# How did your parents meet?



## chic (Oct 22, 2015)

How did your parents meet, and connect?

My dad was a teeenager when World War II broke out. The following year on his birthday, he enlisted in the Navy. When the war ened and after he was discharged, he finished high school and attended college. Then he moved to a new home in a different state right next to the house where my mother lived with her parents. So I guess you could say my dad was the boy next door and the rest was history. Of course they met, fell in love and married.

So how did your parents get together? :love_heart:


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## Ameriscot (Oct 22, 2015)

Mine were next door neighbours.


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## applecruncher (Oct 22, 2015)

I recall a story about my dad seeing my mom at someone’s house and being instantly smitten. (They lived in different towns about 30 miles apart.) I have a great photo of them at a club in 1949 sitting in a booth, smiling ear to ear. My mother had Rita Hayworth type hair*.... to die for. Dad had on white shirt and tie and is drinking Gambrinus beer, which is think is brewed in the Czech Republic.

*they always fought about her getting her hair cut.


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## AZ Jim (Oct 22, 2015)

Funny Chic, until you asked it hadn't occurred that I never knew the answer to your question.  Of course both my parents have been gone for years so I'll never know.


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## RadishRose (Oct 22, 2015)

Mine went to the same high school, then after my mother moved in with her older married sister, they became neighbors.


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## applecruncher (Oct 22, 2015)

Chic, about 25 yrs +/- ago my best friend and her husband had an idea for a great project. Whenever they visited older relatives, they asked them to take some time to tell (on video camera) how they met their spouse.  I watched the video….it was GREAT!   Very sweet to see the look in some of the eyes as they recalled the first meeting and their feelings/thoughts.  Now, all the folks are gone but what a memory.


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## hollydolly (Oct 22, 2015)

Awww AC now that must have been very special to watch..


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## hollydolly (Oct 22, 2015)

AZ Jim said:


> Funny Chic, until you asked it hadn't occurred that I never knew the answer to your question.  Of course both my parents have been gone for years so I'll never know.



That's a shame Jim, is there no-one else still around  who might know?


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## Falcon (Oct 22, 2015)

Same as  AZJim.   I never knew  and will never know. All I can tell you is that they were the best parents a person could have.


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## Cookie (Oct 22, 2015)

It's easy for me to guess, although I don't know for absolute sure, in those days, all the young people in my parents' town knew each other, went to the same church and attended the dances there.


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## NancyNGA (Oct 22, 2015)

My mother took a job in a factory that made airplanes and repaired damaged ones during WWII.  Yes, she was a "Rosie the riveter."  She then became an instructor for new hires.  My father moved from another state to take a job in this factory.  When he hired on she was his assigned instructor. Such a reversal of roles compared to my experience with them, it blows my mind.  Go mom!


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## Pookie (Oct 22, 2015)

Well, Mom worked at a brothel and Dad had lots of money and was lonesome.....

Just kidding!

Mom was a widow, Dad was a widower, and they met on Memorial Day 1949 in Arlington Cemetary while part of a huge group placing flowers on graves. They married in 1950.


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## fureverywhere (Oct 22, 2015)

My parents probably knew each other from childhood. It was a way small town and everyone knew everyone else. They got married just before my Dad shipped out. Something amusing...although my grandparents must have been horrified. While my Dad was still stateside and in basic training my Mom wanted to still be nearby so she went to Fort Hood. They were ready to say that she was a camp floozy in case they got caught. I guess girlfriends and spouses weren't allowed.


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## Davey Jones (Oct 22, 2015)

Have no idea how they met but good things must have happened cause I'm here.


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## Pappy (Oct 22, 2015)

I have no idea. It was a long time ago. Although it didn't last long, there must have been a spark there for awhile.


