Long, Long Ago & Still Going

Contributed by Dee Myers

Sixty-six and a half years ago in September of 1953 two 17-year-old newbies at the University of Michigan met each other at a blind date at a coffee shop with the two friends who had brought them together.   Spence Myers soon called me for a date, but I had other dates on my calendar, so it didn’t happen, but he persevered, and l late October took me to the romantic movie “From Here to Eternity.  We soon began to be an Item.

I lived up the hill where 4 women’s dorms were located; I was delighted when Spence walked up the hill from the campus whistling. Students couldn’t have cars back then so we walked everywhere for 5 years to football, basketball, to movies, frat parties, the beautiful arboretum.  When we turned 21, we walked to the Pretzel Bar, a restaurant and bar, where the birthday kid got free beer and a little bell-shaped paper necklace that our many friends autographed.  

 We got engaged in late 1957, the year I graduated.  I began a teaching job in Birmingham, Michigan not far from Ann Arbor. I came back on weekends to be with my fiancé.  We were married on June 28, 1958  at St. Andrews Cathedral in Ann Arbor. I did not want to be married in my home town, Saginaw, Michigan. All the plans were made and paid for by me.  My parents had nothing to do with the wedding except bringing my beloved Nana.  Also, six little girls convinced one of their moms to drive them from Birmingham to Ann Arbor to see their teacher as a bride.

 Spence had two more years of Med School.  I had a new job in Ypsilanti.  We settled down in a small, furnished apartment on a farm and loved the sweet elderly landlords.  The farmer had three other tenants; he was retired but kept a little garden.  He asked all  six of us what vegetable we liked best and always told us when they were ripe.  We picked corn, green bean, tomatoes and best of all strawberries

Spence graduated Med School in 1960 and was headed to a internship in Grand Rapids.  I got a job teaching. Then, the government drafted many members of his class.  I resigned in September 1961 after a delightful year at a new school. We went to Pensacola Naval Station in January 1962 where Spence was trained as a flight doctor for six months and had the great pleasure ending up in California at the naval air station in Mountain View. What a relief after living in Florida. After paying back to the Navy until 1964 Spence started a residency in ophthalmology and we moved to Mill Valley in Marin County. 

After 3 years, we moved to Salinas, a town that needed more eye doctors. We joined the Church of the Good Shepherd when we wanted to baptize our two children.  What a great step that was to become a part of this friendly, generous congregation. Spence and I held many opportunities to find new friends, volunteered for various jobs and are so blessed to have such a support system.

This is where we belong.  We love you all.  Spence & Dee