Larry and Maribeth were both born and raised in Fonda, Iowa. Beth grew up in town next to the grain elevator/scales where her father was the foreman at the local lumberyard as well as a volunteer firefighter and her mother was a housewife who was extremely active in the community [Woman’s Club, Senior Citizen’s Club, Kitchen Band]. Larry grew up on Bud’s rented farm where he reluctantly found himself doing livestock chores and field work. They became high school sweethearts, married, and relocated to a suburb south of Des. Moines called Greenfield Plaza.

After graduating from High School, Larry joined the Army National Guard in order to pay for higher education. In June of 1968 he earned a certificate from the College of Automation in Data Processing and in March of 1974 he successfully completed the Automatic Data Processing Systems Analysis course via the U.S. Army Institute of Administration. He was honorably discharged in May 1974, reenlisted and a was again honorably discharged in October 1977. My father wanted nothing to do with farming and felt that computers/computing was the industry of the future. His career path was with Northwest Bell > Armstrong Tire > Mack Trucks > Commtron > Ingram and his job title was what we’d term in 2025 as Data/Development.

Maribeth attended the Iowa School of Beaty in Des. Moines, which required 2100 hours and a test to become a licensed beautician . She worked at a Yonkers Salon until having children, when she then transitioned to working within the Public School System in the capacity we would call Educational Support Professional in 2025. As my brother and I moved on into High School, she started an independent house cleaning business while continuing to cut/style hair for family and friends at the house.

In late 1974/early 1975, prior to my birth and with the approval of his father Elmer, Larry changed the last name to Bales. In hindsight, Elmer said he wished he had changed the name during his youth, prior to marriage and children. I’m still searching for the legal name change documents.

In 1994 Larry was relocated by his company and they left Des. Moines, IA for Murfreesboro, TN where they still reside. They are currently in their mid 70s and retired.

I do have several academic and military records, as well as the marriage certificate of my parents, but with identity theft being what it is, I’m going to refrain from posting them.