For most folks, having a hobby or two is something mainly for enjoyment during free time. For some, a hobby might even lead to some extra income.

But for Alan "Skip" Gasperich, his longtime love for music and a newfound passion for custom woodworking have brought him from near death to a new lease on a happy and joyful life.

Always seeming to have a smile on his face, Gasperich can usually be found working on one of his dozens of cedar projects in his front yard in Mount Pleasant or playing and singing old country and gospel songs with his girlfriend Faye Condrey at the local nursing home and senior citizens center.

But just two short years ago, Gasperich was lying in a nursing home bed with little chance of ever getting out or even living much longer.

"I was an alcoholic and nearly drank myself to death," Gasperich told the Batesville Daily Guard (http://bit.ly/GBu8M6 ). "I was yellow as yellow can get."

In almost complete liver failure due to his years of heavy drinking, Gasperich's longtime friend Howard Lamb told Faye to get ready to say her goodbyes to Skip because he didn't have much longer.

"It was a dark time there for a while," Gasperich recalled. "But with a lot of prayer, the caring staff at Pioneer Nursing Home, and Dr. Adam Gray — I started steadily getting better."

Within just four months, Gasperich went from being bedridden, to walking using a walker, and then one day a nurse caught him in the hallway dancing without his walker. Soon, he was as healthy as he'd ever been and was ready to resume his normal life — except he won't touch alcohol to this day.

This wasn't the first time the high-spirited Army veteran seemed to find a blessing amid all his struggles — he waited 39 years for his Purple Heart. While serving in Vietnam from 1967-68, Gasperich was injured in an explosion and was unable to apply for VA benefits for nearly four decades because the Army had lost any records of his Purple Heart (his papers were apparently burned in a fire in Missouri).

In February 1968, Gasperich had stopped his truck at a bridge and got out, waiting on the truck ahead of him to cross. However, the bridge had been booby-trapped, and the exploding shrapnel hit his right arm and leg. He said the medics couldn't find the metal in his body, so it stayed put. Instead, they wrapped his wounds and gave him a cane, then he was discharged about a month later.

In addition to the Purple Heart, he also received the Good Conduct Medal and Commendation Medal.

Although Gasperich went on living in pain for nearly 40 years before the Army finally recognized his combat injuries, he says he doesn't hold any resentment and is very proud to have served his country.

Gasperich said God really worked on his heart during the time he was very sick; while in the nursing home, he started attending church services and eventually leading the music worship each Sunday.

Before being released to go home, the pastor told Gasperich he would like for him to come back every Sunday to lead in opening prayer and to lead music worship.

"Now I know about 50 old gospel songs and haven't missed a Sunday in two years," Gasperich said.

"I've also taught Faye how to play guitar and now she goes with me every time," he said smiling, and pointed to the several framed photographs above his fireplace that showed the couple playing guitars in matching suits and cowboy hats.

Gasperich's home sits right off of Highway 69 and his yard is dotted with dozens of custom cedar tables, chests, wishing wells, miniature trains and even a small coffin he built custom for a close friend's dog.

"I'll make just about anything, but you'll always be able to tell if it was done by me," Gasperich said as he pointed to the signature brass buttons he uses to accent all of his custom cedar projects.

On a recent autumn day, Gasperich was working on a couple of small cedar ammo boxes that he said have become some of his more popular items. Moving around like a man in his 30s rather than his 70s, he carefully inspected each piece of lumber, placed each board on the table saw, made the cut and, before the sawdust cleared the air, he inspected the board again and announced, "Man, that's gonna be pretty when it's done."

Although Gasperich has used his new skill to create a business, he said it's not about the money. What he does sell, he makes a minimal profit on, and a large portion of his custom cedar is sold or simply donated for local charities and fundraisers.

Gasperich recently built a large cedar chest to donate to a fundraiser on the Mount Pleasant Elementary campus and he was paid $50 for the item. When the school began selling raffle tickets on the cedar chest, Gasperich said that he immediately went out and bought $50 worth of tickets and later purchased another $50 worth.

Although the one item ended up costing him money in the end, Gasperich said the joy he gets from woodworking and seeing others enjoy his products are priceless.

"I'm happy to just be here and am so thankful to be healthy enough to do the things I love," Gasperich said. "Sometimes I think about all those years I wasted drinking — when I could've been doing this.

"I just praise the Lord. I won't ever drink again."

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Information from: Batesville Guard, http://www.guardonline.com/

This is an AP Member Exchange shared by the Batesville Daily Guard.