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## Mrs. Robinson (Oct 22, 2015)

My dad was 17 and a "soda jerk" at a lunch counter or something like that. My mom was 15 and came in for an ice cream soda. He asked her if she wanted it extra sweet. She said "sure",so he stuck his finger in it. So like my dad-he never changed. They actually got married at 16 & 18,had 5 kids over an 18 year span and then divorced after 38 years of marriage. They didn`t stay together for the kid`s sake but I guess my dad and his bi-polar disorder drove my mom crazy once we were all gone....


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## applecruncher (Oct 22, 2015)

> My mom was 15 and came in for an ice cream soda. He asked her if she wanted it extra sweet. She said "sure",so he stuck his finger in it.



Groan


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## Bobw235 (Oct 22, 2015)

I seem to recall that my parents met in Sunday school or at some church event.  Believe they knew each other from the time my future mother was in 8th grade.  They married after my dad came back from Korea.


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## QuickSilver (Oct 22, 2015)

In High School..... Then after the war was over... In a downtown Chicago department store...

by "war" I mean WWII


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## ndynt (Oct 22, 2015)

An arranged marriage.  My grandfather found my father a wife from the Old Country.  My poor dad.  Did not turn out as my grandfather anticipated.


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## mitchezz (Oct 22, 2015)

My parents lived in the same street and Dad had a bit of a crush on Mum but never asked her out. When he left for WW2 he asked Mum to be a pen pal. Four years later he came home and finally asked her out. They were married for 50 years until Dad died.


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## Mrs. Robinson (Oct 22, 2015)

I`m surprised at how many of your parents didn`t meet/marry until after WW2. Mine were married in 1936-had kids in 1937,1939,then took a long break,then 1948,1950 and 1955. They actually got pregnant again in 1960 but lost that baby. They were already grandparents for two years by that time....


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## imp (Oct 22, 2015)

My parents, both of Czech. parentage, met at a gathering devoted to physical fitness, the Czech called it "Sokol Slet". The Sokolova were folks who engaged in strenuous physical activity, not necessarily for  show, but rather the overall benefit to their bodies. My Dad, though short, was always very powerful. He did those Olympic type routines using rings suspended from above, with great ease, I heard as a kid. He was 41 when I was born, the War was in full swing, and he worked long and hard hours then, one year 12 hours a day, 6 days a week. He was a Tool & Die Maker, built the first die set to blank out a Jeep dash panel in a single stroke.

The hunk of formed metal below hung on our garage wall when I was a kid for years,  is made of aluminum almost 1/4 inch thick, formed from flat sheet, and pierced as shown, it's long dimension is about 16 inches, the other way it was sawn off of the entire piece, which was 10 feet long, so picture the piece below extending up and down a distance of ten feet. The "hooks" at the ends engaged similar hooks on an identical piece next to this one. The die set to make this part was so big, my Dad's shop had no press large enough to test the die. It was hauled to the Ford Aircraft Engine Plant on South Cicero Avenue (in Chicago), where he said the building shook  when his die hammered out this part. Skip to the '90s movie "Tucker", starring Jeff Bridges. Plant scenes were  shot in that same Ford Plant, where Tucker had planned to build his cars! That die was likely tested in about 1943-44, Tucker leased the vacant plant in '48, the movie came about '92 or so. Our pilots here might chime in with recognition of what that part exactly was for.

Historically, mountainous piles of these 10 foot metal parts were abandoned and left behind when the War ended. They, and tons of  heavy artillery shell casings, Jeeps, etc.






I am proud of my Dad's contribution to the War Effort, and even prouder, that he stood behind his work with dignity, and explained it all to his only son.   imp


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## hollydolly (Oct 23, 2015)

My parents married in 1955 and met just the year before. Nothing romantic about the way they met..so I won't tell it.. It was the second marriage for him, and first for my mum who was quite a bit younger than him..


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## Susie (Oct 23, 2015)

My parents were both born in a small town in Germany where they met and became sweethearts.
At the end of WW1 Dad emigrated to Calif.
He then borrowed some money and paid for Mother's fare.
She had been the town beauty, but was totally ignored in S.F.
In the long run both became very unhappy in their marriage.
I ran away as often as possible, starting at age 5 (on the bus to Auntie Rose and Onkel Rudolph in the country); at age 8 by myself to loving grandparents in GE.


