7-28-11 While sitting, this evening, nursing a drink that the ice had diluted, I started thinking and realized you did not know how I had met and fallen in love and married your mother.
You may have heard it in the past, but I would bet you all did not have the same story.or full story.
You don’t have to read this, but if you do, you may not learn of anything new, but it will help you recall our past.
As you all know, I needed a thesis to graduate from Engineering College. I visited the University of Detroit when I made a visit home from New York and found what requirements I needed for the degree. I wanted the degree and when I knew the requirements I left my job at Worthington Corp. and returned to Detroit and registered at U of D. One year later I graduated from U of D with my engineering degree [BChE]. About that time I enrolled in Business & Finance at U of D. for a Masters in BA.
Now to “MOTHERS”
Mothers back then were old fashion and modern. I am not young enough to know what this means with modern mothers but back then as you got older you received frequent comments on you marriage status. My Mother found an article in a newspaper about a group of college graduates, Catholic, that had formed a group to help this unmarried group to meet and mix—object marriage. Mother pushed me to contact!!! Result I attended one of their meetings and ended up joining. Let’s be honest, I was aware my life was limited if I didn’t join and be active.
THE CLUB
It was called the Tobby? Tobbie? Club. Meetings were held in some hall in Downtown Detroit. Activities were planned every weekend (I think) Dances, golf, sking and attending Weddings etc.
It did its job and members were getting married all the time, causing members with titles to leave and new members drafted for running the organization. Yeah I got caught. My area was rides. Those who didn’t have a ride could call me and I would arrange a ride for them. A new member, Joan Vandercook , phoned and needed a ride to an event. She lived in Royal Oak (about 5 miles away from Centerline ) and I was the nearest driver and the logical choice. Also had another young woman to pick up on way to downtown Detroit and the event (a Dance).
For some reason Joan and I hit it off and chatted on the telephone for an hour or more.
Made a few more calls to discuss the Dance etc. We did a lot of talking.
The EVENT.
So on event night I picked up Joan and then the other passenger and to the dance we went. Did a lot of dancing. Had a good time. When it came time to go home, I opened car door and left my two passengers make up their own mind who was the last one going home. Joan jumped in car so she was last passenger. When I asked her why she jumped first, she said”I gave her chance and she was slow to respond so I got in car.” On the way home we made a date for the following Friday night.
First Date---Dance in Downtown Detroit—Where? Some private hall. It took a lot of phone calls to get anything right for date. Then DISASTER!!!
I couldn’t find her house. 405 Hudson (not sure of name) Went to store with phone about a mile away and called Joan. Address was 504. Hey don’t remember but it was reverse of number I was going to. BOY!!! Did she ever give me a hard time because I forgot her address. Not just that night—but for years afterward. Anyway we seemed to mesh well and I told her were were going to get married to each other. We did, only after a lot of phone calls.