John and Leetie's life could easily represent the American dream. They run a thriving lumber business. They own a beautiful home and farm with scenic views of a local river and have four successful children of whom they are immensely proud. However, they have experienced many difficulties in their 46 years of marriage. The lean years helped form a close-knit family and made their success later in life that much sweeter. John grew up in a family with seven children. Even by the liberal standards of his small community his family would be best described as poor. Meals consisted of anything they grew, killed, or found. In his family, hunting wasn't a sport, it was a necessity. John was forced to drop out of high school after his sophomore year to help provide for his family. He followed in his father's footsteps and entered into his lifelong career in the lumber business. Leetie and her three brothers grew up in a middle-class family in the Phoenix, Arizona area. He had many family members in the Ozarks that they would travel to visit, including ag...