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John Albright grew up in nearby Boonville, Missouri, and graduated from Mizzou with a bachelor's degree in soil science in 1979 and a master's in plant science in 1982. He then conducted agricultural field research at the Department of Agronomy, University of Wisconsin-Madison as academic staff for 32 years. Retiring in 2015, he returned to Missouri. John met his wife Karen in a biochemistry class at MU and has been married for 45 years; they have a daughter. John is an avid reader of current events and history. He was a member of the local dog training club and enjoyed teaching classes for years. He spent seven years taking his German Shepherd therapy dog to the hospital to visit patients. John has had a life-time interest in Japan and other Asian countries. He has traveled to Japan numerous times.