Joseph Kaplan

Joe Kaplan was born in Waterbury,Ct. in 1942 and shortly thereafter the family moved to Scranton, Pa where they lived while his father was serving in the Army. After the Second World War the family moved to Canton,NC where he grew up in the only Jewish family in a small town in the mountains of Western North Carolina. He had a career in small businesses, first in the nursing home industry and then in real estate during which he developed an understanding of the importance of actively listening to people's life stories.

As a result of writing this memoir he became a business partner in the Personal History writing firm: The Cheerful Word, in Hendersonville, NC where he now lives with his wife, Sue.

The mission of The Cheerful Word is to honor, encourage, and inspire individuals and families by preserving their legacies and connecting us across the generations. Joe serves as vice president of The Cheerful Word with a focus on maintaining the mission and integrity of the organization.

This is Joe's first book and is thinking of the next one.