Elaine in Red Blazer

Elaine enjoys wearing her Red Blazer to the Dining Room for meals on Special Days, like Sundays. She always receives many compliments on her appearance when so attired. I even received some comments today on my "good judgment" in choosing Elaine as my wife. The truth being that the fellow who made those comments knows very little of the actual story. Like most parents, Elaine's folks were well aware of several young men in their church whose families owned land and could have provided a good livelihood. They knew very little about me, who in reality had very little to impress concerned parents. Following HS graduation from Garland, I farmed with my parents. WWII ended just weeks before my farm deferment ended and so did the draft. Elaine worked for the County Extension Agent after HS graduation and was in a position to help me obtain a temporary job with the local Soil Conservation Service Office in USDA. My boss encouraged me to take a Civil Service exam to gain eligibility for a full-time job. I was successful at each and received my probationary appointment as a GS-3 Soil Conservation Aid in the Seward Office during the late summer of 1948. Though Elaine and I had known each other since the fall of '48, my Federal Civil Service appointment made me a much more attractive suitor for the beautiful daughter of very pratical parents. They gave their consent to our becoming engaged at Christmas time in 1948 and signed for Elaine's marriage on June 5, 1949. The rest is History.