On May 22, 1956, two teenagers started work for the same boss at the local newspaper in the same department. One had responded to an employment ad, the other was an invite from the boss for a summer job. That was the beginning of the friendship which eventually (6 years later) resulted in marriage. In that six-year period, there were numerous goals to accomplish: graduation from high school (her), graduation from community college (both), graduation from Army Language School (him), and graduation from university (her).

Through these years, we experienced the Lord’s leading in putting the pieces together for marriage. My mother’s advice was to make sure I knew a prospective mate for at least a year in order to get through all the seasons and be able to talk about how we both thought about Christian holidays, as well as national ones. Having joined the Army and been especially trained, he was scheduled to go to Europe for a 1.5-year assignment. Realizing all the other goals had been fulfilled, it gave an “all clear” for a wedding before reporting for duty.

After a two-week honeymoon, attending the Seattle World’s Fair (1962), British Columbia, college friends, and scattered family, the Army man was shipped to Germany. The young bride prepared to follow ASAP. Three months later, things were ready for them to join together again. Life began together in earnest in a small apartment rented on the “German economy” (not on the Army post).

Life Before We Met

We were both born in Southern California, although he moved many, many times with his family – living in Colorado, Washington State, and back to California. She, on the other hand, lived in the same house until she went away to college and subsequently married. The Lord graciously taught them both the necessary life lessons, although childhood was different for each one. His schooling was all public education through community college, yet for her a Christian school up through high school, then community college, and finally a liberal university. He attended a Christian college in Tennessee. After Army days and marriage, he returned to a Christian college and received his B.A.

Well, that went a little beyond “Life Before We Met”, but it gives some background – on the grandparents.