Whose the most impressive person you've ever met?

Johanna Kautz.

She emigrated from Danzig, Germany to Hannah City IL in 1926 by herself to meet her fiancé Herbert Steckmann who had come two years earlier . She didn't speak a word of English, became a citizen and learned the language, raised a family of 5 (lost one child to illness within a few months after birth) who all went on to raise families, 13 grandchildren who are all college educated and continue to raise families with the same result.

She lost her husband when she was 60 and lived the final 32 years on her own. She couldn’t drive a car but walked to church every Sunday and helped with every dinner/event etc that was ever scheduled during the week - summer or winter.

The above are a fraction of all the things she (and Herb) did on very limited resources.

When asked about her life and accomplishments, she would say in her VERY Low German accent that she “hadn’t done much” in her life. Her level of humility was truly amazing.

Johanna Kautz (Steckmann) one of the best human beings I was blessed to know.

She passed away about three weeks before my wedding in 1999. One of the few true regrets I have is that she wasn’t there.

I still miss Grandma Steckmann everyday.

 

When I was 15, drank a few beers and smoked a J with the Van Halen band. Met a bunch of race care divers....every Andretti (John and his Dad was the nicest) Jeff Gordon, AJ, Wickens, Hinchcliffe is quite a character. Nicky and his parents were very nice people, and very approachable.

 

People I actually knew: My parents and Grandfather. Decent, hardworking people. Didn't have much but didn't hesitate to share.
People I simply met that were accomplished: Clarence Thomas, Carroll Shelby, Amos Johnson..add Craig Vetter

 

Dick Marcinko

 

Could have sworn I just saw Jello Biafra at the gas station driving a Fiat 500 and eating a twinkee.

 

Well said. I have friends in Hollyweird and have met/known a lot of famous people but honestly most of them are not "impressive". My grandfather is one of the most impressive people I've known. WWII vet and a great man who lived a life that is hard to imagine.

 

Not trying to be an ass-kisser here, but I'm putting Joe Pomeroy way high up on my list.

 

As a group, Astronauts. I have worked with them (and occasionally for them) and have always felt fortunate to do so. Super smart and driven folks who are mostly kind and generous with their time. Read the resumes of somebody like Story Musgrave, and you'll feel like you've accomplished nothing, but they always look at it as getting to get to do fun stuff that they love.

 

I have spent some time, on a couple of occasions with US Senator Lisa Murkowski of Alaska. After the big flood of 2013 in Galena, she came out to the village a couple of times. I was the highest level school district administrator in town at the time and she asked to meet with me in private, just to see what she could do to help. She is very down to earth, just a "Call me Lisa", kind of person. It is easy to look for ulterior motives from politicians, but she actually cares, since there aren't that many votes to be had in Galena, and she gets them all anyway. I admire her integrity as she doesn't always vote along party lines if she believes it is not in the best interests of her constituents. She got beat for the republican nomination and the endorsement of the state party, so she ran as a write in candidate for US Senate and won. She has done great things for the people of Alaska in my opinion.

 

Met Sean Parnell who wrote Outlaw platoon, That was pretty cool. Got to meet and shoot some guns with a green beret group outside Kabul. Those were some impressive men.The music business was good to me and got to meet a lot of celebrities but the Men and Women we met doing USO stuff is what really sticks with me.

 

My Mother! Raising 3 kids with no help from my father.

 

I met Story at a conference a few years ago and took the opportunity to introduce myself. That man has was named appropriately. Frank Culbertson is a family friend and we talked about working with him a little. Humbling.

 

Pelosi gave me quite the impression after working around her for a few days. Ive spent my entire life as a non-voter,but just a few days after being around her ,I promptly registered to vote as a republican. Not sure if the OP meant a positive or negative impression.........but that one sticks out for me.

 

Met John Denver on a ski-lift chair in Aspen, Neil Hodgkin at VIR, Josh Hayes at VIR and Barber. Jesse Helms, Jamie James, Scott Russell, even met Metalhead once when I drove down to SC for his party. All great people

 

When I was a kid, my brother was a 12 year old political activist. He wrote a letter to James Watt, Reagan's Sec of the Interior. Watt invited us for a visit. I was shocked to see he charmed my brother and turned his political leanings 180 °.

What really struck me was that he had an endangered species of fox stuffed and displayed on the mantlepiece in his office. His friends had given it to him as a joke.

(I hope that's not too political.)

 

Thomas P. Stafford-he only lives a few blocks from my house....

 

Paul Stanley from KISS. GENUINELY nice person. Dealt with him a few times back in the day when I lived in Hollywood. Honestly just a regular dude.

 

My Mom, raising 4 kids with almost no help. Guys I worked with in Iraq that were the best warriors from every service our country could offer. I was humbled to be in their company, and considered a brother.

 

Doesnt he live in France now?