Richard Keith Blain                               

Richard Keith Blain born March 1, 1948, in City Hospital (later known as Community Hospital) the family lived at 1037 Middle Street, Springfield Ohio. I don't remember to much about the house on Middle St. just that it was small and I have always had a picture of Grandma (Mary Amelia Heidler) working in the front yard in my head. In 1953 we moved to 815 Laurel Street, it was much like the Blain house in Warrensburg Mo. It was a big house with 4 bedrooms, living room, kitchen and a bath and a half. The half bath was only a stool that was added for Grandma. I attended Washington Elementary School from 1953 to 1960 grades K-6. I was on the school safety patrol and played flag football in both the 5th. and 6th. grades. I later attended Schafer Junior High School from 1960 to 1963, in 60 or 61 I fell off a house ladder and broke my left arm. I was trying to get two homing birds (pigeons) that had got out of their cage earlier that day. I also had a cast on my leg from an earlier accident. During these early years we (the family) made alot of trips back to Missouri to see Little Mother, Keith, and Hazel, and many others on both sides of the families. I attended North High School from 1963 to 1966. My best subjects were Math and Auto Shop. We played a lot of football in and around the old neighborhood. The two best places to play were, first all SIS SISes yard (a big house on the corner owned by a man called Harold and a woman called Sis) that is why we called it SIS SIS yard (there is a fire station there today). The other place was along the railroad tracks. We also played a game on our bikes I don't remember the name, but the idea was to make the other players touch the ground and they were out. I got my first car in February 64, (1955 Mercury Monclaire 2 dr. Hardtop) driver license in March of 64. I paid a $150.00 for it, it wasn't to bad but the power steering was out and that made it hard to park. Mom and I would go to the fair grounds and I would practice parking. I worked for Mom and Dad at the Local 402 Restaurant after school, so after work Dad and I would drive around. I had to take my test in that old car, I did pass my parking test in it.

Married Gloria Jean Winks, on December 21, 1965. Gloria was born November 22, 1948, in City Hospital to Paul W and Imagine Winks (for more info see Gloria Jean Blain ). To us three children were born, two boys, Jonathan Keith, born May 23, 1966, Richard Lee, born April 12, 1970; and a daughter Christine Maria, born May 11, 1967.

I started work at International Harvester in Springfield August 2, 1966. By this time Jonathan had already joined us. During the many laid offs that the shop had, I worked as a service station attendant, and for Chrysler Air Temp in Dayton Ohio in late 66-67, but returned to IH after being called back in 02/67. I worked in the press room at Chrysler and returned to IH to work on the assembly line. Christine joined us in 67 (I quit smoking two days after she was born.) now we were four. We lived at 1071 N. Bellmont Springfield, Ohio in 67. It was a small 5 room house, but the yard was large enough that the kids, Gloria and I had lots of fun playing games there. Gloria and the two kids would go for long walks while I was at work. The jobs I performed are to many to mention, but I enjoyed the body work, and the Paint department the best. I was one of the first employees to be assigned to the new Paint building in 1987. They were still working on the building and the Robots when we got there. So my foreman said just walk around and watch the construction workers and don't do anything. That lasted for about four months and then we slowly started running the cabs and working out the bugs, now four years later they are still working out the bugs. But without me, I ended up in the press room.

I am getting ahead of myself go back to 1970 the year Richie was born and then 1971 my Dad died (David Sylman Blain). Before his death Dad and I went to Kil Kare Drag Strip, where I ran my 68 GTO. Dad took some movies of some on my races, I never did do any good at it. I brought a new 1971 Jeep CJ5 4 wheel drive, for $4200.00. Gloria and I drove the new Jeep to Florida that year as a late Honeymoon (about 5 years). We had the top rolled up and people would wave at us and laugh as we drove down the interstate at 70 miles per hour. The things you do when your young. After we got back in September of 71 I got started in off road racing. We went to Toledo Ohio for a 4x4 race and that started it for me. I started a 4x4 club in Springfield called Rat_Pak 4-Wheelers and in the next four years won about 25 trophies 1st. 2nd. and 1 3rd. place.

We lived at 15 Beleaire from the spring of 1970 to the spring of 75, this was a six room house just behind Linardos Villa, we watched them as they (Linardo's cooks) prepared a pig with a apple in its mouth for roasting. I was laid off August 75 and this gave me time needed to rebuild my jeep. I used the garage at Moms and Gloria and I (mostly I) took it apart. We started at the frame and cleaned and painted our way back together. We made it in time for the Christmas Parade in November 75. Got my Realtors License in 1976. Tried to sell real-estate part time, but no luck only sold two houses and one of them was to myself moved to 563 E. Cassilly Street Spfld, Ohio.

