Motley High School alumni reconnected at the recent Two Rivers Music Fest in Motley. Pictured above are John Collins, Class of 1966; and Larry Beckner, Class of 1963, standing near the old Motley school bell in Veteran’s Park. Collins served as emcee at the music fest’s talent contest; and Beckner is Chairperson of the Two Rivers Music Fest. (Staples World photo by Dawn Timbs) Reporter’s note: This is part of a series entitled, “What ever happened to...?” a periodic column which highlights stories of alumni from schools in Motley, Pillager and Staples.

He’ll always be a Motley Rocket, said John Collins, the Midday DJ at KLKS radio in Breezy Point. “It’s my center,” he added.

The 1966 graduate of Motley High School was in town recently to serve as emcee at the Two Rivers Music Fest talent contest. His voice was easily recognizable to KLKS fans in the audience.

John Collins, 1966 graduate of Motley High School, reminisced about his growing up years in Motley recently, while in town for the Two Rivers Music Fest. Pictured above, Collins stands along Hwy 10, not far from an empty building that was once known as Jack’s Pool Hall. “I spent a lot of time there,” Collins said. (Staples World photo by Dawn Timbs) And John recognized quite a few faces in the crowd as well.

“It’s always great to come back here and connect with friends from the past,” John said. “I have a lot of great memories of this town.”

His family moved to the Motley area from New York Mills in 1960, when John was in the sixth grade. They lived south of Leader, not far from Mosquito Creek Road.

“I was actually born in Lena, Illinois,” John said, explaining that his parents, Albert and Ada, were en route from Kankakee, Illinois (where Albert worked as a deputy sheriff) to Ada’s hometown of New York Mills.

“Mom was homesick for Minnesota and wanted to raise her family there,” John said.

Pregnant at the time with John, the Collins’s made it as far as Lena when his mother knew they’d better get to a hospital right away. Her youngest son was born a short time later.

With the car still packed and a new baby now added to the caravan, the Collins family continued on to New York Mills.

John’s dad went on to become an iron worker; and when they moved to Motley, he worked with Sadusky’s Northern Construction. His mom kept busy at home with their four children, Bill, Ronnie, Ruth and John.

He was drawn to radio at an early age, John said.

“Oh yeah, I’ve always listened to the radio. My favorite station during high school was WLS out of Chicago. It came in really clear at night.”

John remembers his high school speech teacher, Mr. Phelps, as having a big influence on him and his decision to go into public speaking.

“He was really a dynamic person,” John said. “I learned a lot from him.”

After graduating from MHS in 1966 (with a class of 50, the largest Motley had seen), John went on to attend Bemidji State College, where he studied speech, drama and English.

While a freshman there, he became acquainted with a DJ at the college’s AM radio station, KUBM.

When the DJ fell in love and moved to Texas, John was asked to become his replacement.

“That was a lucky break for me. Working at a radio station had always been a dream of mine,” John shared.

After college, he was drafted by the army (his draft number was the same as his weight at the time - 180, John recalled) and served two years with Armed Forces Radio and Television Service (AFRTS).

He was stationed in Thailand, where he worked at a radio station. “There could have been a movie called ‘Good Morning, Thailand,’’’ John said.

When he returned to the United States from Thailand, radio continued to be a big part of John’s life. He landed a job as a DJ at an all-night country radio station in Billings, Mont. He later worked in Seattle, Alaska and other parts of Minnesota.

In addition to radio, John spent some time in Alaska working at a motel as the night desk clerk. “It was the most dangerous job I ever had,” he commented, recalling the remote setting of the motel. “I did manage to read ‘War and Peace’ during that time,” he added.

As much as he enjoys listening

to music, John says

he’s not a musician himself. “Yeah, I always say that the

only musical instrument I play is a jukebox.”

He did, however, learn to play the harmonica for a spell. “I started to learn it in order to quit smoking,” John said. “It worked,” he added with a grin.

These days, he lives in Pine River with his wife

of 24 years, Donna. “She’s

the one I affectionately call ‘Cupcake’ on the air,” John

adds.

They’ve lived in Pine River for the past 19 years; and share their home with their cat, Chip.

He met Donna in Pequot Lakes, where he was selling water softeners at the time. “Yeah, I was her Culligan Man,” John added with a laugh.

Although he’s lived in a variety of places, coming back to his old stomping

grounds is something he

always enjoys, John said. “I always like to visit Motley,”

he added.

Glancing down Highway 10, John reminisced a bit about places he remembered from his days growing up in Motley.

“That used to be Jack’s Pool Hall,” he said, motioning to a now-empty building sitting next to Bremer’s Bar. “I spent a lot of time there.”

He’s been playing pool

for 50 years, John shared. “Yeah, I like to shoot pool.”

The Two Rivers Grocery Store used to be “The Farmer’s Store,” John recalled. “And the hardware store used to be ‘Blanche’s Cafe,’” he said.

Memories of Motley are never too far away. This town is his center, John says again.

“When I’m on the air I always think of the folks from Motley who might be listening,” John shared.

No doubt, when MHS alumni hear John’s voice on the radio, they, too, are reminded of their alma mater and days gone by.