He was born in
Elmhurst, a northwest-side suburb of
Chicago, and began his schooling in the southwest-side suburb of
Worth. When he was ten, he moved with his family to
Michigan's
Upper Peninsula, where he graduated from high school.
Adult years
After graduation, he enlisted in the
U.S. Air Force, serving for two years. After his discharge, he returned to the Upper Peninsula briefly, then relocated to
Anderson,
South Carolina. He then joined the
Job Corps program to study carpentry. He never finished his vocational schooling, as the program saw fit to send him to
Kentucky State University to study computer science. He never finished this schooling either, and returned to Anderson. He then entered the world of work, usually employed in
convenience stores and
fast-food restaurants. For a short time he sold shoes.
Later years
At age 35, he married Meesiz Fonnyboy, a divorcee with three teenage children. He then began working a string of local factory jobs. The family resided in the nearby communities of
Iva and
Starr before moving to their current home in Anderson. He is "Papa" to six grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.