"How Dean and Verdel Met"

Jewels, I can't rightly remember when Verdell and I met. In 1940 or 1941 my younger sister was wanting to date and could as long as I was along. She had met Verdells cousin that lived in the town (Pelican Rapids, MN) Verdell went to high school in, while roller skating at a rink half way between Verdell and I. Verdell had spent the winters worst weather at her Aunts house until she got old enough to drive to high school. Then she drove and hauled 4 or 5 of her friends in. At any rate Verdell was a pretty sharp looker and really had a nice personality. The kids introduced us at the next roller party, We did hit it off pretty well so decided to go to Detroit Lakes for the Sunday afternoon Roller Fest. All three mothers were at the first meeting and got well aquainted. Eldreds mom and mine said if they could ride along they'd put up a picnic lunch for us and we could sit on the shore of the lake soooo. During the afternoon we found they also skated again at 7 PM. I drove a model a ford tudor and six of us + a lot of food and a couple picnic jugs got there. My headlights had been acting up on rough roads so after we left Eldred and Aunt Addie off in Pelican my lights would keep going out on the washboardy gravel road to Verdells house.The bail on the ball at the lower end of the steering column was too loose to keep contact. Finally Mom convinced me I should park until daylight. When we got Verdell home her dad was on the way to the barn with half a dozen milk pails. Her mom convinced us we should have breakfast with them. I said if they had a pair of overalls for me so I could help with the chores so we all got pretty well aqainted. Verdells sister never let her forget our first date and me bringing her home at 5AM. At any rate when I left for Fort Snelling I told her I'd look her up if I made it through WWII, and she said I'd better,I was the nicest guy she'd ever met, I assured her she was on a pedestal in my book. She wrote to me every day I was away for over 3 years. I did get to visit her a couple of times. Eldred and Vera married in 1942 and Verdell and I about 2 weeks after I got my discharge in 1945. She had Alzheimers about 16 years and we were together for 55 1/2 years. Linsky lives about 7 blocks from me and Donald about 10 minutes away. We all miss Verdell very much after nearly 4 years.

Dean