The meal program at the State College of Iowa didn’t include Sunday supper so area churches offered them, plus fellowship. That’s how Guy and I met, at the Cedar Falls EUB Church group, having been invited there by friends. We were juniors in college. Neither of us had a car so we’d catch rides to the gatherings. Our first date was in the spring of 1965, to see the movie Goldfinger. We walked, as usual.
We fell in love and were married in that same church May 29, 1966, six days before graduating. Guy had joined the Air Force, a delayed enlistment, and wouldn’t become active until the end of the summer.
If we’d waited another week to get married, my sis and cousins (mostly students at SCI and Iowa State University at Ames) would be scattered across the country–sis Gloria was a bride’s maid, cousin Judy played the organ, cousin Ken sang, cousin Vince was an usher.
Former roommate Judy Bauer had married John Schild the December before. They’d also met at the EUB group and were married in that church. (We were in each other’s weddings.) Alas, Judy lost John a couple of years ago.
The Air Force trained Guy as an air traffic controller and, after two years at Mountain Home AFB, Idaho, sent him to Vietnam. He’s a Vietnam vet with Parkinson’s these days (and more), I deal with fibromyalgia and Crohn’s.
Celebrating with lunch out!
“Because marriage is an extended journey, perseverance is an important marital character quality.” – Paul David Trip, in Everyday Gospel