41 years ago today..........

[Ken Fitzgerald]

I'd graduated from HS at 17. I didn't have a clue what I wanted to do with my life. I spent the next 18 months job hopping. I roughnecked on oil rigs, worked in a steel mill, an army ammunition plant, a glass factory, a furniture factory, for an engineering firm...then I turned 19.

WAKE UP CALL! I got an invitation I couldn't refuse.... a US government paid train ticket to Chicago .....a voucher for 1 night all expenses paid in the YMCA in Chi-town. The next day I passed my draft physical.

I listened to my father a former Chief Bosun' and quickly enlisted in the Navy with 51 days of delayed entry.

12 days before leaving for bootcamp, out with my drinking buddies...I said I'd like a date with a blonde who had a good personality. In the dark...sitting in the back seat of a '66 Chevy I could see their heads turn towards each other. "We know the girl!" The next night she pulled up beside my '64 Chevy SS Impala convertible in her little green '64 Merc.....She was so shy in those days, I am surprised she had the courage...she got out.....walked over to my car "Are you Ken? " When I answered "Yes!" She said " I'm Sharon and I"m your date."...

3 days later....3 dates later I asked her to marry me. She was couple years older....a divorcee with two kids from her past marriage. She was working in an electronics factory and living with her parents. I had finally found someone who really needed me....one of the most basic of human needs.

8 days later I signed over my checking and savings accounts and I left for bootcamp. 2 days after I got home from bootcamp, we were married on Christmas Eve. My father had to co-sign the license application.....He listened to me lie to clerk of the circuit court so they would waive the 3 day waiting period.

3 years later I adopted those 2 kids.....a year later we had one more.....

I nearly lost her to a rare form of cancer 16 years ago......

Last year our youngest son and spouse generously gifted us with a 12 day trip to New Zealand. That trip will remain in our hearts and minds for all of our lives.....

Today we celebrate our 41st anniversary 1900 miles apart. I gave her airline tickets to spend Christmas with her 87 year old Mom in Illinois.

Here's the only two photos of the "happy event"? In the one photo my face says "What are you doing? Are you sure sucker?"

136185

136186


41 years later I can answer those questions.. It's the best decision I've ever made. We were meant to be together. I hope others are so lucky!

[JohnT Fitzgerald]

Ken - Congrats on 41 years. Sounds like a true American Romance!

[Augusto Orosco]

Ken, that's a beautiful story. Congratulations to you and your wife!

[Prashun Patel]

Congratulations! That's inspiring. I hope I reflect so positively as you!

[Steve Schlumpf]

Happy Anniversary Ken and Sharon! Great story and one that should be told often! Thanks for sharing it with all of us!

[Jon Grider]

Congratulations Ken! It's great to hear you and your wife's story. Happy anniversary.
Now a question, If a young couple were to ask you the most important ingredients of a long and successful marriage, what advice would you give them?

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Jon,

I wish Sharon was here to give her side of this....

I'd say treat the relationship like a job...work at it everyday.

Never take the other person for granted.

Treat each other with respect and respect the right of the other person to disagree.

Develop and live within a realistic budget. Our marriage was headed for divorce court until I re-enlisted and got a large variable reenlistment bonus. We have managed to keep out of debt since....we have the normal car payments and mortgage but....not upto our necks in debt. Financial difficulties are a major cause of broken relationships...IMHO.

Within the scope of your budget, spoil the other person.....make them them most important person in your life. If you are lucky, it will be returned in a like manner.

She will tell you some of our happiest moments were nearly starving to death in Brunswick, GA together while I went to a Navy school there. We could, however, afford some gasoline and go to the beaches on St. Simon and Jekyll Islands.....

Don't think I'm being naive....we have argued like most two people will in a relationship....but don't hesitate to say "I'm sorry".....look the person in the eye and say it and mean it!

Tell your spouse regularly just how important they are in your life.

Make the words "I love you" the last words they hear from you...at night when you go to bed....on the phone.....in a letter.....an email..... You don't know...that might be the last words you or they hear or read.....

[Rob Cunningham]

Congratulations Ken. A very inspiring story for all of us to learn from.

[Mitchell Andrus]

What a great story. Thanks for sharing that.
.

[Steve Rozmiarek]

Congrats Ken! Great story too, and wish you two many more happy years!

[Mike Henderson]

Congratulations on your anniversary. Good story, too. My wife and I met under unusual circumstances and it's been a good story all our married life.

Mike

[Joe Bradshaw]

Congradulations, Ken. Your story and mine are so similiar its scary. I was also in the Navy when I married 43 years ago this coming Sept. Like you, I also wore my uniform, except that I wore whites. I really like the "liberty knot you had on your scarf. Best wishes and fair winds and following seas.

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Thanks everybody!


Joe,

I got married in my dress blues...My youngest son got married in Officer's dress whites at the historic lighthouse at NAS Pensacola.

[Kenneth Whiting]

Great story Ken. Happy Anniversary to you and Sharon. If we could all be so lucky.

[Jim Kountz]

What a great story Ken, must have been fate!! Congrats on 41 years and if you get too lonely just head on out to the shop and turn something, that will take your mind off it!!

[Rick Neal]

Thanks for sharing the story it ROCKS. Congratulations.
Rick

[Jim Koepke]

Great story. Congratulations and Happy Anniversary.

Similar to our story, though our anniversary is only going to be the 28th and she had three daughters when we met. We have a son together and he just went in to the Air Force.

jim

[Bill Borchardt]

Great story and congratulations!

