“Grampa Jim”
“Grampa” James Wayne Dugan started framing houses from the ground up in 1942. With that, a family tradition was started. He put a hammer in my mom’s hand when she was a little girl and she hasn’t put one down since.
It was a different time back then – and even more rare than it is today for a young woman to be working in construction. But that never stopped her. As a teen in the late 60s and early 70s, my mother would often work on jobs with Grampa Jim, quickly becoming his “right-hand man.” She even had the opportunity to instruct a team of framers on a large commercial building project as a young adult!
After my mom got married, it seemed inevitable that her new husband would join the family trade. Thankfully, Dad has never been one to shy away from learning something new. My mother and father both built houses from the ground up starting at the beginning of their marriage, and haven’t stopped since.
When they had children of their own, a third generation of builders began. Much like her own father, my mother put a hammer in my hand just about as soon as I could run. As early as I can remember, I was helping with small projects around my childhood home in Ramona, CA.
As I got older, more coordinated, and more responsible – I was able to begin working for the family business. Even in my teen years, I remember walking the lumber walls of newly framed buildings, and being proud when I earned the strength to help Dad set beams in new homes.
