Friday, June 8, 2018

What Might Have Been


Tomorrow would have been Dean and my 50th wedding anniversary.  Ten years ago, I would never have dreamed we would not be celebrating this anniversary together. We come from a line of long-lived family members with Dean’s folks celebrating more than 60 years together and my parents, 55 years. So the odds of celebrating our 50th wedding anniversary were good.

But our celebration  was not to be. I am grateful that my day will be filled with new beginnings for some of my friends. My friend, Trina, is having an estate sale to help speed her on to a new solo adventure. My “adopted” grandson, Devin, is having a graduation party to herald the start of an exciting journey of higher education in his life.

As for me, I have decided to celebrate the 46 years Dean and I had together with some pictures and thoughts.
   
June 9, 1968 brought a continuing life, now together, out West. I had left NE Missouri to teach music on an Indian reservation at Ft. Washakie, WY and Dean was working in the Sinclair oil fields at Bairoil, WY.  

Dean decided to go to college and after graduating at a new junior college in Riverton, WY, we moved to Laramie where he completed an industrial arts degree. By that time baby Jeffrey had joined us and I became a full time mom.

Dean got a teaching job in Rawlins, WY so we moved there and baby Brian joined the family there.  
Jeff and Brian, ages 7 & 4

We spent eleven years in Rawlins, went back to Laramie for seven years and then traveled further west to Nevada in 1990. I seem to be rooted pretty deeply here now.

Through all those years, Dean learned to be a Godly husband, father, and all-round man of integrity. He embraced the Gideon ministry back in the years of teaching school (although he spent most of his working years working in coal and gold mines).     
 Gideon presentation
He was a coffee lover

He liked frogs, especially to
share with his friend, Charlie.
He was a willing worker in what-ever church we were members and a mentor to more men than I will ever know. His kindness and generosity still remain goals for my life.

He loved cars--this was his last.
  
Anniversary #46
June 9, 2014









So happy anniversary, My Sweet Babboo, even though we didn’t make it to #50 together .

3 comments:

  1. Dear Sweet Pat ~ So wonderfully conveyed and well-written. The love that you shared with Dean was so very beautiful and inspirational to all those who have had the privilege of knowing you both. Thank you so much for sharing your heart with all of us, as well as a piece of the amazing & precious love that you & Dean had. You are loved, my beautiful friend & we rejoice with you in the knowledge that you will see him again. <3 <3 <3

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  2. Happy Anniversary Pat. You were blessed to call a good man "husband". We carry our beloveds in our hearts, so celebrate dear one.

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  3. Wow, thanks so much for sharing. You are a wonderful person and a great friend. I wish I would of known Dean. Love the pictures.

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