I taught school for five years and coached basketball, football, and baseball at Koshkonong, Thayer, and West Plains.
I began work at Morlan-Shell Ford in 1972. John and Sue Morlan began their present 49-year run in the automobile business.
John was young and very ambitious. John and Sue had partnered up with Bud Shell, Sue Morlan’s brother, and Morlan-Shell Ford began.
John and Sue and Sales Manager Chet Harpole hired Walker Eakin, Howard Cook, and myself, and we were off and running!
The Morlans brought with them a very generous pay-plan for their employees. They were fair, generous, and enjoyable to work for.
Four years later in 1975 Junior Brixey was added to the staff as a salesman.
Junior came to Morlan-Shell after being in the dairy business as a milk route salesman. He knew a lot of people and had a lot of energy.
I left Morlan Shell at the end of 1975 and went to Willard Brothers Motor Sales on Broadway with my brother Junior. When I left, John said, “I’d tell you to take it easy, but I know you won’t.”
John was right; for me it was sink or swim at Willard Bros. Junior and I borrowed $50,000 from our dad, Edwin, and off we went into the wild blue yonder of the automobile world.
John Morlan told me if I was leaving because of Junior Brixey’s aggressiveness, not to go. He said, “Junior probably won’t be here long.” Junior sold cars at Morlan-Shell for the next 40 years and became probably the top salesperson in West Plains history. If it was the Olympics, John, Sue and Junior would have all gotten gold. All three inspired me to get on the medal stand.
With love & respect, Dennis Willard
“This I Remember”
