Chuck Thurston is one of five boys -- no girls --raised on a small farm in Pennsylvania. If you think that this is a formula that guarantees a dearth of early social skills, you are absolutely right. He served in the United States Coast Guard, and flew in search and rescue seaplanes. If you think this is a formula that guarantees one a realist's view of mortality -- you're two for two. He spent over 30 years at IBM, with many assignments from electronics technician to programmer to manager. In earlier days, in between times, and in later years he has been: a turret lathe operator in a factory; a newspaper reporter and columnist; a pick and shovel grunt for a landscaping company; an instructor for North Carolina State University in their Industrial Extension Service. He has a BS from Elmira (NY) College, and graduate degrees from SUNY Geneseo and Appalachian State University. He is married to Heidi Wibroe Thurston -- a big city girl (Copenhagen, Denmark). If you think that a union of this nature might lead to certain cultural...um...well, want to go for the trifecta? The happy couple live in Kannapolis, North Carolina. Their three children are grown with families of their own, and have contributed seven grandchildren -- and two greats -- to the mix. And you think there aren't stories to be had here?