From Barbara Beese/Gma Beese/GGma Beese/Mom - :)
Hi Jon: I wrote this recently in honor of our upcoming 63rd Wedding Anniversary on September 13,2010....I decided I should publish it for the family. Since we don't do facebook or such fancy things, I will depend on your site to get it out. Thanks, Love you all, Gramma "BZ"
A TRIBUTE
Why I married and Love Earl, my husband of 63 years:
1. On our first date, when I was 15 and Earl was 17, God told me he was to be my partner for life.
2. He was funny and smart and good looking, and we had fun together....He took me dancing!
3. He continued to date me even though some of the girls in his "gang" didn't like me. Instead
he included me with his close friends and their girls!
4. He was brave and of good courage about going to War (WWII), and he asked me to write to
him.
5. He did not "tie me down" to going steady, but said I should enjoy my senior year in
highschool and date other guys: but to please write to him and be there when he came
home again! I was very happy to do this!!
6. Fast forward three (3) years! He survived the War!! At 18 years of age he was in the "Battle
of The Buldge" in Europe and the Germans were shooting at him. In August of 1947, after
he was home again, he proposed to me and we decided to get married soon. He turned 21
on August 17, 1947 and we were married on September 13, 1947. I was 18 1/2 years old
and I never doubted he would take care of me and any children we had together.
7. We always had what we needed, although times were sometimes tough for us financially.
However, we never got in debt "over our heads". We bought things "on-time" from Sears
and we always paid our bills.
8. Important qualities Earl has are: Honesty (he never lies or trys to cheat anyone.) He has
always let me manage our money, budget and the regular bills...but he takes care of our
taxes, understands our insurance needs, and is generous at all times with travel we can
afford - especially to visit our families/grandchildren/great-grandchildren!!
9. He has been a good father, a fair but strict disciplinarian. :-)) But everybody turned out OK.
I think, and certainly we hope our children know he loves them. He always did a lot with
them when they were growing up. They learned to use their hands as well as their minds.
10. Earl was tolerant of my Christian Science religious beliefs, allowing me to use prayer for
healing myself and the children. He did not insist that they have "shots" and other medical
treatment when they were babies.....but they were always well taken care of and healed
quickly through prayer. He asked questions, and became interested in Christian Science
himself. The kids answered his questions!! In 1957 when we moved up to Petite Lake,
Antioch, IL, he began attending church with me regularly. He joined the Christian Science
Church in Antioch in 1961 and became an active member for the next 43 years, serving on
the Board of Directors, Building Committee, First Reader (3 yrs) , Sunday School teacher,
and was the best Clerk the church ever had for 12 years! He completely handled the sale
and closing of the Antioch church in 2004, and was commended by people in Boston, MA
at The Mother Church for how well he organized all records and details. There were only
six members left at the time we closed, and he handled almost all the work.
11. At this point I need to mention that Earl injured his right eye in the Fall of 1960, and lost the
sight in it. He never complained or felt sorry for himself, but just went on with his life and
ours. He continued to take responsibility for taking care of his family, and soon began to
enlarge his thought about what he could do to "improve" himself. He learned the Insurance
business for a short time, and discovered he was a good student in the classes he took.
When our two oldest children, Leslie and Bob. went off to college in 1966 and 1967, he
decided to go to College himself to become a teacher. He earned a Bachelor's degree in
Education from Colorado State University in 1972, and a Masters Degree from the Univer-
sity of Illinois in 1981. All during this time he supported our family and we had a good life.
I did not go out to work outside the home/family until Jenny, our youngest child was five
years old and going to kindergarten. Earl then taught school for 22 years: Highschool,
Jr. High, and 9 years of Adult Evening School. As long as it was necessary he did side
jobs in the Construction business to fill-out our income needs. He continued to be a good
father, a good husband, and a good man!! He has also been a good soldier, a good
citizen, and a volunteer in our Community in Boy Scouting, History and Museum work,
Church activity, and subdivision and neighborhood efforts.
12. Earl has a very strong sense of integrity and of what is right and wrong. This sometimes
makes him seem critical or judgemental, but he is usually right and almost always fair. As
his partner in life I have tried to be the "softer side" of the equation. Mostly he has been
flexible and would bend in my direction, without necessarily agreeing with me. While we
"argue" and discuss things (we have been told), we have always respected each other and
there has NEVER been any violence between us.
13. Earl has been a fantastic lover!! The best ever!! :-))
14. When Earl was ill and in the hospital 5 times in 2003, I was his nurse, and he did not
complain although he was often "hurting". He was patient and always said "death is not
an option". He improved , had good healing through prayer, (and some medical
procedures which are questionable as to their results!!) Once again, he has not been
a complainer and has continued on with an active life to the best of his ability. I admire
him for that.
15. Lastly, I will say that Earl and I enjoy a lot of activities TOGETHER. I think that is key to
a successful marriage. I have always been able to depend on him to be strong for me,
and I am proud to be his "schatzi" (sweetheart) and share my life with him. To his
family and to anyone else who reads this, I would say he has been a "man for all
seasons" !!.
Barbara Claire (Thiele) Beese
P.S. I have not mentioned Earl's many talents and abilities in woodworking, carving,
geneaology work, house-building, gardening and flower cultivation, plus many
others....but that is not the reason I married him.....I DISCOVERED all those
things afterwards!! What a wonderful surprise and interesting journey we have
had together thus far!!
We wish you all as joyous a life as we have had....thanks be to God!!
Jon_News on 09.10.10 @ 10:13 AM EST
. Eveything is going well here in MN. Wedding planning is coming right along, school is good I have ditched spanish as my choice for second language and decided that i am doing sign language! I am teaching it to Hunter so i thought why not teach myself as well! Ryan is doing good work for him is busy since we have nice weather!! We had a great trip to England in March lots of fun and relaxed! Ryans parents are going to be at there campsite all summer and its only 4 1/2 hrs away so it will be nice to visit! Just got back from visting Grandma and Grandpa, they had a blast playing with the little guy! Grandma is looking good getting stronger everyday and she cant wait to see everyone who is coming in June! FYI Hunter and I will be in NC from around Aug 2nd to Aug 13thish??? My friend Jen is throwing me a bridal/wedding shower party Aug 6th and it is a family fun day!!! We may even get a bouncy castle!! Well enjoy the few pics and Love you all!!
