Page 60 - Senior Link Magazine Winter 2021- Online Magazine

for Gwen’s father at Daffern Steel,
while finishing Wayland in 1973
with degrees in Sociology and
Psychology. He worked almost
a year for Child Welfare, then he
and Gwen became dorm parents
at Cal Farley’s Boys’ Ranch for two
years. It was a difficult job, but
they have very fond memories of
it. They were givers.

After that chapter, they moved
back to Plainview where Gwen
taught first and second grade
at College Hill Elementary, and
Fred worked at Daffern Steel for
another 35 years. They raised a
daughter, Kathi, and a son, Chris,
Gwen’s classmate got the offer, “conned her dad” into letting them who have blessed them with three
while Gwen did not, until it was get married July 26, 1969. After granddaughters and a grandson.
too late. She had already signed a eight months in D.C., Fred was During those years, they became
contract to teach at Hurst, Fred’s shipped to Germany, where he active in First Baptist Church,
hometown. He completed his was part of the Pershing Missile where Gwen’s folks attended.
requisite two years at Wayland Program. Gwen joined him there Gwen has taught various Sunday
and moved home. She lived for two months the following School classes, from all ages of
in North Richland Hills, and summer. His enlistment was up children to the 80+ ladies’ class.
Fred worked in Ft. Worth until in November 1970, after which he Fred again instructed boys from
the Army got hold of him in was discharged as a Specialist E5. 4th – 6th grade and even some
November 1968. On Halloween, high schoolers. The couple is
before leaving for Fort Bliss, The couple made their home in devoted.
El Paso, Fred gave Gwen a gift Plainview, where Fred worked
in a box with a black
cat sticker. It was an
engagement ring, which
she accepted because, by
that time, she knew that
she loved him. “He was
good-looking, quiet, and
definitely not pushy.”

However, there was
no going forward with
marriage until his Army
stint was completed.
Many more letters were
exchanged as Fred
finished almost a year
at Ft. Belvoir near D.C.
When it became obvious
that Fred wouldn’t be
going to Vietnam, they

60 Lubbock Senior Link