The love of my life.

May 24th will be the 61st anniversary of the first date with my wife, Jean. I remember the day we met vividly. It was about 2 weeks earlier. Her grandparents lived in my home town and her family visited often. Just happened that on that Sunday she was with a classmate of mine in downtown Colfax. Now, you have to know that downtown Colfax is a whopping 2 blocks long, and if you stretch it, maybe 2 ½ blocks. They were sitting on the steps of the Presbyterian Church and I happened to drive by and spotted her. I drove around a couple more times (remember, it is only 2 blocks long) and they finally got up and began walking toward Werrick's Drug Store in the middle of town for a cold drink. I quickly found a place to park (not difficult in Colfax either) and went into the drug store where we were introduced. On that day, I lost my heart in Colfax.

Our first date on May 24th was right after my high school graduation night. We double dated with my cousin who was dating a classmate of mine. We drove to Des Moines, IA where we went to a pizza restaurant, if I remember correctly, it was Mama's Pizza Restaurant. This was our first introduction to pizza and neither of us liked it (unlike now). 

Jean was a rising Senior in HS. We dated for a year, then I asked her to marry me. If I remember correctly, she said "Yes"! She graduated from HS and then went to (at that time) Iowa State Teachers College and got her 2-year degree to teach. She graduated in June and we were married on August 17, 1957. The smartest thing I have ever done in my life.

Here is a picture of us taken by Deb Monbeck at the 2015 MWS which was printed in the Region 10 newsletter, The Daylily Appeal.

I look at this picture and still see the young 17 year girl old that I met in early May of 1954. My life began when she said "I do."

Life is very, very good

Lee