July 27, 1934 and July 29, 1939, Wedding Bells

Both sets of our parents were married in July.  All four parents were born between 1914 and 1918.  They were all 'farm kids'.  Boys were expected to work the farm with their parents.  Girls were to learn the fine are of housekeeping.

My folks near the time of their marriage

My Mom was about six weeks shy of 16 when she and Dad married in 1934.  Mom's dad did not want to pay for her to continue in school in a neighboring city.  She told me she just figured she would just get married since you could not go beyond the 10th grade.  She had been saledictorian.  I have often wondered how life would have been so different for her had Granddaddy allowed her to live with his sister and continue schooling.  

Daddy's father insisted he remain in farming.  Daddy was never happy as a farmer preferring to work on the farming equipment.

Mom was an accomplished seamstress and cook by the time she married.  The folks lived with Daddy's father and step mother for about the first year of marriage.  After Pawpaw passed Daddy left farming permanently in about 1957.  Daddy learned appliance repair while working for Howell's Furniture.  In 1958 Mom went to work for Texas Instruments.  She worked for that firm until retiring in 1984.  Eventually Dad had his own appliance repair business.  Daddy retired in 1998 at 84 years of age.  Dad died in February, 2004, having lived in the little red brick home they bought in October, 1960.  Mom moved from the home in 2007.  Mom passed in January, 2015.  Mom and Dad lacked from February till July being married 70 years.

Hubby's folks circa 1968

While my mom was still just a teen, my MIL was considering herself an 'old maid' at the age of 24, two months shy of 25, when she married in 1939.  My MIL was so self conscience of her age and the fact she was 2 years older than my FIL that she lied about her age on my Hubby's birth certificate.  But my MIL was not only an accomplished seamstress she was an ace at vegetable and flower gardening.  In addition, in an age when homemaking was still the top female job, MIL attended business school.  During WWII even with an infant she worked as a supply clerk at Strother Field air base near Arkansas City, Kansas.  During the same time the FIL was building bombers for Boeing Aircraft at the Wichita, KS, location.

Following the war Hubby's parents moved back to Missouri.  A house and 6 acres were purchased in 1947.  FIL continued to work in Kansas until enough money was saved to set up his radio shop.  MIL was working for a catalogue printing company, MWM, as a typist.  Eventually FIL and MIL would work together in the TV and Radio shop they worked to build.  MIL did the books and sales.  FIL did the repairs and some sales.  Both retired from the business in 1980.  In 2004 they moved from the home they purchased in 1947.  They were both remarkably good at managing their money and business.  FIL passed in May, 2005.  MIL passed November, 2013.  Mom A. and Dad A. lacked only 2 months being married 66 years.

What does one even say about those two legacies?  They all had lived through the Great Depression and two World Wars.  They thrived in the post war years where it seemed only ones desire was the only limit on achievement.  FIL had only 8 grades of formal education but spent his adult life studying to better his skills.  What all four people left behind was reputations full of respect and hearts filled with love.

Take care and stay safe.

Janice