This is one of my favorite photographs from my youth, taken on July 18, 1974, the steps of The United States Capitol Building with my grandparents, Leroy and Donna Barmes, and our 6th District Indiana Congressman, Elwood “Bud” Hillis.

A few minutes later, we met Vice President Gerald R. Ford who took a few minutes to speak with us upon our return from The United States Supreme Court Building where we paid our respects to the Supreme Court’s Chief Justice Earl Warren who was lying in state.

Bud Hillis was the grandson of Hoosier automobile inventor, Elwood Haines of Kokomo.