Dad, Virginia Smith and Mom, Boonville, Indiana. October 5, 2006.
(Note: All pictures may be enlarged by clicking on them once or twice.)
One advantage of cold, wet winter days is that I have more time to work at my computer.
I recently came across some pictures that I took back in October, 2006. Betsy and I had driven Mom and Dad up to Mom’s hometown of Winslow, Indiana. On the way we stopped in Boonville, Indiana, to visit their friend, Virginia Smith.
Virginia was Mom’s best friend in school. When they were seniors, Virginia started dating Leonard Smith, who was Dad’s best friend in the CCC. Dad and Leonard were stationed at a CCC camp outside Winslow, working on what would become a state park. Needless to say, it wasn’t long before Virginia and Leonard and Mom and Dad were double dating.
Virginia and Leonard got married shortly after Virginia graduated from high school, but my grandmother made Mom wait until she was twenty before she married. Mom was a good daughter and didn’t get married until three days after she turned twenty.
Mom and Dad and the Smiths remained friends through the years. Leonard died in the mid 1980s, but Mom, Dad and Virginia remained in touch and visited whenever possible.
Virginia died in 2010, and Mom died last year. Now Dad — 99 years young — is the only one left. But it was a blessing back in 2006 for Betsy and me to be there as these three remembered the happy days gone by.
Tags: American Life, Family, Indiana, Travels
Senior Moments 
January 30, 2012 at 4:01 am |
How lucky you have these photos to look back on! Do people think you resemble your Dad? I do.
January 30, 2012 at 4:55 am |
Thanks for sharing this lovely pic and the memories associated with it.
January 30, 2012 at 8:23 am |
Old pictures are such a blessing. The memories they stir are a joy to relive.
January 30, 2012 at 8:54 am |
i love finding old family photos, bring back so many memories. and this photo they look so happy. I see joy
January 30, 2012 at 9:18 am |
Lifelong friends…such a beautiful thing. And think, one day they will all four be together again…laughing it up!
xoxo
January 30, 2012 at 9:50 am |
It’s great to have fond memories and you’ve been lucky to have your parents so long. Hopefully, you’ll have the genes as well.
January 30, 2012 at 9:54 am |
What beautiful smiles! Looks like they were having a fine time. Thank you for starting my day with such a lovely post.
January 30, 2012 at 10:32 am |
It is indeed wonderful to have photos like this to look back on those happy times with family and friends! Such lovely memories! I find myself doing the same thing lately since the death of my children’s Dad. And such lovely memories! Thanks for sharing, George! Hope you have a great day!
Sylvia
January 30, 2012 at 11:40 am |
How wonderful that you have this photo to go along with the story, and what a story it is!!! Everyone looks so happy here, especially your mom, but being being with your husband and your best friend will do that!
January 30, 2012 at 12:24 pm |
Lifelong friends are the best!
January 30, 2012 at 2:58 pm |
What a lovely photo. It is wonderful and a blessing that they remained friends for all those years.
January 30, 2012 at 7:06 pm |
I really appreciate posts like this. Your dad is amazing, still here at 99 years young.
January 30, 2012 at 9:53 pm |
Oh George your dad is amazing. I can see your face in both your mom and dad. Who attends to him in this old age?
January 30, 2012 at 11:08 pm |
What a blessing for you to have this picture of a time that was special for your parents as evidenced by the look on their faces and that of Virginia as well. They all look so happy to be together.
Hope your Dad is doing well.
January 31, 2012 at 2:29 am |
George!
You have the looks of your Dad and the smile of your mother.
Incredible how the “gene” pool works.
A beautiful tribute to your parents.
Betsy, sure is, a lucky lady to have you.
Hope you have a great time again in Biltmore.
Colin (HB)
January 31, 2012 at 4:42 pm |
Treasured memories, George. A wonderful happy picture. Colin said it right. MB
January 31, 2012 at 7:35 pm |
What a wonderful story. I hope your father is doing well. I’m sure it is hard for him to have lost your mom. As it is for you as well.
February 1, 2012 at 3:14 pm |
A very nice blessing indeed. Too bad you guys don’t get up this way more often. Boonville isn’t that far from where I am.
February 3, 2012 at 1:27 am |
Great memories. I love this kind of posts.
February 7, 2012 at 8:48 pm |
I bet they had a ball….what wonderful memories our photos contain.