Dalton once shared this story with the extended family via email.
Once up on a time long ago and far away on the plains of the panhandle of West Texas there was a community
of farmers and ranchers named Progress. In the midst of this community was a school house that was also used
for a church, and other meetings and working families would gather Sundays and often three or four families
would go to one house for dinner (lunch) and an afternoon of visiting, laughter and games for the kids.
Among our group were the Smiths, Hogans, Wilhites, Murrahs, Swansons and sometimes others. The kids also found plenty to do. In the Smith family there was a 9 year old girl, Audeen, and in the Murrah bunch a 9 year old boy, Dalton. They played games with the other kids and often found it pleasing to be together, especially at parties. As the years passed they began to seek each others company more often.
Now let me side track to say that the school was an active learning center. The school desks were double. That is two people at one desk. Well as time passed Dalton left the company of his boy friends and asked Audeen, "May I sit with you?" Our first actual date was the summer we were 16. The Murrahs had no car but a kind of long low school bus and that was our courting vehicle, usually there were several other couples riding along.
One Saturday night in 1935 after a movie, Dalton asked Audeen "Would you spend the rest of your life with me?" She said "YES, YES, YES!"
Times were hard and dollars were scarce but some way Dalton managed to save $13.00 to buy a little band of gold. On the 24th of August 1935 we were married in the Smith house (shack) we held true to tradition. The groom was not to see the bride before the ceremony started. She also was to walk length wise with the floor (cross walk - bad luck). Audeen wore blue for "married in blue, you will always be true". As I put the band of gold on her finger I said "With this ring I do the wed", and she kissed me.
FAST FORWARD August 24, 2008
73 years later the band of gold still shines as bright for two hearts that still beat as one. The only time it has been off her finger was after working with gloves on. We were unable to find that precious band of gold until one day several months later Doug used the glove and came out with a second ring on his left ring finger.
Praise be to our Lord for LOVE!
Dalton
Audeen passed away 12 weeks after Dalton wrote this.
Among our group were the Smiths, Hogans, Wilhites, Murrahs, Swansons and sometimes others. The kids also found plenty to do. In the Smith family there was a 9 year old girl, Audeen, and in the Murrah bunch a 9 year old boy, Dalton. They played games with the other kids and often found it pleasing to be together, especially at parties. As the years passed they began to seek each others company more often.
Now let me side track to say that the school was an active learning center. The school desks were double. That is two people at one desk. Well as time passed Dalton left the company of his boy friends and asked Audeen, "May I sit with you?" Our first actual date was the summer we were 16. The Murrahs had no car but a kind of long low school bus and that was our courting vehicle, usually there were several other couples riding along.
One Saturday night in 1935 after a movie, Dalton asked Audeen "Would you spend the rest of your life with me?" She said "YES, YES, YES!"
Times were hard and dollars were scarce but some way Dalton managed to save $13.00 to buy a little band of gold. On the 24th of August 1935 we were married in the Smith house (shack) we held true to tradition. The groom was not to see the bride before the ceremony started. She also was to walk length wise with the floor (cross walk - bad luck). Audeen wore blue for "married in blue, you will always be true". As I put the band of gold on her finger I said "With this ring I do the wed", and she kissed me.
FAST FORWARD August 24, 2008
73 years later the band of gold still shines as bright for two hearts that still beat as one. The only time it has been off her finger was after working with gloves on. We were unable to find that precious band of gold until one day several months later Doug used the glove and came out with a second ring on his left ring finger.
Praise be to our Lord for LOVE!
Dalton
Audeen passed away 12 weeks after Dalton wrote this.