When I was 19 my dad told me:
"Son, marry the right girl and you'll be happy the rest of your life. Marry the wrong one, and you'll pay the rest of your life - one way or another." :eek:

It sounds like you found the right girl.

BTW: I went through that same Armed Forces Entry Examination Station in Chicago in late 1970 - ended up in the Air Force for 30 years.

Billbo
Smyrna, GA

[Leo Voisine]

Ken,

That is a NICE story.

Some are starting nice lives together today - but those stories are becoming too few and far between.

There IS something to be said for the good old days.

You got about 9 years on me and Diane - but we are workin on it.

[Christopher Pine]

Ken Congratulations! All of your advice is right on as well. My wife and I are headed for 22 this next march! I think I have been blessed more than any man on earth! Sound slike you have too!

Chris



Jon,

I wish Sharon was here to give her side of this....

I'd say treat the relationship like a job...work at it everyday.

Never take the other person for granted.

Treat each other with respect and respect the right of the other person to disagree.

Develop and live within a realistic budget. Our marriage was headed for divorce court until I re-enlisted and got a large variable reenlistment bonus. We have managed to keep out of debt since....we have the normal car payments and mortgage but....not upto our necks in debt. Financial difficulties are a major cause of broken relationships...IMHO.

Within the scope of your budget, spoil the other person.....make them them most important person in your life. If you are lucky, it will be returned in a like manner.

She will tell you some of our happiest moments were nearly starving to death in Brunswick, GA together while I went to a Navy school there. We could, however, afford some gasoline and go to the beaches on St. Simon and Jekyll Islands.....

Don't think I'm being naive....we have argued like most two people will in a relationship....but don't hesitate to say "I'm sorry".....look the person in the eye and say it and mean it!

Tell your spouse regularly just how important they are in your life.

Make the words "I love you" the last words they hear from you...at night when you go to bed....on the phone.....in a letter.....an email..... You don't know...that might be the last words you or they hear or read.....

[Harold Burrell]

Ken,

That was precious. Seriously. Thank you for posting this. Congratulations!





Wow...you really are a nice guy.

I don't care what everybody here says about you...

behind your back...

;)

[Joe Mioux]

Congrats Ken.

[Paul Ryan]

Congrates Ken,

You only here about stories like that in the movies. Hopefully you will have another wonderful 41 years.

[Dave Anderson NH]

Congratulations Ken.

Let me inject a little seriousness here though. 41 years ago today I was safely ensconced in the Marine Corps Combined Action School at China Beach in DaNang. I was fortunate in many ways. First, instead of being in the field with my old infantry regiment (B 1/7 1st MARDIV) and living in a hole and eating C rations, I was in the rear with a hootch roof over my head, 3 meals a day from a mess hall, and among the company of friends. I had spent the night before, Christmas Eve, from 2200 to 0200 on perimeter watch with another Marine in a tower of the old French compound that housed the school. About midnight the Lt Col who was the school commander came up into the tower to wish us a Merry Christmas and give each of us 2 nips of whiskey along with the admonishment not to touch them until we had been relieved. Every Marine got the same present which was paid for out of the colonel's own funds. While I was 12,000 miles from home and in a war zone, I was truly blessed with good fortune and spent a quiet and pretty comfortable holiday. Others were not so lucky.

My point is simple. Take a moment of your time to think of and pray for those men and women currently deployed around the world and who are all too often in harms way. Wish them a quiet, relatively comfortable, and safe holiday. It is because of their sacrifice that we have the ability to enjoy our holiday in our own choice of ways.

To our Marines and other service people in Iraq, Afghanistan, and elsewhere, Merry Christmas and thank you. We remember.

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Well said Dave!

We do remember!

[Jim Becker]

Congratulations, Ken!!!

[Brian Ashton]

Fantastic story Ken


It's one of those things... When you meet the right person why wait. I was a lot more cautious than you though. I waited three weeks before I asked her to marry me.

[Dennis Peacock]

Congrats to you and the LOYL Ken..!!!!!

Now ya just need to go and buy her something for your woodworking shop. :rolleyes: :p :D

Running, ducking, and hiding - in Conway, Arkansas :D

[Ken Fitzgerald]

You're safe Dennis. She's in Illinois and she can't sign on to the Creek anyway!

My youngest son might rat on you though.:rolleyes:

[keith ouellette]

Merry Christmas to the both of you. Thats a great story. It's nice to hear about a marriage that has survived time. So many don't.

Congratulations and many many more to come over the years.

[Mike Cruz]

Ken, congrats, and thanks for sharing your story and wisdom.

Would it help or hurt to tell you 41 years ago, yesterday, I was celebrating my first Christmas Eve...whether I knew it or not...

[John Keeton]

I rarely visit the off topic forum, and nearly missed this one!! Great story, and a beautiful marriage. Congrats, Ken.

[Brian Effinger]

Happy Anniversary, and Merry Christmas Ken. :)

Great story. I really enjoyed reading it. And who is that handsome young man in his dress blues? It surly can't be you! :p :D

[Fred Voorhees]

Ken, wonderful story! Thanks for sharing.

[Belinda Barfield]

Belated Happy Anniversary, Ken! The story and you and Sharon always inspires me. You've given me some great advice and I truly appreciate it. I also appreciate the fact that you are not embarassed to say that you are happily married and that you love your wife. Wishing you many, many more years of shared happiness.

[Jim Rimmer]

Great story and congratulations!