Veterans Day 2015: Mom was a Marine, and so was Dad
In 1943, my Mom, at the age of 21, was living in Seattle and decided to serve her country by being one of the first to join the newly formed Marine Corps Women’s Reserve.
She was assigned to Camp Lejeune, N.C., where she drove a postal delivery truck … and, on occasion, was given rides in dive bombers when the young pilots were practicing their maneuvers.
My Dad was also stationed at Camp Lejeune as the chaplain’s assistant. One Sunday, Mom heard Dad playing his violin in church and thought he seemed pretty nice. The feeling was mutual; however Dad had to ask her for a date 29 days in a row before she finally agreed to go out with him.
Four months later, in April 1945, they were married in the chapel on the base, and thus began a love affair for the ages. They were married for 49 years when Dad passed in 1994. Mom recently joined him in heaven on Oct. 21, 2015.
Larry Stoner lives in Birch Bay.
This story was originally published November 10, 2015 at 9:00 AM with the headline "Veterans Day 2015: Mom was a Marine, and so was Dad."