2024 - Week 11: Achievement

    

    It’s hard to determine an achievement an ancestor accomplished.  But I think the best one is about my Dad’s dad (Papa as we called him).  This is based on a story my Dad told me a couple of years ago.

       Papa (Edward William Kludt) worked for Weyerhaueser Timber Company for many years (retired in 1965 after 42 years).  He did many jobs – mechanic for the big logging equipment, operated the equipment, and road construction foreman.  I had hoped to obtain his employment record to confirm dates and places, but they have been destroyed a long time ago.

       On one of the jobs, Papa was operating a cat skinner when he was injured (May have been around 1944-45).  The injury was due to dynamite exploding, causing the cat to roll over.  Papa was in the hospital in Tacoma (Bridge Clinic before it became Mary Bridge Children’s Hospital) for almost 100 days.  He was told he would never be able to go back to work on the cats.  He proved them wrong!  He returned to work and operated cats & graders that were used in making the logging roads (replaced the rail lines).