lucky.

Alaska (Clockwise from top): Mendenhall Glacier, Caribou, Sea Otter, and Harbor Seals in Resurrection Bay.

Q:  What was your first camera?
A:  We've always had Canons, basically.  I really liked the one I had before we went to digital.  It was a wide-angle; the lens was built in, but it really zoomed out.  I loved that camera.  When digital came along I thought, "Oh, I don't want to give up this camera!"  And it took me a long time to be convinced to go digital.  I remember I went on a Panama Canal cruise with a girlfriend on a bank tour.  I bought 27 rolls of film to take along, and I used every one of them!  Then you had to worry about going through airport security--whether the scanner would ruin the film and all that, back then.

Hawaii

 And then you had to develop all those!  Oh yeah, it got expensive.  We met a couple from Canada on this cruise.  He was really into photography, and he had a digital camera.  And I was kind of to the point where I thought, maybe I should look into it, because my friend had a digital--one of the first ones (in 2004).  Anyway, this guy from Canada had done a lot of research on the best cameras, and what he came up with was the early version of the Canon Powershot, so that's what he got--and he loved it.  I followed his recommendation, and that was the digital one I bought.  I've gotten one or two upgrades since then.

Clockwise from top left:   Old Kahakuloa Village Congregational Church, Mokuaikaua Church, Wailua Church (HI), and Tin Cup Chapel (CO).

Well, I'm certainly glad I have a digital, because with the thousands of photos, you know it'd be terribly expensive.  I bet I have 50,000 on my computer.  We've travelled a lot.  I retired in 2003, and Gordon retired from John Deere.  (After he worked as a teacher for two years, he started at John Deere as a draftsman and worked his way up to designer, and he worked there almost 30 years, retiring in 1993.)  

Gordon with a model tractor he built from scratch.  He brought one of these with him for his interview at John Deere, and was hired on the spot.

Well then you're a green tractor person too, hopefully?  Oh yes!  

Canadian Rockies (Clockwise from top): Peyto Lake, Mt. Edith Cavell & Lac Beauvert, Lake Louise, and Spirit Island (Maligne Lake). 

Q: How many states and countries have you visited?
A:  Not too many foreign countries.  Of course Canada, but we haven't been to Europe at all, overseas, mainly because Gordon was reluctant to go.  He just didn't have any interest in Europe.  But we've gone to Canada several times.  On the Panama Canal cruise, we started out from Miami, and we had to stop at the island of Aruba.  Then we went to the Panama Canal,  and we stopped at Costa Rica.  We had about three Mexican stops before we arrived in California.

As far as states, we've never been to Texas, although the last time we came back from Hawaii, they routed us through Dallas-Fort Worth before we came to Des Moines, so we were at the airport there, but that's all.  That counts.   And it was dark; it was like 5 o'clock in the morning.  We saw lights of Texas.  You were there!  And I don't think we've been to Louisiana or Mississippi.  We drove to Florida sometimes, so we hit Georgia and some of those states, but I don't remember ever being in Louisiana or Mississippi.  We've been out east a lot.  We love New England.

Alaska (Clockwise from top): Glacier, Near Portage Glacier Visitor Center, Mt. Mckinley, and Float Planes.

Q: So what do you think would be your favorite of all the places you've visited?
A:  Hawaii.  And second favorite?  New England maybe.

Flowers in Hawaii

Q: What are your other interest and hobbies?
A:  I used to play the piano a lot.  I took lessons when I was a child; I could play hymns and popular music.  After we were married, I took lessons again for about 12 years and at that time really got into classical music.  I had a wonderful teacher, and we became very good friends.  We still keep in touch.  Another hobby is reading!  I always am into some book. I prefer Christian fiction.  Since I got my iPad, I've been able to download so many good books through Christian websites, and most of them have been free.

Q:  How has your Christian faith influenced your life?
A:  I would say being a Christian affects every aspect of my life, my attitude, thoughts, and actions.  As Christians, we are so blessed that the Holy Spirit brought us to faith, and we have the assurance that no matter what adversities we face in this life, we will one day spend eternity in our heavenly home.

Colorado (Clockwise from top left): Big Horn Sheep, Deer, Yellow Bellied Marmot, Deer.

Q:  What is your favorite quote?
A:  That would have to be my confirmation verse, Matthew 6:33, "Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness, and all these things will be added unto you."

Hawaii: Kahua Ranch at Sunset

Q: What is the best advice on life you can give in up to three sentences?
Always keep Jesus Christ in first place.  Live according to Christian principles.  Live with joy & confidence of the future.  

Many thanks to Gordon and Kathleen for their hospitality, and to Kathleen for sharing her story, views, and beautiful photography!  It's not everyday that I run into such interesting and talented people.

Linking with: Our World Tuesday, Wordless Wednesday, Good Fences, Skywatch Friday,
 Saturday's Critters, & Inspired Sunday.

Thanks to my technical team, my mother Betty Carson and my sister Charity, for their assistance with this interview.