I met my future wife in grade school through her brother, electric trains and horses. Her brother, John, and I each had an electric train. That’s how I met his sister Marilyn. I found out she was a horse fanatic and they each had a pony. My brother Jerry and I shared a horse. We all started riding together. There were four kids but only three horses so I rode on the back of Marilyn’s horse. That started everything!
During the first two years of high school we dated occasionally but were too young to drive, so our parents would take us to a movie or dance. During her junior year, Marilyn transferred to a private girls school three hours away. We still rode horseback together during summers, and began dating more seriously. I had my driver’s license and a 1930 model A Ford coupe that we went to polka dances with.
We were separated again attending different colleges. Occasionally we dated others but there was a common bond forged through many years of friendship that kept bringing us back together. I asked her to marry me Christmas 1961. We tied the knot August 1962 between my junior and senior year. Our parents were not happy, fearing I may not finish my engineering degree. She taught kindergarten to help support us. Being good Catholics, she was five months pregnant with our first son at graduation.
After Army service of three years and a second son, we moved to California. We came to California because that was where Marilyn wanted to live. During high school she told the nuns, “I want to move out West, live on a ranch and ride horseback.” The nuns were not pleased!
We moved to Morgan Hill in 1976. Our two sons were in grade school and Marilyn had to buy a pony for the kids. Soon we had two horses, and Marilyn and I started riding again.
She started 50-mile endurance riding, and I went to every event for about 15 years. By 2002 she was in her 60s and having a difficult time completing. She gave up competitive riding. Now it was my turn. I restored an antique tractor and belonged to two tractor clubs. She came with me to events and made new friends.
In 2002, Marilyn was diagnosed with breast cancer and was treated. In 2010, the cancer came back. It was my turn to support her again. After 49-plus years of marriage, she passed away in March 2012. I am blessed with two sons and seven grandkids.
What is love? Love is first being friends, then raising a family and putting your kids before yourself. Love is doing things for each other without it being a sacrifice. During her last year, we fell in love even more. We were two bodies merged into one spirit. When she passed, I lost half my spirit which I struggle to compensate for. I loved her and I love her. Happy Valentine’s Day sweetheart. I love you.