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## chic (Oct 23, 2015)

applecruncher said:


> Chic, about 25 yrs +/- ago my best friend and her husband had an idea for a great project. Whenever they visited older relatives, they asked them to take some time to tell (on video camera) how they met their spouse. I watched the video….it was GREAT! Very sweet to see the look in some of the eyes as they recalled the first meeting and their feelings/thoughts. Now, all the folks are gone but what a memory.



That's a great idea and a lovely story. I'll bet it did bring back some sweet memories and their video contribution provides an endearing legacy for curious family members in future generations. nthego:


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## chic (Oct 23, 2015)

I'm sorry so many don't know how their folks met. I even know how my grandparents met if anyone wants to hear it?

My Dad's parents were actually dating eachother's siblings when they met. Grammy was dating Gramp's brother, Harry, and Gramps was dating Grammy's beautiful sister, Kate. Gramp's brother Harry had a car. He picked up my Grandma and told her he had to pick up his brother from work, but really didn't want to. She asked him why and he said "because he steals all my girlfriends". She promised him, "Here's one he's not going to steal". But he did.

Harry didn't marry and loved my Gran for many years and my Gramps was awfully jealous because he always suspected something between them. Grammy's sister Kate married one of the wealthiest men in town and lived the swell life after so it worked it out well for her. They lived a long happy life together and provided lots of fun for all of us lowly relatives at their houses and lakeside property and hunting lodge. They had it all and shared it all. Really good people.


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## Ameriscot (Oct 23, 2015)

chic said:


> I'm sorry so many don't know how their folks met. I even know how my grandparents met if anyone wants to hear it?
> 
> My Dad's parents were actually dating eachother's siblings when they met. Grammy was dating Gramp's brother, Harry, and Gramps was dating Grammy's beautiful sister, Kate. Gramp's brother Harry had a car. He picked up my Grandma and told her he had to pick up his brother from work, but really didn't want to. She asked him why and he said "because he steals all my girlfriends". She promised him, "Here's one he's not going to steal". But he did.
> 
> Harry didn't marry and loved my Gran for many years and my Gramps was awfully jealous because he always suspected something between them. Grammy's sister Kate married one of the wealthiest men in town and lived the swell life after so it worked it out well for her. They lived a long happy life together and provided lots of fun for all of us lowly relatives at their houses and lakeside property and hunting lodge. They had it all and shared it all. Really good people.



Nice story!

My grandparents met on a blind double date.  Grandma's baby sister later married grandpa's baby brother.  I was into my teens before I wondered why my grandmother and her sister had the same surname.  Doh!  I never got to meet this grandpa as he died before I was born.


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## Steve (Oct 23, 2015)

I have absolutely NO idea how my parents met.. I know it was in Montreal and it must of been in 1939 or there abouts because they were married in June of 1940.. 
Today (Oct. 23rd) would of been my father's birthday.. He would of been 103, so you see how many years ago I am going back..
There is no-one I can contact to ask any questions.. 
Many (and I mean MANY) of my relatives were executed in the concentration camps during the war..

Perhaps to brighten things up a bit, how I met my second (my Princess) wife would be more romantic...
That could be another thread..................................


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## Ken N Tx (Oct 23, 2015)

AZ Jim said:


> Funny Chic, until you asked it hadn't occurred that I never knew the answer to your question.  Of course both my parents have been gone for years so I'll never know.



...My wife and I lived about 6 houses apart...


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## Ralphy1 (Oct 23, 2015)

Church?  Bookstore?  Seance?  Saloon?  Soirée?  In short, I don't know so can only guess...


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## GeorgiaXplant (Oct 23, 2015)

I really have no earthly idea, but I have an aunt who might know. I usually talk to her at the weekend and am going to ask her. 

