October 8 was always a special day in my family’s calendar. It was my Mom & Dad’s wedding anniversary, though they never really celebrated it in grand fashion. Much like my own wife and I, it just was basically another day on the calendar, perhaps we would go out to eat, or I’d bring home a card and some flowers, but other than that, there wasn’t anything like a huge celebration in store. This year we took a vacation (sort of a honeymoon that we didn’t originally get back in 1993, but that’s another story for another time) as it’s our 30th coming up in a week.
I only have a few pictures of the event, unfortunately. Given that my parents were living in Poughkeepsie, NY at the time; I think they had the ceremony at a church in that area, rather than across the river near where my Dad’s parents lived. They were still alive in ’55, though I don’t get the impression that the ceremony was held there. Both my parents were living and working in the city, near the main IBM plant at that time.
It only just occurred to me that they were both under 30 when they got married. Dad was 2 years older than Mom, so he would have been 29 here and she 27. When we were growing up, more than once I heard the story about one time Mom was in NYC for some reason and she was mistaken for Elizabeth Taylor. I’m sure that was a rather interesting event! I wonder if she ever gave out a false autograph for some fan who was extra pushy. I have one other picture of them at that event, and in it, my Dad is hamming it up for the camera. So as it turned out, he did have a sense of humor. He was always very quiet, like his younger brother. Unless one got his ire up, then look out! I expect in some ways, I got a lot of my personality from him. And some of my patience I got from Mom. At least I like to think that’s the reason.
Anyway, I wanted to relate this, even if it is a day late. Happy 68th anniversary Mom & Dad. I miss you guys, every day.