October 8, 1939

On a sunny, fall day ~ October 8, 1939 ~ my mom and dad (Edythe and Bill) got married in a simple ceremony at the home of my mom's parents John and Clara Stern in Sunnyside, Washington. 

At the time my dad was a telegraph operator for the Milwaukee Railroad. He was stationed at the remote location of Hyak, WA (now a busy ski area with Highway I-90 running thru). Mom told me stories of sending money and a grocery list to the nearest town on a passing train..and the next train coming back their way brought the groceries & supplies to her. Dad was eventually promoted and they moved to Tacoma, WA. He continued as a train dispatcher and mom went to work as a R.N. in the new born nursery at Tacoma General Hospital. She continued to work there until the middle of 1941 when she had to quit because I was on the way.  

I was born on January 4, 19942 (almost a month after Pearl Harbor). In July of 1942 my dad joined the US Army and served in North Africa, Italy, France and Sicily in a railroad battalion where he continued to work as a train dispatcher.  Mom took me and moved back to eastern Washington with her parents until after my first birthday.  It was then that she moved us into a local family's basement apartment and went to work at Yakima's St Elizabeth Hospital where she had received her training.  The lady of the house took care of me during the day while mom worked. 

When dad was discharged the fall of 1945, they came back to Tacoma, mom became a stay at home mom and dad went back to the Milwaukee Railroad until his retirement in 1978.  

My brother and I always say we were blessed to have a mom and dad who really loved each other.  And we both agree, we never witnessed any battles between them.  They both worked hard and created a warm, loving and safe environment for us to grow up in. 

                           Happy 77th anniversary mom and dad ~ we miss you both.