A Friendship From the late 1940s to 2011 (and beyond!)

My parents met on a "sort of blind date in the late 1940s at UCLA. My dad's best friend was Jerry Smith. Jerry and my dad were lifelong friends and met at UCLA.

The "sort of blind date" went like this:

There were 2 girls and 3 guys. My mom had to choose between my dad and Jerry. The reason my mom told me she chose my dad was:

1) My dad was wearing shoes
2) My dad was short but taller than her.
3) My dad was Jewish.

My parents were married a few years later, in 1950.

Anyway, Jerry ended up marrying Phyllis. Jerry and Phyllis had 2 daughters: Evony and Karen. Evony had Kelsey.

The story would end here, but it doesn't.

When we were kids, our two families got together many times. I played with both Evony and Karen.

Then, many years passed. In the 1980s, Jerry worked for my dad and Karen visited my parents in Illinois.

Evony and her husband Jim, moved to Colorado Springs in the mid 1990s. My parents sent a copy of a letter Karen wrote to them to Jo Ann telling about Evony and Jim being in the Springs and of "baby Kelsey." Jo Ann decided to contact Evony by mail.

Evony called me and we set up a time to meet. I was in the middle of hiring coaches for the ice rink at the Chapel Hills mall shortly after that. Evony mentioned her husband Jim played hockey. Jo Ann hired Jim to coach hockey at the rink.

Eventually, Jim started teaching learn to play hockey classes at the mall rink and Kelsey learned to skate. In fact, Jo Ann, was Kelsey's first private lesson skating teacher.

My children and Kelsey became good friends and played and skated together when they were little. We've been in touch ever since.

Who would have thought that a friendship and blind date in the 1940s would result in a continuing relationsihip in 2011!?

These photos are of me and my kids and of Kelsey and Phyllis and Evony and Karen. They were taken when Phyllis and Karen were in Colorado visiting Kelsey, Evony, and Jim during Spring Break 2011.

Sadly, Jerry and my mom are no longer with us, but the memories of the good times and how we are connected remain. I wish my dad could have been with us in Colorado to be together with Jerry's family, but he is in Chicago right now. (Daddy...we all were thinking of you today!)