This page may not interest anyone but me but I still like to go through the old picture albums. Recently I have made some time to start scanning some of the older stuff that I didn't have on disc. This page is devoted to the pre-digital age.
This is the truck that got me hooked on pickups. I never thought I would drive a truck but once I tried one I never looked back. It's a 1984 Ford and the picture was taken in the Spring of 1992.
Two of the greatest kids ever, Chris on the left and Matthew.
(Six Flags near St. Louis, summer of 87)
(12-25-95)
When Neil Armstrong drove a rocket to the moon in 1969 he wasn't as intense as Chris driving his brother at Otter Lake in the summer of '93 when he was twelve.
If you want to see a boy smile take his picture catching fish.
(Matthew on Norfolk Lake May of '93)
See, it works every time.
(Chris at Busch Wildlife Park, June '92)
Matthew Devlin Loftus with the family hound, Donegal. He had a full head of the Loftus blond curls in those days. (May 85)
Brother Scott and sis Michelle hamming it up for the camera. In the now extinct pool at our favorite childhood resort in downtown Branson, Mo. (Allandale, gone but not forgotten...July 85)
Late in the day drifting down this creek arm on Norfolk Lake in northern Arkansas we were about fished out.
Then...WHAM.
This unlucky dead striper floated into our path. Even so, I had as much fun with it as if I had caught it for real. (Nov 91)
If you have never seen a Hot Strip rolling mill in the winter time it is a sight to behold. Reminds me of a guy named Dante. (Jan 06)
1948 Ford N Tractor taken in 1998.
And thanks to Chris who bought me the air horn that really ROCKS! (Summer 2003)
See, I'm still hooked on red pickup trucks. I don't think I've had as many as Chris but this is my third one.
1998 Chevy Z-71 taken in October 2003.
There is a long story about how I got egged into making this dive by my good friend B.S. Forney. (He did it first.) In fact there are a lot of long stories involving Mr. Forney and the antics we shared. Those were some crazy days.
(Johnson Shut-Ins State Park back when you could still have some fun there...summer of '72)
Big Smith (on the left) is getting married
Jeff Spector (the Spook)
E. K. Vickers III (Bambi)
B. S. Forney
Himself
and "Pretty Boy" Phil Hartman
Lots of water under that bridge
(1972)
My Dad's Dad, Grandpa Ed, Dad's older brother Uncle Joe and Dad Mick,
Himself, Cousin Mike, Brothers Scott, Mark and the elusive Jeffrey.
Easter 1960 ( or 61?)
An even earlier shot of Uncle Joe, Aunt Norma, Grandpa Ed holding Cousin Mike and himself, Mike's older sis Judy in front, Grandma Inez and Mick.
This would have been Thanksgiving 1953 with the boys just over a year old. (Mike is three weeks older than me which is how I came to be Patrick instead of Michael.)
My Great Grandpa Joe Loftus and wife Myrtle Mary Ray.
She had three children before she died at 41 in 1913...Tim, my grandfather Ed and Clara.
(They were both born in 1872 and they married in 1895 so this picture is probably from around then. The mark in lower right corner says: Dagle's Studio, Murphysboro, Ill.)
My Great Grandpa Joe Loftus retired to California in 1940 when he was 68 years old. This picture was taken sometime after that in California.
The dapper old dude enjoyed a lengthy retirement in California to the age of 86 years old.
Joe and Myrtle's three kids...
My Grandfather Edward, Tim and Clara Loftus
Clara, the youngest was born in 1900 so this is around 1910.
The DaMotte sisters, Sharon, Myrna, Donna...with pooch.
(Sharon is my mother...Circa 1937)
Himself on pony at age 5.
(Circa 1936)
Not to be outdone, Mom Sharon on her steed. What happened to the pony man, anyway?
(Circa 1934)
My Dad, Mickey Dean Loftus.
(Now would that be a fine young leprechaun or not?)