At the time they'd have met, my dad lived on one side of the state line and my mom on the other, but the two towns were only separated by a river. My mom's town had a population of about 30,000 and my dad's about 5,000, I think. It might have had something to do with the fact that my paternal grandfather was the fire chief in their town and my maternal grandfather the fire chief in his. They didn't go to the same church or the same school, and my dad was three years older than my mom.

My paternal grandfather was a painting contractor and also owned a paint/wallpaper/picture framing shop on my mom's side of the river. Maybe my maternal grandparents had their house painted? My dad and all my uncles worked for their dad.

Now I'm really curious.


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## fishfulthinking (Oct 23, 2015)

Mine met in high school.  And were each others first loves   Coming up to 58 years of marriage  WOW.


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## Butterfly (Oct 23, 2015)

They met in school, and were married in 1936.


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## Robusta (Oct 23, 2015)

Family reunion ,I'm pretty sure. That's where most of my family has met their intended!


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## applecruncher (Oct 23, 2015)

fishfulthinking said:


> Mine met in high school. And were each others first loves  Coming up to 58 years of marriage WOW.



Yes, WOW indeed.  Congrats!


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## chic (Oct 24, 2015)

fishfulthinking said:


> Mine met in high school. And were each others first loves  Coming up to 58 years of marriage WOW.



That is so beautiful. It's hard for most of us to imagine a love like that. :love_heart:


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## Pookie (Oct 24, 2015)

Davey Jones said:


> Have no idea how they met but good things must have happened cause I'm here.



I believe that! However, they begat my crazy idiot sister. Maybe she was adopted, I hope.


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## Ameriscot (Oct 24, 2015)

Pookie said:


> I believe that! However, they begat my crazy idiot sister. Maybe she was adopted, I hope.



LOL. My siblings and I would taunt each other saying the other was adopted.


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## chic (Oct 24, 2015)

Ameriscot said:


> Nice story!
> 
> My grandparents met on a blind double date. Grandma's baby sister later married grandpa's baby brother. I was into my teens before I wondered why my grandmother and her sister had the same surname. Doh! I never got to meet this grandpa as he died before I was born.



That's interesting. My Paternal *great* grandparents had a double wedding. Great Grammy Val was engaged to marry her fiance Freddie, while Freddie's younger sister, was engaged to marry Grammy Val's brother. So brother and sister married brother and sister at a double ceremony. I never saw pictures of the wedding because it took place around 1900. But I did meet my Great Grammy Val when I was little and even remember sitting on her lap when she was a spry senior senior.

She had the sweetest blue eyes and kindest smile. She'd born 12 children, 9 of whom lived to be adults. What a privilege it was to have meet her, hugged her and been loved by her. She was a sweetie. And so tiny, unlike the rest of my family.


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## Ameriscot (Oct 24, 2015)

chic said:


> That's interesting. My Paternal *great* grandparents had a double wedding. Great Grammy Val was engaged to marry her fiance Freddie, while Freddie's younger sister, was engaged to marry Grammy Val's brother. So brother and sister married brother and sister at a double ceremony. I never saw pictures of the wedding because it took place around 1900. But I did meet my Great Grammy Val when I was little and even remember sitting on her lap when she was a spry senior senior.
> 
> She had the sweetest blue eyes and kindest smile. She'd born 12 children, 9 of whom lived to be adults. What a privilege it was to have meet her, hugged her and been loved by her. She was a sweetie. And so tiny, unlike the rest of my family.



I met my great grandpa, the father of the grandpa who died before I was born. He lived until I was about 8. I remember him as a grouchy old man.  Didn't seem to have much tolerance for little kids.

On my maternal grandma's side - her great grandparents had 14 kids. I think 12 made it to adulthood.


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## GeorgiaXplant (Oct 25, 2015)

I talked to my Best Aunt today and asked how my parents met. She remembered! My paternal grandfather was a painting contractor and owned a store where he also sold paint, painting supplies, wallpaper and made custom frames. He rented out the upstairs to a photographer, and my mother worked for her. My dad would have been in and out of Grandpa's store because he and my uncles all worked for Grandpa. Voila! "Nice 'bumping' into you." 

