Past, Present and Future...True Story

Part 1:The Meeting

It was the summer of 1951...he was twentyone...she was sixteen...

... he had finished basic training, was home on a two week leave before  being "deployed" to Germany ..it was the summer between her sophomore and junior high school years.

They had lived less than 10 miles apart most of their lives, each in a small town... but never  knew each other.  He was a "country boy" from the farm,  she a "town girl" ..

Charlene knew Bobs' sister, Margaret, as they both worked at the local Ben Franklins five and dime store...Margaret set them up on a blind date...  it was love at first sight...true enough to last a lifetime.

Part 2: The Wedding

April 24, 1953...in January he had returned from his service to Uncle Sam ...three months later they were married at a small Episcopal church in Covington with a few  family and friends in attendance..it was a very nice, small service arranged primarily by his beloved Aunt Laura....it had rained all day...but they didn't care. They spent the first night in Memphis at his aunts house as she had remained in Covington for the evening.  The next morning they drove to New Orleans for a three day honeymoon. She had to go the the principal's office to obtain an "excused absence" before being allowed back in school.



Part 3: The Life

Fiftysix years and counting...five children, nine grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren...

In some ways a life like many others ...both hardships and ease, joys and sorrors, sickness and health, hard work and pleasures....a life greatly blessed by God.

In other ways a life unlike others ...a growing love for each other, children who are rich with big hearts, good character and a respect for what is right.... blessed with life lived long enough to know and love their grandchildren as well as their great-grandchildren...

Part 4: The Future

...Bob's quality of life has been stolen by his fight to survive cancer and replaced with uncertainty as to the future..I have experience his fortitude, courage and selfcontrol on a deeper level than ever before. In a real sense I now know how lost I would be without him...We both have become more deeply aware of our faith and trust in a loving God who is sustaining us during this time.