Page 57 - Summer 2019 - Lubbock Senior Link Magazine - Online Magazine
P. 57
In 2018, Florence came to live “I was hired to teach English and
with Marita, and I have been Drama at my hometown high school.
privileged to spend many In 1953, Fred Littauer, whom I had
hours getting to know her been dating, asked me to marry him.
and learn from her wisdom. As the drama teacher in high school,
Recently, I sat down to do I wanted my wedding to be like
a formal interview for the none other. The students excitingly
purpose of sharing her story. organized the event as a huge senior
Here it is in her own words: play. One of the students wrote to
Life Magazine and invited them to
“At age 7, I wrote a poem about cover our wedding. Life accepted.
my new baby brother. I took it Two weeks before the wedding, they
to the General Store and asked sent a photographer and reporter to
them to copy it on the duplicating record all that took place before and
machine, so I could send it to during the ceremony. It was like a
Wee Wisdom Magazine. Wee Royal Wedding in Haverhill with
Wisdom chose to print it in their Queen Florence and Fred, her Prince
magazine—making it my first Charming. On May 18, 1953, copies
published work. of Life arrived with a five-page
“My parents owned a small spread titled, “Pupils Help a
grocery store in Haverhill, MA. Teacher Get Married.”
There was an old neglected Happily married with
shed in the backyard. The children, tragedy struck the
neighborhood kids helped me Littauer family with the loss
clean it out, and I started my of two sons from the same
little school. I asked the owners mysterious brain defect within
of the meat market next door if a three-year period. Florence,
I could have some of the white Fred—and daughters Lauren,
paper that they used to wrap age 7 and Marita, age 3—
meat in. I tacked it to the wall felt extreme hopelessness
to use as a black board. Then, and were filled with many
I began to teach the material I unanswered questions, which
had in my head about what my ultimately led them to a
friends ought to know. They personal relationship with
eagerly came each summer Jesus Christ.
morning and filled two old
benches. Their parents were very As a renowned public speaker,
supportive and would even bring Florence has traveled the
lunches and other supplies. world sharing with others
“My aspirations of teaching English encouragement for life’s
“At age 8, my school teachers asked at a glamorous coastal city were about challenges, understanding of
me to assist them to teach reading to come true, as I was accepted to personalities, and building
to some of the children in my class. teach in Bridgewater, Massachusetts. relationships. She has written
In high school, I concentrated on my However, in January 1949, my more than 40 books, including
studies, and my efforts paid off. I last semester of college, Dad died Personality Plus, Silver Boxes,
earned a scholarship to the University suddenly. His death left my mom in a Dare to Dream, and Behind the
of Massachusetts. While there I deep depression. After graduating in Personality—her autobiography.
worked with the head of the Music May, even though it was not what I She was recently walking in an
Department, and he taught me how to had planned for my life, I moved back airport in Dallas and saw her
cast and direct musical comedies. home to help Mom with the store. newly re-released book, How to Get
Along with Difficult People, on the
Lubbock Senior Link 57
