On August 24, 1936, Norman N. Busk and Evelyn Allegra Anderson got hitched.
My father was twenty; my mother twenty-one. Being what was considered an older woman at the time, she had refused to marry him until he turned twenty because she didn’t want to be considered a “cradle robber.” His birthday was on August 21, and she was due to turn 22 on August 30, and so, for those few days in August, including their wedding day, they were only a year apart in age rather than two.
Of the eighty years between then and now, my folks were together for sixty-eight of them. My mother came from a fairly large, boisterous family; my father from a small dysfunctional one. I have no kind words to spare for either of my paternal grandparents. They were grim and resentful people. For ten years while my father and his two brothers were growing up, they had to pass messages back and forth between their parents because Grandpa and Grandma Busk weren’t speaking to each other at the time. They both knew how to carry a grudge in spades!
I think it’s remarkable that, coming from that background, my father, as an eighteen-year-old, was smart enough to look at my mother and say, “That’s the one for me.”
They were a matched pair. They loved to play practical jokes on one another; they loved to laugh. They believed in working hard and living frugally. They both loved to travel. And when my father’s health situation made a move from South Dakota to Arizona a necessity, they set off on that journey, shoulder to shoulder, leaving everything familiar behind and starting over in Bisbee, Arizona.
My mother never forgave my father for dying first and leaving her behind. As far as she was concerned, they were supposed to go together.
Today, in my memory at least, they’re together again, sitting at opposite ends of the Formica breakfast table in the kitchen on Yuma Trail, with our father “talking loud” if one of us kids got out of line and with my mother dealing out pairs of pieces of toast from the toaster parked on the kitchen stool next to her place.
They were good people. Salt of the earth people. Only six of their seven children remain, but I think I speak for all of us when I say that we were fortunate to have them for as long as we did.
So Happy Anniversary, Norman and Evie.
You done good!
What a beautiful story. You were lucky to have them for as long as you did.
The hardest loss to get over was my Mom. I adored my Father and was a Daddy’s girl, but when I lost my Mom it was the worst day of my life. After 13 years I still reach for the phone to call her.
When you write such a moving story I feel like I was in the same room. Thank you… Jan
Lovely story. Thanks for sharing and I love how you tell it like it is.
Sweet memories of your parents (your grandparents -not so much) .I too have such memories. I do have sweet memories though of both of my grand parents. They were both “supers”-people who took care of apartment buildings in the Bronx NY. We lived in one of those buildings and so I had lots of aunts and uncles around (my mother was the oldest of eight) and I was always part of their every day lives.. They enriched my life, as I am sure your memories of your parents enrich yours. Happy Anniversary to Norman and Evie!! Yes, they did good -they raised a great writer!!Looking forward to more of your special books..Have a great day and a great weekend..One of your many fans..Sincerely, Jean Savino.
Beautiful. You have brought to mind my grandparents to married at 16 and 17 and loved each other so devoutly that it glowed. I picture them sitting at the table holding hands across the corner. She never wanted to sit opposite him because she wanted to be able to touch him.
Gives us all hope ?
Gives us all hope?
Correction of previous
My darn keyboard keeps putting a question mark instead of the intended heart.still say gives us all hope
Thanks for sharing a bit of your family history with us. What a beautiful couple!
It’s easy to see your parents in your stories.
The picture of your parents in this story look just as I picture them in your Ally Renolds series.
Thank you for sharing yet another beautiful piece of your life. You were indeed blessing, and it’s wonderful you have great memories of your mom and dad.
You are so lucky to have a photo of your parents on their wedding day. I love your mother’s hair style. What was the occasion in the colored photo? They look like they enjoyed life.
The color photo was for their 40th anniversary.
Thank you. I clicked on the photo to make it larger. Your dad has a slight smile. Your mom doesn’t.
My mother’s teeth were crooked, and she was embarrassed by her smile.
I know how your mother felt. I had braces on my teeth when I was a senior in high school and kept my mouth shut on my graduation photo. I look like the photo could be on a wanted notice in a post office.
My parents didn’t marry young so only made it to 27 years before Daddy died of a heart attack. Mom lived many, many more years but never stopped loving him. I know they are together now and still as in love as ever.
My husband and I met in Freshman year high school. The first time he saw me he said that was the woman he was going to marry. He did when we were 17. We were together 32 years till he died of cancer at age 50. Still love him forever.
So many love stories out there!