In 1979 during the 6 month strike at IH Steve (my brother) and I cut fire wood to help out. It was hard work and after thinking about it I don't know why we did it. Later about the end of the strike I got my Private Pilot License at Mad River Airport just outside of Springfield. I don't fly much now but I will always have my license. Maybe after I retire I can find the time to fly (but no money then).

I am still working at Navistar International Transportation Corp. (formerly International Harvester Co.) this will be my 25th. year, and I plan to retire in 1996.

I had many interest, some of them are Cars, Motorcycles, and Computers. As for the cars, I raced too of them at local and area tracks. A 1968 Pontiac GTO 360 hp that I brought for $3800 plus tax and title, which I raced at Kil Kare and a 1971 Jeep CJ5 which he raced in off road events. Other cars included 59 Ford, 59Buick, and 59Chevy, 88 Chrysler LeBaron all of these were convertibles. I also had four sports cars, 57 and 59 TR3 Triumph, (I never drove the 57) and a 77 TR7, and a 77 Corvette that he got from David Scott shortly after his retirement. If I had to pick one of them today, I don't know which one it would be. I had many Motorcycles, most of them were Hondas. A Honda was a dependable motorcycle that I used for work and play. Steve and I rode Motorcycles where the Buck Creek State Park and where the Upper Valley Mall is today. The Park was a golf course, and before they flooded it we rode on the old greens and jump the hills. The Mall was woods, Gloria and I were riding one day and we stopped by to watch the other guys climb the big hill that was in the center of the woods. Well I had to show them how Steve and I did it, after a few tries we left with the front brake out and no mirrors, I stopped by the bike shop on the way home for the parts. I got my first computer in 79 (Vic 20 by Commodore) and stayed interested in computers in the 80s and 90s that is one reason this history is on computer disk today.

I wrote this and worked on some of it during The War in the Gulf (Jan. 16, 1991)

Well it is March of 1999, alot has happened in the past eight years. As you probably know we won Gulf War, in 1994 Gloria's mother pass away. Also in 94 Gloria, my Mom and I took a short trip to Warrensburg Missouri to visit Hazel Blain (Keith's wife). We had a lot of fun, and I found out that cows will eat water melon. After returning to Ohio Gloria and I purchased a new Chrysler LeBaron convertible 1995, which I still have today.

In 1995 Gloria became very political, she tried to find someone who would run against our congressmen (David Hobson). Failing to do so, she somehow talked me into running against him.

January 1996 I filed petitions to run for U.S. Congress as the Democratic Candidate against Republican Dave Hobson. First we had to win a primary election, against an Ohio State Professor from Lancaster, Ohio. Dennis Lupher, he was a nice family man who was planning on retiring later that year, and wanted to start a career in politics. Dennis seemed to have it all, the education, the job, and the money. Dennis out spend us in the primary twenty to one, we raised just a little over a thousand dollars, just barely enough to buy are stationary in signs. In the primary election in March 1996 we won with 64% of the vote cast.

In away it was all fun, there was a lot of hard work, I was on the from page of the newspapers in all nine counties. We traveled from county to county, talking to people, passing out fliers, and trying to get my name out. I was on the radio, TV, and also in live forums, we ran adds in all the newspapers, and on radio. In July, I got to go to the White House, and meet the President William Jefferson Clinton of The United States, and the Vice President Al Gore. They took our pictures and made a very short video of it, I told the President a joke. Gloria thought it look pretty good even though we only raised and spent ten thousand dollars. As the election grew near Gloria's hopes got high, she was sure that we we're going to win. Come election day November '96 we only got 62,000 votes and David got a 150,000 votes, that means I got just less than 30% and he got just over 70%.

During the campaign in July 1996 I retired from Navistar International Transportation Corp., (International Truck and Engine Corporation) with 30 years service. The campaign took an awful lot out of me, I was exhausted, I spent most of the winter just setting around watching TV. Spring came went, then summer, and I started helping Steve build a metal utility building that we call a barn.

Just shortly after finishing the barn, I was diagnosed with Chronic Renal Failure, or Polycystic Kidney. A kidney disease on the Blain side of the family. September the 25th. 1997 I was on Dialysis. My brother Gary had been on Dialysis in 95 and 96, he received a Kidney Transplant in 96. My oldest brother Dave had started Dialysis October '96 and is still on Dialysis today. (Update Dave was Transplanted May, 1999). October 17, 1998 I received a Kidney Transplant, and now almost five months later I'm going fine. The Dialysis was easy on me and so was the transplant, I have some side effects to the medicine that I must take to keep my kidney. I hope after a year we will be able to reduce my medicine, and I hope that will reduce my side effects.

1999 I have big plans for 99, I can't wait to tell you how they come out, I have a Boat and a pick up too pull it. I think I will be fishing, water skiing, boat riding, and duck hunting. Steve and I also are planning a Pheasants hunting trip out west. I'll try to get back to you in 2005, bye for now.