Page 56 - Senior Link Magazine Winter 2019- Online Magazine

Bob Norma Price

Everything They Needed

by Kristi Townsen

ixty-eight years ago, a cute paycheck to rent a
fifteen-year-old girl, living on place to live. So, for
Sa farm in Chillicothe, Texas, the first five days of
with her parents and six siblings, their marriage, Bob
caught the eye of one of her older and Norma stayed
brother’s friends. Bobby Lee Price with a brother and
didn’t have a car, so when he asked sister-in-law. The
Norma Fowler to go on a date, they rent on their new
went on a double date with Norma’s home was $50 a
brother to the drive-in movie. month. Bob was
Sparks flew, and a short five months making 90 cents an
later, a very nervous Bob went to hour, so the landlord
Norma’s dad to ask for her hand in kindly allowed them
marriage. He was surprised when to pay rent in two
his answer was, “Yes, but you’ll have installments per
to do it soon because the family is month. Norma said
moving to California, and Norma they didn’t have a
will have to go with us unless she’s lot of money, but
married.” So, amidst a terrible dirt they always had
storm on May 6, 1951, that sixteen- everything they kids. They also loved to take their
year-old girl and nineteen-year-old needed. family camping. Bob added a bed
boy said, “I do,” at her family’s to the back end of a Cavalier van so
farm. Norma’s mother baked them Just like Norma, Bob had been they could stop and sleep wherever
a wedding cake, and her sister raised with six siblings but had they wanted to. They especially
gathered wildflowers for a bouquet. been on his own since he was loved scouting out waterfalls.
Norma remembers the dirt blowing twelve years old. He was happy Norma also enjoyed quilting, so
so hard on that special day that the to have a home and family of his Bob built her a quilting frame she
preacher got lost on his way to the own. The couple had two children: could lower from the ceiling. While
farm because he couldn’t see the Bobby, born in 1953, and Karen, in she was quilting, the kids would sit
road. 1954. Norma sold Avon when the underneath the frame and watch the
kids were small so that she could
The couple started their married stay at home with them. One of family’s black and white television.
life with fourteen dollars between the couple’s favorite activities was In 1976, Bob and Norma purchased
them. Bob had a new job working getting together with friends to play eight acres of land near Shallowater,
as a mechanic at Hobbs Trailers and music. Bob played the guitar, and Texas. They made a $500 down
had to wait until receiving his first Norma said she played with the

56 Lubbock Senior Link