The McWard Family

The Birth of the Oakland Trust

February 2017

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In response to the question from Dan McWard: When you founded the Trust did you ever believe that the legacy would last for nearly 50 years and have nearly a million dollars of assets?

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Let’s see, Dan…when we birthed the Trust we were enjoying our second or third beer, sitting in Darrell’s newly decorated workshop in the red barn on Oakland Avenue, admiring his handiwork as represented, among other things, in dozens of small handmade tool drawers. I recall a chief topic of conversation being whether in fact he would ever have enough tools to fill all those drawers. And on a related note, whether, when he finished building the shop, he would just have to tear it apart and build it again in order to have something to do with it. In that context, the Oakland Trust took root. Then we had another beer. I doubt any of those present gave the least thought to looking back fifty years later from a lofty $million perch. Rather, we were thinking about getting on to the golf game.

 

- Bill Achenbach

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As I remember it the pass/touch football game had turned into torn tendons and egos of the 7of our age group and we just wanted to sit and drink

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- Wendell Clancy