56 YEARS AND COUNTING

Today is Marlene and my 56th Wedding Anniversary. I met Marlene on a blind date (she was "blind." I wasn't) in October 1952 when I was going through Air Force Cadets flying school at Malden Air Base, Missouri. She lived in Dexter, seventeen miles away. We were engaged on June 16th, 1953 at Big Springs,Texas - the evening after she pinned on my Air Force wings at cadet graduation at Webb Air Force Base.

On a Sunday August 30th, Marlene and I were married at Valdosta, Georgia the day before I soloed the F94C at Moody Air Force Base. The wedding took place after a regular church service. The wedding guests were whoever remained in the church after the service, plus Marlene's mom, plus my best man from the base - whose name I don't even remember. I thought I had taken some great wedding photos with my little Argus C3 camera. Unfortunately, there was no film in the camera. But the photos would have been good.

We've had a great life together. When we were married, I was 20. She was 19. We are somewhat older now. Marlene is not only the "Speaker of the House," but also a great wife!

The"then" photo shows Marlene and I (when I had hair) a month or so after our marriage. The "now" photo shows us at a picnic at McHugh Creek after a picnic.