Longtime FMCA members Joe and Ruth DeGrado have accumulated many miles and memories during their decades of motorhoming.
By Gary & Glenda Milner, F409834
April 2023
The Cruisin’ Cajuns celebrated their 52nd anniversary at a rally that was customary for this fun-loving group. The rallies are filled with games, competitions, shopping, and dancing to rival that seen on “Dancing With The Stars.”
We celebrated with this FMCA chapter in Rayne, Louisiana, this past November. While there, we met an amazing couple who have been FMCA members since 1972: Joe and Ruth DeGrado, F9139. They met in college, as they were on the same college gymnastics team. Ruth stated, “He was my partner because he was the only one who could pick me up!” They married in 1958 and started building many successful companies in Louisiana. Their accomplishments include construction, real estate, apartment rentals, and several jewelry stores. They even rented a lot to sell pull-behind trailers in the 1960s.
The couple’s camping experiences will definitely keep you entertained. They started camping in a rented Army tent behind a hotel in Florida, because, they recalled, campgrounds were limited back then. They had to create their own bathroom facilities, and that included a little shovel work. They bought their first RV in 1972: a 22-foot Superior. Their second motorhome was a Blue Bird, which they took on a 4,400-mile trip to the Arctic Circle. Today they own a 2008 Newmar Kountry Star and feel that it might be their last purchase.
Like most RVers, Joe and Ruth can share many memorable experiences. Once they were traveling to Colorado in a snowstorm in the middle of the night when the engine stopped working properly. They realized that the solenoid was sticking, and if they pushed their finger on it, it would work. So, that is what they did for the remaining 300 miles, with the help of many different sets of fingers that were traveling in the motorhome.
Or what about the time they had a problem with their accelerator hose, which stopped working properly? They realized that if someone stretched it out, it would generate enough fuel to work. That required verbal instructions from someone from the front of the motorhome, directing when to stretch the hose and when to retract it to accelerate or stop the motorhome. That worked for the 20 miles needed to get to their destination.
When asked what her most memorable RVing moment was, Ruth said it had to be their trip to Alaska. She said that, back then, the journey involved traveling over 600 miles on a dirt road. They lived and breathed dirt and even found it in their refrigerator and bed. After their return, Joe found out that he could have purchased a pressurizing tank to keep the dirt out of the inside of the motorhome. He kept that little bit of knowledge quiet from Ruth, he said.
This couple is an example of the wonderful people we have as “family” members in FMCA. If you were to stop and spend time with these amazing people, you would understand one of FMCA’s hidden secrets. Our early members are a great group to meet and enjoy listening to the stories they tell of their life experiences.
Share Your News
Do you own an unusual RV, participate in an interesting hobby, travel with pets, or have an RV adventure to tell about? Has your chapter observed a major anniversary, held a rally with a fun theme, honored a dedicated member, or helped out a charity? We want to hear about it. Share your story in 500 words or less, or contact us to tell us about an RV owner you think others should know about. A high-resolution photo and caption instead of an article are also welcome. Email editor@fmca.com; mail Family Matters, c/o Family RVing, 8291 Clough Pike, Cincinnati, OH 45244.