In memory of her deceased husband, J. Carl Ellston, Sandra Ellston Mason assembles in this volume documents relating to his life and his family history. J. Carl Ellston lived from October 5, 1928 to May 13, 2008. His grandparents had been influential in the development of Exeter, Missouri, owning and operating both the bank and the general store. Included here are his own early life memories and stories, letters and certificates from his accomplishments in trade and finance, including a letter from the U. S. Secretary of Commerce, and facsimiles of the pages of the small book he carried in his pocket when, as a First Lieutenant, he was a forward observer for the U.S. Army Artillery during the Korean Conflict. Mason adds his funeral eulogy and her own descriptions of life during their twelve-year marriage from 1996 until Carl's death.