Eat Our Words – John Engen

Tell Us Something

This episode of the podcast was recorded in front of a live audience on July 8, 2010 at The PEAS Farm in Missoula, MT at an event that predates Tell Us Something. Missoula residents Jeremy N. Smith and Josh Slotnick hosted the event, which they called “Eat our Words”. 5 storytellers shared their true personal story on the theme “Leaving Home”.

Jeremy Smith recently reached out to me because one of those storytellers recently passed away.

John Engen has graced the Tell Us Something stage twice, and Jeremy suggested that it would be a nice way to honor him to share this story too. John recounts all of the addresses he called home during his time in Missoula and what he learned at each place.

John Engen was born October 27, 1964 in Missoula, MT. During his 57 years on this planet, John touched the lives of many people as a journalist, friend, businessman, Mayor, and all-around great human. He died August 15, 2022 after a battle with pancreatic cancer.

Listen to more of John’s stories here.

Click here to read John Engen’s obituary.

Thank you to Jeremy N. Smith and Josh Slotnick for providing the audio for this episode of the Tell Us Something podcast. Thanks too, John, wherever you are now.

I remember this “Eat our Words” event as the first time that I experienced true personal storytelling live in-person as a performance. The evening was special, held outdoors at Missoula’s beautiful PEAS Farm on a warm July evening among an intimate crowd sitting on haybales and engaging with each other as community. I am grateful to Jeremy and Josh for the opportunity to share this story from Eat Our Words.