My life with Karen has been a remarkable journey. She was precious wife, wonderful lady and a
Karen and I met in 1963 while er attended Napa College in California. She came from Montana and I from Hawaii. How we met was by accident and a friend of mine said you’ve got to meet Karen. We eventually. As I got to know here, I discovered she had lots of friends and at least two other “boyfriends.” Gradually we became exclusive friends and after a year of friendship I asked her to marry me.
We got married shortly before I joined the Air Force and we were married in Helena, Montana on June 14. I spent a year in Washington state and then got orders for an overseas tour in Spain.
Karen was a very smart lady and a funny event occurred when I got my overseas assigment that I will never forget. We I arrived home after being told I was being sent to Spain, I told Karen I got orders to a country in Europe. Karen said, ‘oh, we’re going to Japan?”
I don’t know if they teach geography in Montana or at the community college level, but her response was such an example of her refreshing innocence and naively.
We spent three wonderful years in Spain. Our oldest daughter was born there. We brought back many wondereful memories.
One memory I will never forget is her willingness to please. We lived off base and didn’t have telephones. One day after a day of work, me and my favorite co-worker came home. We opened the apartment door and lo and behold, there was Karen dressed in nothing but an Apron when she yelled out “surprise!” She didn’t know I was bringing my friend over for dinner. Apparently, Karen had been reading a magazine that described the ways you can surprise your husband when he comes home from work.
We left Spain and was re-assigned to March AFB in Southern California.
Then there was the time we visited Las Vegas. Karen didn’t really care for Las Vegas, she never wanted to take chances with her money, some of it hard-earned. So, on this visit I gave a roll of nickels to go wild and thrown into a slot machine. A roll of nickles was $2.00. She promply went up to a machine and played three nickles at a time. Lo and behold, all of a sudden, the machine paid—— a whooping $150, she didn’t even know how much she won until the nickles starting pouring out of the older three wheel slot machine. I think she only used half of the nickles I gave her. She promply went to the cashier cage with her winnings and traded the nickles for a hundred dollar bill and $50 in smaller bills. She walked over to me smartly handed me two one dollar bills saying thanks for the “loan”. (Being a firm capitalist, I was expecting at least half of the winnings.) She said now she has enough money to buy the washing machine she always wanted!