Romantic memories

A front page love story

Jason and I had talked about a future together, but nothing had been planned. One Sunday morning I shuffled to the kitchen, grabbed a cup of coffee and sat down at the breakfast bar to read the Nevada Appeal. An early riser, Jason had usually read the paper by the time I got up and left it for me to read. I sat down and the sports section (which Jason always reads first) was on top. I moved the sports section so I could get to my front page and there was a yellow post-it note with "Will you marry me?" written on it " right there in front page center. I looked up in surprise and Jason had knelt on the floor next to me and was holding an engagement ring. After the shock wore off I was pleased to accept. On our first anniversary, I put an ad in the Nevada Appeal to celebrate. We just celebrated our three-year anniversary and have beautiful twins who just turned 1. We couldn't be happier " and I always smile when I see the front page of my morning Appeal!

STACY WOODBURY

Carson City

53 years and still going strong

It was 1950. We had just moved from Michigan to La Crescenta, Calif. My stepsister Maryann was taking me shopping. On our way to the bus stop, a car taking the corner a little fast caught our attention. It screeched to a stop. Maryann said hi to the driver and then introduced me to Lee, one of her school chums since kindergarten. He lived only a couple of blocks away. He said hi, flashing a dazzling smile. I found his friendliness endearing. He was all of sixteen and I was eleven with bony knees and braids down to my waist.

I didn't see him again for awhile. In the meantime, I got rid of the braids, and busied myself with school, and new friends. I was growing up and sprouting every which way. It seemed the more I sprouted, the more I suddenly saw of Lee, coincidental of course. I loved his sense of humor right away. I could make him laugh with my sarcastic dry wit. He would throw back his head and let go with the loudest laugh I had ever heard. It was amazing how funny I was. I soon realized that he laughed at everything.

After four or five years of bumping into each other from time to time, he called me one day using the excuse that he would fix me up if there were any guys I wanted to date. I named a few, including him at the end. He then changed the order of the list, putting himself first, and we went out a week later.

The first date consisted of a long ride in his 1950 black Cadillac. I could have ridden forever, it was so beautiful, and it was huge. Four people could have sat in the back seat, four with little butts, that is.

We continued dating and getting more serious about each other. We decided to get married. I was seventeen and Lee was twenty-two. Soon after, we went for, yet, another ride, (gas was cheap). Lee suddenly pulled to the curb, stopped, and handed me a sack. I looked at him surprised. I peeked inside and saw a box. I pulled it out, along with lots and lots of S&H green stamps. Inside the box was a diamond solitaire wedding set. It was beautiful and was the exact set that I pointed out in the jewelry store window to him when he had asked me what style of rings I would like. If I had known that the ring I pointed out would be the one I would get, I could have pointed to a much bigger diamond. And just think of the green stamps!

We had a beautiful church wedding in Montrose, Calif. June 2, 1956. We will celebrate our 53rd anniversary this year. Our marriage has endured. So have our senses of humor, and Lee? He still has the same great smile and all his own teeth. Me? I'm still sprouting, but in all the wrong places.

JUDIE HARTWICK

Carson City

Stories spark curiosity, romance, marriage and kids

Our true love story begins in the year 1985 when I was hired as a classified line-ad representative at the Tahoe Tribune. I was 18 years of age, living with my grandmother at the time, and had lived a lifetime between graduating from high school and being hired into the newspaper business. When taking breaks in the community break room I often was struck by a press employee that seemed to light up the room with his many interesting stories to anyone that might be listening. After a time I inquired of the front receptionist his name and anything she might want to let me know. She told me to "stay away from that one...he's an 'all-American boy' and would break my heart...," of course my curiosity was sparked. During this same time, I've been told, he was also inquiring of me, and had mentioned to his co-workers that he was going to ask me out on a date. Almost immediately his co-worker and roommate decided to jump the gun on the situation and approached me one morning to ask me if I'd be interested in going out with him sometime " to which I accepted. A date was set and he was to take me to a movie that Friday night.

When my current husband's roommate picked me up that Friday, he suddenly changed his mind " saying we we're going to his house to watch a video instead. Being of a young age, and not altogether very smart at the time, I accepted.

My trusting nature turned into a blessing for me, for within a short time my current husband showed up at the house and introduced himself to me ... he then sat down with us and began another one of his many stories, and that was it ... I was entranced, hooked, and completely forgot about my date!

A year later we were married and now " almost 23 years later, with three children to boot " we are still in love!

My husband still works as a pressman right here at the Nevada Appeal.

DEBRA BURNS

Carson City

How could anyone ever live with him?

