MOST IMPORTANT DATE IN HISTORY!

Maybe NOT to you, BUT, As you will see it is to me, at that time.

On February 27th 1960 The Beautiful 16 year old Rialto Girl Marilyn June Drake asked the 18 year old Dennis Paul Gatten to marry her because it was Leap Year! After spending as much time as was possible because of her strict Father, for the last 2 years, D. P. had nothing but good reasons in taking her up on her proposal.

It was a Saturday, a beautiful afternoon in Stater Brother’s parking lot on South Sierra in Fontana. Senator JFK spoke the day before in Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin on the infant agricultural research program and its importance, no doubt aspirations in bloom. I would have to wait another 4 years to vote, as the California voting age was 21 at that time. The”Family Circle” comic strip debuted in newspapers. Later when “Family Circle” magazine complained, cartoonist Bil Keane renamed it “The Family Circus”. I remember it like yesterday.

I do have to come clean now and fess up that the conversation, … was me just saying, “Let’s Get Married” and she said, “When?” In no time we decided on three weeks later and since it was Leap Year, I started telling everyone that she ‘Sadie Hawkins’ me and I still do.

When my Mom came out of the Store we told her and the plans were in high gear! Both our moms were agreeable and would sign for us. Marilyn’s Dad was not going to have it happen, until he gave some thought to it. Tho Kenny was born 3 days shy of our 1st Anniversary.

I was working for my Father up the coast at Vandenberg Air Force Base and came back to Bloomington on the week ends. Talk about a whirl wind … We went to Marilyn’s Pastor Wayne Frase (The Following Saturday) at Rialto Community Baptist Church for arrangements and for him to know that I was not going to hell.

Rehearsal was the next Friday evening after I got home from VAFB AND the next day was the”MOST IMPOTANT DATE IN HISTORY!”

FIFTY YEARS AGO!

I had to spend all my money to rent the little Tri-Plex Studio Apt in Oceano Ca for our ‘Newly Wed Castle’ and all we got for money gifts was $7 and could not afford a night in The Wigwam Motel and Now Convicted that it still needs to be done!

No Money, so no ‘Photo Shoot’ and this Picture was taken off the 8 MM movie and has faded over the years.

Now it is Important History! Tell me what is the “MOST IMPORTANT DATE IN HISTORY!” for you?