Funny thing is that I knew my mom worked for the photographer so you'd think it would have occurred to me that they'd have met there. Duh.


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## chic (Oct 26, 2015)

GeorgiaXplant said:


> I talked to my Best Aunt today and asked how my parents met. She remembered! My paternal grandfather was a painting contractor and owned a store where he also sold paint, painting supplies, wallpaper and made custom frames. He rented out the upstairs to a photographer, and my mother worked for her. My dad would have been in and out of Grandpa's store because he and my uncles all worked for Grandpa. Voila! "Nice 'bumping' into you."
> 
> Funny thing is that I knew my mom worked for the photographer so you'd think it would have occurred to me that they'd have met there. Duh.



Nice story. I'm glad someone was around to fill in the blanks for you!


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## Manatee (Oct 26, 2015)

I wasn't there, but I am told they met in a church in New Yawk.  He was from North Carolina and she was from South Carolina.  Maybe that is why sometimes folks say I talk funny.


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## debbie in seattle (Oct 27, 2015)

During WWII, both my parents met while they were stationed in Hawaii while they were in the Navy and were married there.


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## Linda (Oct 27, 2015)

GeorgiaXplant said:


> I really have no earthly idea, but I have an aunt who might know. I usually talk to her at the weekend and am going to ask her.
> 
> At the time they'd have met, my dad lived on one side of the state line and my mom on the other, but the two towns were only separated by a river. My mom's town had a population of about 30,000 and my dad's about 5,000, I think. It might have had something to do with the fact that my paternal grandfather was the fire chief in their town and my maternal grandfather the fire chief in his. They didn't go to the same church or the same school, and my dad was three years older than my mom.
> 
> ...




That River with your parents on either side made me think of a song I really loved when I was young, by Johnny Preston, "Running Bear Loved Little White Dove".  Do you remember that?


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## Sassycakes (Nov 5, 2015)

My Mom and Dad met and married when they were 16yrs old. My Mom was walking passed my Dad and he said "Hi Beautiful." They started talking and 3 months later in 1930 they eloped. They had my brother in 1932 then in 1943 my sister was born and in 1945 I was born. They were married 63 yrs when my Dad passed away. He always said "It was Love at first sight.":love_heart:


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## jujube (Nov 5, 2015)

My mother was the Scarlett O'Hara of Portsmouth, Virginia.  She went dancing seven nights a week (have to keep up the moral of the Navy, what?)  Pop was a handsome young naval corpsman from Indiana whose ship put into the naval yards.  They met.  She asked him if he could jitterbug.  He allowed as how nobody could beat him at it and the rest was history.  He sailed off to fight the Japanese and hang around for a little bit of the occupation.  He returned in March of '46, they were married less than two weeks later and I was born in October of 1947.  The dance continued until 1992 when we lost Pop.


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## chic (Nov 6, 2015)

Sassycakes said:


> My Mom and Dad met and married when they were 16yrs old. My Mom was walking passed my Dad and he said "Hi Beautiful." They started talking and 3 months later in 1930 they eloped. They had my brother in 1932 then in 1943 my sister was born and in 1945 I was born. They were married 63 yrs when my Dad passed away. He always said "It was Love at first sight.":love_heart:



That's beautiful Sassycakes. I love "love at first sight" stories with happy endings. Thanks for sharing.


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## chic (Nov 6, 2015)

jujube said:


> My mother was the Scarlett O'Hara of Portsmouth, Virginia. She went dancing seven nights a week (have to keep up the moral of the Navy, what?) Pop was a handsome young naval corpsman from Indiana whose ship put into the naval yards. They met. She asked him if he could jitterbug. He allowed as how nobody could beat him at it and the rest was history. He sailed off to fight the Japanese and hang around for a little bit of the occupation. He returned in March of '46, they were married less than two weeks later and I was born in October of 1947. The dance continued until 1992 when we lost Pop.



Nice story Jujube. My dad was a naval petty officer and a jitterbugger too.


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