The Red Truck Story
Written by ~Chris (Carr) Keeter
This old red 1949 Chevy truck sits at the north corner of our farm as a symbol of roots, faith, and dreams. On May 12th 1959 my grandparents Harrold and Ethel Carr drove this truck from their farm in Saint Lawrence South Dakota to Chicago Illinois to attend my father’s graduation from National College of Chiropractic.
After graduation they loaded up his family’s belongings and move my father and mother along with 2 of my siblings (John and Debbie) back home- with the hopes of one day starting up a chiropractic practice in Miller SD.
I have heard both my parents share this story many times but it really hit my heart one day when I was going thru my grandmother’s dairy. She writes about their trip, the banquet the night before graduation, how proud she was of my father as he received his diploma and became “DR EW CARR”.
She continues to write about the day my father went to take his boards, the day he received his passing score, and his first day of practice (July 8th 1959). Now 63 years later, standing in front of that truck are my brothers, John who was almost 4 years old when dad graduated, Wayne, and Joe along with 3 of my nephews Josh, Taylor, and Will. I stood in the background as the picture was taken and my heart was full, just as I imagined grandma’s heart was 63 years ago as she watched her son graduate. My husband Jim and I live in the farm house where the truck sits and farm the land where my great grandparents settled. My children (Beau and Annie) are the 5 generation to be raised in the Carr Farmhouse. My sister Debbie who was 5 years old when dad graduated, works with her son Bjorn and his wife Devon who are both chiropractors in Spearfish SD. We cherish our roots and know without a doubt that deep faith has played a big role in making a dream of my father’s (the founder of CCC) become a reality and a way of life for all of us!
Dr Orie Carr born 1885 (my grandfather’s brother) was actually the first chiropractor in our family and he too practiced in Miller SD for a short time before allergies forced him to move away. It was Orie who ignited the first flame to start this 4 generation legacy.
As a side note. 2 years later in 1961 my grandparents attended their youngest son’s graduation (Dr. Gene Carr) from the same school as my father – National College of Chiropractic in Chicago, she also writes about this in her diary. He went on to practice in Winner SD and has two sons who have become chiropractors, Sam and Alex in Arizona. We have a total of 13 family members and their families who have dedicated themselves to healing practice of chiropractic.
CONTACT US »