June 28 1961, 52 years past, my life changed. High blue sky with a few cotton candy clouds drove Wisconsin temperatures to the low 90s. Sweat ran down my back soaking my white shirt. The collar chaffed. “You can still back out.” 1st Lt. Warren Livingston my best man whispered in my ear as we waited at the church front. The Stanly Wisconsin’s old Methodist church, windows and doors wide open and no fan or air conditioner, was an oven, no air movement. We waited for organist Aletha Turner to play the opening notes to the Richard Wagner’s wedding march, “Here comes the Bride.” And, then it started. I watched Joan Borgen, a raven-haired beauty, my girlfriend; proudly walk down the church’s center aisle. Mothers on opposite sides beamed. You’d think they were getting married. Dad looked hot and bored. Joan’s uncle Thorval Ericson a local dairy farmer proudly gave her away. The actual ceremony lasted only 10 minutes. The reception at Joan’s family farm followed with lots of congratulations, grins all around, a change of clothes, and a quick exit to head west. We only made it 30 miles to a motel in Eau Claire Wisconsin. It took two days to reach Topeka Kansas, our destination a hot apartment on Forbes AFB where we spent our honeymoon. I returned to work and she suffered in the hot Kansas summer. This was not a beginning she or I wanted, but we were young, in love, broke, and beginning a new life together. The beginning spawned three wonderful children, one grandchild, and travels from Wisconsin, to Kansas, to Alaska, to Colorado, and finally Missouri where we put down roots with lots a side trips. It has been a wonderful 52-year journey, a journey for me that would have been much different without her loving support and gentle guidance. And, God willing it will continue many more years. Happy anniversary Joan. Thank you Joan for a great ride and wonderful
Posted on: Fri, 28 Jun 2013 11:42:03 +0000
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