It was Friday, the beginning of the fourth of July weekend. 1958. Jerry wanted to join the rest of his family at the lake for swimming, playing, eating, water skiing, etc. His mother said, "No! If I can't go to camp meeting, I'm staying home!" Jerry finally gave in to her and drove the two of them to Gladwin, Michigan to a campground outside of town. Jerry's dad had died of cancer several years before, and Jerry, being the only child still living at home, worked for Dow Chemical Co. and cared for his mother.
Anita had completed her freshman year of college in South Dakota and had returned to her parents home in Winona Lake, Indiana. She had a job lined up for the summer. Her parents and brother were leaving on a two-week speaking trip to several Eastern states and ending with the second week of speaking each day at the Gladwin, Michigan camp.
But alas, her job wasn't ready for a summer worker yet! It would be a couple of weeks before she could start working! Anita quickly packed a suitcase and joined her family on the two-week trip.
July 3, 1958, Jerry and Anita were introduced to each other by Anita's new friend, Mary Morse. Oh, now Jerry brought his mother to camp every day all day for the weekend and every evening for the next week! And then parting was such sweet sorrow!
They wrote letters to each other every day, not knowing when they would see each other again! Anita's job started so she was busy every day now. One day in Jerry's letter he said he had a long weekend coming up and would like to drive down to visit! Oh, how exciting! But when Anita told her parents they said, "Oh no. We'll be gone again for that weekend. He'll have to pick a different time." So, in my letter that day I wrote that it wasn't a good weekend for him to come because I'd be home alone. What a disappointment for both of us!
Then to make things more complicated, I got a phone call from a guy I had dated and had been writing to, before Jerry. He said he was on his way from Seattle to Wilmore, Kentucky, where his parents lived, but was stopping here to see me! Oh oh. His family was driving up from Kentucky to pick him up! Thank goodness I had written to Jerry not to come!
On the day Burt was to arrive I worked hard and fast to get our house ready for overnight company! I had never been a hostess before but I did what I thought my mother would do! Then I took a taxi to the depot to meet him. He had a huge smile! I admit we made a nice couple. We took another taxi back to my parent's house to wait for his family to arrive. He sat on the sofa beside me and put his arms around me for our first kiss! But I resisted. Oh, "What's wrong?" he asked and then answered his own question. "Oh, it's another guy, isn't it?" My response was, "It's been such a long time, Burt!"
His parents arrived soon after that episode and I was relieved. I don't remember what I did about supper that evening or even what his parents did for the evening. Burt and Nellie and I took his parents car and had a fun evening.
The next morning, I woke up very early and began thinking about breakfast. Oh, what was I going to fix for breakfast? I knew there weren't enough eggs for a whole family. There were no stores nearby, but there was the Eskimo Inn Resturant a few blocks away from where I possibly could buy a dozen eggs! I ran a couple blocks, then down a long hill, to the restaurant and politely asked if they would sell a dozen eggs to me. They did! I ran, trudged up the hill, and ran some more to our house. Everyone was still sleeping! Thank the Lord! I cooked a good breakfast of bacon and eggs, toast, juice and coffee! No one even knew I had been in such a panic!
After breakfast, it was time for them to get on the road headed for Kentucky. Burt began begging me to go home with them for the weekend! I could be Nellie's guest, not his, he said. Nellie and I were very good friends, but somehow I just didn't feel right about it, so I refused nicely but firmly.
Their car had a problem that morning! It wouldn't start! Burt and his dad worked and worked to start it and finally had to call someone to help them. After several hours it was repaired and they were on their way.
I was totally exhausted! As they drove off I fell onto the sofa and immediately fell asleep! All of a sudden I woke up to someone knocking loudly on the front door! I jumped up, ran to the door, and opened it, not knowing who it was.
There stood Jerry! He was grinning! I was in shock! We went into the living room, sat on the same sofa Burt and I had sat on. Jerry put his arms around me and pulled me to himself to kiss me. I eagerly responded!
What a close call! Jerry had been driving around town, for at least an hour, looking for our street and house! What if he had arrived while Burt and his family were still there working on their car?! Thank the Lord for His Timing!
We drove to Warsaw, the nearby town and got him a room in a hotel. The next day, Mother was returning home by bus. Jerry and I were there to meet her. She was very surprised! We explained quickly this was his only weekend off work and he had a room at a hotel. Mother smiled and nodded her approval. Later she called some friends about a block away who often rented a room out. Yes, it was available and Jerry could stay there.
