A Fine Pair Of Troublemakers by Barbara Voegeli

This book is written about rural life, showing honesty, character, compassion, values, and exploits of a young boy and his pet goat.

Fun with Gordy and mischievous Jack, his best friend, will entertain the reader.

The author introduces the reader to the Norse mythology of the Thunder God Thor and then weaves the goat’s cart in with the chariots.

The reader will also know about harvesting crops, pea pods, and efforts to sell farm products at the farmer’s market.

A glimpse in a depression-era family and a fine pair of troublemakers.

Barbara Voegeli grew up in Greensboro, North Carolina. Her many summers spent on her grandfather’s farm-inspired this children’s novel.

The characters’ names in this novel were actual members of her family.

At age 13 she won the city-wide spelling bee championship and runner up in the state finals. She graduated from Greensboro Senior High School as a member of ‘Torchlight” a coveted honor similar to the National Honor Society.

In 1959 she left Greensboro for training at American Airlines School in Kansas City and was assigned to the Chicago office.

A few years later she married and was blessed with three children. Her love for children began a wonderful period as a nursery school teacher in Highland Park, Illinois. Still thirsty for formal education in child care, she attended the College of Lake County and graduated with an associate degree. She was awarded a National Honor Society certificate for her straight A‘s and was a member of Phi Theta Kappa.

Her scholastic achievements led to a scholarship at the National College of Education in Evanston, Illinois. Again, a National Honor Society recognition and member of Kappa Delta Pi.

In 1979 Barbara graduated from National College with a Bachelor of Arts in Education and a K-9 teaching certificate.

She wrote hundreds of poems, received awards from Highland Park Poetry, and had short stories published.

Barbara researched her Jessup family origins stemming from Yorkshire, England in 1579 and ancestors to the current year including a Revolutionary War hero and a Civil War soldier.

She became quite a professional level seamstress making hundreds of blankets for the Linus Foundation, prayer shawls with a local church group, many sweaters, and clothes for her grandchildren and future great-grandchildren. She was an accomplished piano player and wrote her own music. She was blessed with a beautiful soprano voice and sang with multiple church choirs. She also took up painting and did some very good oil and watercolor paintings.

Barbara Jessup Voegeli passed away on May 24, 2020. This book is being published in her memory by her husband Donald and daughter, Catherine Mueller.