Page 82 - Senior Link Magazine Spring 2018 - Online Magazine

HONORING SENIORS

Many years ago, I heard a love story that was so unique and beautiful, I knew it needed to be written down. I
approached Senior Link’s owner about featuring a love story in our Spring issue, knowing exactly which one I
wanted to tell. Hopefully, this will be the first of many Lubbock love stories you’ll read about in future issues.
Perhaps you know of one that needs to be told.
~ Jane Bromley

Love

Cumulative by Jane Bromley

Joel and Betsy Tardy

“Every love story is beautiful, but insurance to quit his job and stay Betsy was able to come, Angie’s end
ours is my favorite.” The famous at home with his young sons. He was near. After only one day, Betsy
quote could refer to any number remembers how difficult it was to phoned Joel at work, and he rushed
of romances, but the story of care for them. Meals and laundry home. With Joel holding one hand
one Lubbock couple stands out were overwhelming, not to mention and Betsy the other, Angie Collins
because of unique circumstances the burden of training his boys by Tardy took her last breath.
and extraordinary unselfishness. himself. He had help from his family
In fact, it’s two stories in one - no, and friends, and he wouldn’t have After the funeral, Betsy moved to
three. Really, this is a compilation of done it any other way. However, he California, where she was on the staff
multiple love stories. remembers how challenging and of Campus Crusade. Joel, an aspiring
exhausting that season was. artist, bought a small used camper
It began many years ago at Texas and carried his three boys to various
Tech and, specifically, at the 9:30 Backtracking a little, during trade shows doing caricatures.
am college service at First Baptist Angie’s illness, one of her best He was homeschooling, creating
Church. Joel Tardy fell in love with college girlfriends maintained close memories, and trying to fill the role
Angie Collins, a lovely young lady contact. She was a nurse, living in of both father and mother.
from Dallas. They married, had three Albuquerque at the time, but she
little boys, and eventually settled spoke with Angie often on the phone. For a year, Joel and the boys tried to
down in Lubbock. Tragically, the Her name was Betsy Beakley. As establish a new “normal” without
young mother developed terminal Angie’s illness grew worse, Betsy Angie. Joel made up so many
cancer and passed away at the made plans to come and stay with bedtime stories about a bear named
age of 31. The boys were two, four her. Joel was working at Culligan, so Blink, that he recently put them into
and seven. The grieving husband he had to rely on others to stay with a book, so his grandchildren could
and father used some of the life Angie during the day. By the time enjoy them. In the afterward of that

82 Lubbock Senior Link