Ruth and I married on March 20, 1971. I was on college Spring break. Ruth was on Spring break from teaching music in grades K-12 at Marquand MO. We spent our first two nights at the Frontier Motel (Room 10) in Jackson MO. Years later, the building was gutted by fire. I had my Uncle Don, who lived in Jackson, see if they would let us have the numbers 1 and 0 from door 10, but they kept them, saying they were going to rebuild.

Ruth and I stayed at her Uncle Dennis and Aunt Peggy’s in Fulton, where we visited the Churchill site. We also stayed with my Uncle John and Aunt Liz in Columbia MO. While there we toured the State Capitol in Jefferson City. We stayed a night or two with Ruth’s parents in Cape Girardeau before we headed to Marquand.

I had totaled my 1963 Falcon in December 1970, and received word a little while before our wedding that my insurance had cancelled me. I had to borrow my father-in-law’s car to take Ruth on our honeymoon. Their American Motors Ambassador had a broken drivers seat. Its back was held up by a wooden Coca Cola crate. Good grief; we were as poor as Job’s turkey, but were as happy as could be.

By the way, for what it’s worth, we are still on our honeymoon. If there was ever a match made in Heaven, it’s Ruth and me.