Page 60 - Senior Link Magazine Winter 2022 - Online Magazine

Arv af Kærlighed
A LEGACY OF

LOVE Dale and Gurli Hewitt

By Brigette Hewitt and Brenda Hewitt

wins Dale
and Doyle
THewitt were
born in March
1934 to Joel and Gurli Engman was born in July 1937
Ella Hewitt in a to Alfred and Sophia Engman—the
small farmhouse second of three daughters. Bente was
in Whitharral, the oldest and Sonja, the youngest.
Texas. The Hewitts The family lived in Copenhagen,
also had two where Alfred was an electrician, and
daughters, JoNell Sophia worked in the home. After
and Shirley. They high school graduation, Gurli took a
were farmers, and, job in a department store.
like most families
in those days, Dale went back to Morocco after
their children Engman, and her friend were in the his leave, but Dale and Gurli
helped out on the farm, and all four bookstore, and Dale and Nielsen continued to correspond by letter.
graduated from Whitharral High struck up a conversation. Dale returned to Denmark in April
School. After graduation, Dale and 1957 during another holiday leave
Doyle both enlisted in the United The following day, Christmas Eve, and asked for Gurli’s hand in
States Air Force and were stationed Gurli received a Christmas begonia marriage. He stayed for just a short
at Reese Air Force Base. JoNell, delivered to her family’s home. Gurli time and then returned to the states
Doyle, and Shirley went on to lead immediately had to explain who where he completed his service
wonderful lives, but the rest of this the flowers were from. Dale and and was honorably discharged
story is about Dale. his buddy asked if Gurli and her in July 1957. Dale returned to
friend could meet them later. Gurli’s Copenhagen in August 1957, and
He served overseas during the mother, Sophia, told her she couldn’t Dale and Gurli were married in a
Korean Conflict for a short time as they had guests coming that beautiful ceremony on August 20,
in Casablanca, Morocco, as a jet evening. However, she told her that 1957. They remained in Copenhagen
mechanic. In December 1956, Dale she could invite the young men over until November when all of Gurli’s
and his buddy, Everett Nielsen, for coffee on Christmas Day since paperwork was complete for her to
traveled to Copenhagen, Denmark, they were alone in a strange country emigrate to the United States.
for a holiday leave. Nielsen had for Christmas. Gurli’s father, Alfred,
family in Denmark, so they went into enjoyed visiting with the young men Dale and Gurli departed Denmark
a bookstore trying to get directions, and getting to know them. Every day on November 3, 1957, and embarked
so they could visit them. A beautiful while they were on leave, they were on the long journey to Whitharral,
19-year-old Danish girl, Gurli invited to the Engman home. Gurli’s Texas. Although it was hard for
family fell in love with Dale. Gurli’s family to see her travel so far

60 Lubbock Senior Link