So this was how we started! But, there's more. The summer was flying by. Soon I'd be returning to South Dakota for school. Jerry said if I went there we'd have to say a final good-bye. Oh no. We were both very sad. There was a college in Michigan I could transfer to. Spring Arbor College. So, that was it. I transferred and the rest is history! We became engaged at Christmas time and were married on June 13, 1959.
Anita had completed her freshman year of college in South Dakota and had returned to her parents home in Winona Lake, Indiana. She had a job lined up for the summer. Her parents and brother were leaving on a two-week speaking trip to several Eastern states and ending with the second week of speaking each day at the Gladwin, Michigan camp.
But alas, her job wasn't ready for a summer worker yet! It would be a couple of weeks before she could start working! Anita quickly packed a suitcase and joined her family on the two-week trip.
July 3, 1958, Jerry and Anita were introduced to each other by Anita's new friend, Mary Morse. Oh, now Jerry brought his mother to camp every day all day for the weekend and every evening for the next week! And then parting was such sweet sorrow!
They wrote letters to each other every day, not knowing when they would see each other again! Anita's job started so she was busy every day now. One day in Jerry's letter he said he had a long weekend coming up and would like to drive down to visit! Oh, how exciting! But when Anita told her parents they said, "Oh no. We'll be gone again for that weekend. He'll have to pick a different time." So, in my letter that day I wrote that it wasn't a good weekend for him to come because I'd be home alone. What a disappointment for both of us!
Then to make things more complicated, I got a phone call from a guy I had dated and had been writing to, before Jerry. He said he was on his way from Seattle to Wilmore, Kentucky, where his parents lived, but was stopping here to see me! Oh oh. His family was driving up from Kentucky to pick him up! Thank goodness I had written to Jerry not to come!
On the day Burt was to arrive I worked hard and fast to get our house ready for overnight company! I had never been a hostess before but I did what I thought my mother would do! Then I took a taxi to the depot to meet him. He had a huge smile! I admit we made a nice couple. We took another taxi back to my parent's house to wait for his family to arrive. He sat on the sofa beside me and put his arms around me for our first kiss! But I resisted. Oh, "What's wrong?" he asked and then answered his own question. "Oh, it's another guy, isn't it?" My response was, "It's been such a long time, Burt!"
His parents arrived soon after that episode and I was relieved. I don't remember what I did about supper that evening or even what his parents did for the evening. Burt and Nellie and I took his parents car and had a fun evening.
The next morning, I woke up very early and began thinking about breakfast. Oh, what was I going to fix for breakfast? I knew there weren't enough eggs for a whole family. There were no stores nearby, but there was the Eskimo Inn Resturant a few blocks away from where I possibly could buy a dozen eggs! I ran a couple blocks, then down a long hill, to the restaurant and politely asked if they would sell a dozen eggs to me. They did! I ran, trudged up the hill, and ran some more to our house. Everyone was still sleeping! Thank the Lord! I cooked a good breakfast of bacon and eggs, toast, juice and coffee! No one even knew I had been in such a panic!
After breakfast, it was time for them to get on the road headed for Kentucky. Burt began begging me to go home with them for the weekend! I could be Nellie's guest, not his, he said. Nellie and I were very good friends, but somehow I just didn't feel right about it, so I refused nicely but firmly.
Their car had a problem that morning! It wouldn't start! Burt and his dad worked and worked to start it and finally had to call someone to help them. After several hours it was repaired and they were on their way.
I was totally exhausted! As they drove off I fell onto the sofa and immediately fell asleep! All of a sudden I woke up to someone knocking loudly on the front door! I jumped up, ran to the door, and opened it, not knowing who it was.
There stood Jerry! He was grinning! I was in shock! We went into the living room, sat on the same sofa Burt and I had sat on. Jerry put his arms around me and pulled me to himself to kiss me. I eagerly responded!
What a close call! Jerry had been driving around town, for at least an hour, looking for our street and house! What if he had arrived while Burt and his family were still there working on their car?! Thank the Lord for His Timing!
We drove to Warsaw, the nearby town and got him a room in a hotel. The next day, Mother was returning home by bus. Jerry and I were there to meet her. She was very surprised! We explained quickly this was his only weekend off work and he had a room at a hotel. Mother smiled and nodded her approval. Later she called some friends about a block away who often rented a room out. Yes, it was available and Jerry could stay there.
So this was how we started! But, there's more. The summer was flying by. Soon I'd be returning to South Dakota for school. Jerry said if I went there we'd have to say a final good-bye. Oh no. We were both very sad. There was a college in Michigan I could transfer to. Spring Arbor College. So, that was it. I transferred and the rest is history! We became engaged at Christmas time and were married on June 13, 1959.