I moved to Las Vegas the summer before my senior year of high school. I was nervous about meeting people, going to a new school, etc. I had developed several habits " nervous tics " that involved my neck and facial muscles. I was a mess!

The first week in Las Vegas I met a cute girl at church. I thought that this place might be all right after all. However, after seeing my nervous twitches in Bible class, she remarked to a friend, "How could anyone ever live with him?"

Wanetta and I have been married 42 years. She is still the love of my life, but ever so often she still asks the question, "How could anyone ever live with him?"

BRUCE HENDERSON

Carson City

Woman's first date leads to first, and only, marriage

It was 1949 in a small town in Pennsylvania. I was in eighth grade and had never had a "real" date with a boy before. Each spring my piano teacher, Mrs. Strait, had a recital with all of her pupils. I played a two-piano piece with another of her pupils " who was a sophomore in high school. He was my teacher's neighbor and one of her special students. When he asked me out to see a movie, my parents consented as he had a good recommendation from Mrs. Strait. As I started in high school that year, we dated often over the next two years. Then there were other dates for both of us, college, and the Army for him. We got together again in 1956 and married in 1958. We have two children, seven grandchildren and just celebrated our 50th anniversary last summer.

I really did marry my first date.

ROBERTA AND JOHN PEIGHTEL

Carson City

Love really is 'Till the End of Time'

In the fourth grade I saw my future wife! She and another girl were promoting the Camp Fire Girls organization through a skit at our school assembly.

Two girls were swinging on-stage while the rest of the group sang "Swinging on a Star." Being just a fourth grader, I thought "She's pretty!"

In the sixth grade she heard me sing at school assembly and thought "He sings good."

We were in the same homeroom in the eighth grade. One day I was helping our coach in the school yard when the lunch bell sounded. The classroom door burst open and our class was racing to lunch " knees and elbows pumping.

I thought "how uncool!" and then this beautiful poised girl walked out. My heart went "thud!"

We began going together that year on Valentine's Day, 1951; were engaged the summer after our sophomore year and married in our junior year of high school.

We've now been married for 55 years and counting. Best smooth move I ever made! Our life-long love song is "Till the End of Time."

I love you, Lucinda. Happy Valentine's Day.

FLOYD B. SMITH

Carson City

Love prevails through troubles

Twenty-five years ago with only a quick glance " and a chance meeting in "small town California" " we fell in love immediately. Obviously the good work of a loving supreme being.

This time last year was very difficult for us. We developed our own personal and individual problems and issues and we separated never to reconcile.

But for the grace of God's loving hand walking us through our problems, and a common thread " our dog Shadow " we began to see each other. We fell back into an uncontrollable love for one another.

It's taken a lot of work and a conscious effort to make changes within ourselves to keep a healthy love alive. We each have our best friend back. Happy Valentine's Day sweetie.

Thank you, Dina, for loving me.

MIKE YORK

Carson City

Distance can't stop this romance

Would I like his family? Would we have a good time? Would this be the last time we were together? I wondered on the flight to from Chicago to Fort Myers, Fla. to see my long-distance boyfriend Chris.

I felt our relationship was pretty up in the air due to the physical distance between us; he lived in Reno and I had moved back to Indiana in November. Still, he had written a very serious letter that said that he wanted to be with me a long time and that he was making plans. A little distrustful of men, I thought, "He's a nice guy, but we'll see." After all, we had been dating only seven months.

We spent three days in mid-December together on Sanibel Island in 1999. I had a terrific time on the beach with him and his brothers Carl and Curtis, his sister-in-law Roxanne, and nephew Ryan. Still, after a couple days, he had not said anything about long-term plans. So, I figured that he had changed his mind. I loved him, but realized that our lives would be less complicated if we didn't try to be together. I had no desire to go back to Nevada at all while he liked Reno a lot. His whole life was there while I had decided that mine was going to be elsewhere.

Then, the last night of my stay, Chris asked me if I wanted to go for a walk. I agreed. And, very emotionally, he proposed. I accepted. We were engaged! We celebrated with a kiss. I was in disbelief. He probably was, too! We did know that we loved each other though and that we would work everything else out.

Since that rendezvous, everything has come together for us. We married April 29, 2000, in Indiana at the DeMotte First United Methodist Church which I had attended as a child. We lived there and in North Carolina for awhile until we chose to move back to Nevada in 2003 for Chris' profession. Here in Carson City, we now share our lives with two beautiful boys Kyle, 6, and Nicholas, 3.

Like most couples, we have shared a few challenging moments along the way, but have grown through them. With our decision to be together in 1999, we made our lives a little more complicated, but much more rewarding.

KIM BRUNE

Carson City