Gerald Sivits lives life to the fullest
Staff writer
Ever wonder what the members of the crew working on the Hillsboro Main Street revitalization project are like? Well, we did, and we hit the streets to find out.
Gerald Sivits became the first interviewee. A transplant to Kansas from Michigan in 1979, he first moved to Hesston. He currently lives in Burns with his wife, Patty. She works at Agco in Hesston.
Sivits retired from Cessna in September of 2002 after working there for 10 years.
"I wanted something to do," he said. "Ever since I was little I always wanted to drive a big rig. So I took some of my retirement money and went to vo-tech school in Wichita."
He competed the driver's training course and credentials.
With his credentials now in hand, Sivits began looking for employment. His grandson, Stoney Thompson, who lives with Sivits and his wife, works for APAC-Shears Division. His grandson told him that company was needing truck drivers.
So in March of 2003, Sivits was hired. The APAC crew came to Hillsboro more than three months ago.
"I am enjoying it," he said. "I'm doing something I've always wanted to do.
Sivits said the guys on the crew are great to work with and that his supervisor over this project is very nice too and a great guy.
Sivits said at times they were worried if they would be on schedule in finishing the Hillsboro project, but "team work" he said has helped them get things on schedule.
When asked what he thought of Hillsboro, Sivits replied, "It is a great town, a good and lively town. And the people you meet in the stores are very friendly."
By the time this story goes to print, Sivits and his wife, along with his 88-year-old mother, will be vacationing in Branson, Mo.
"I moved my mother down here to Kansas five years ago," he said.
Sivits said she lives in a trailer on his property that he bought for her.
"She loves being independent," he said. "We thought taking her on this trip would cheer her up after she lost her dog of 14 years."
As for his philosophy of life, Sivits said, "Enjoy it as much as you can, especially with your family and children."
"Get out of life what you want and always treat others as you want to be treated.
"Life is too short — get out of it what you can — be fair with people and treat them equally as well."
