Letting the entertainment come to us

On September 28, 1963 at Lion Lutheran Church in Clear Lake, Iowa, Him and her got married. She just finished nursing school at Naeve Hospital school of nursing in Albert Lea Minnesota and was a registered nurse. He was employed by the Kahler Corporation in Rochester, Minnesota just recently graduating from Mankato  State College in Mankato, Minnesota. 

 

The wedding was in the days before the computer so all paperwork was done by hand. The best man was Robert Tollefson of New Richland, Minnesota. 

 

The wedding was performed by the Church pastor. He performed the ceremony and those in the wedding signed the marriage form to be filed with the State of Iowa. 

 

The wedding party was outside of the church taking pictures when the excited pastor grabbed Robert, the best man and Robert, the groom as the two Roberts had signed as the wrong Robert- Thus the best man signed as the groom and the groom signed as the best man. The pastor found some white out ink and the form was then signed by the right Robert. (By now you have figured out I was Robert the groom at my own wedding!!) 

 

We had a wedding dance at “The Terp Ballroom” in Austin, Minnesota with Jules Herman as the orchestra. 

 

The wedding trip was touring Northern Wisconsin and Northern Minnesota and then back to half a house we had rented in Rochester, Minnesota. 

 

We decided to apply for the shortest marriage on record with Rippleys. They sent a nice polite letter back stating we had a very interesting story but it wasn't a legal wedding so it didn't qualify. 

 

Once we got settled in, Genie decided to apply for work at the Mayo Clinic. In those days all work applications were done manually so Genie filled out the job application as a registered nurse looking for work. (Genie's first name is Gene spelled just like a boy.) A few days later she got a nice letter in the mail from the Mayo personnel Department thanking her for the application but at this time they were not hiring any male nurses. Genie is a gutsy person, so she took the letter with her back to the personnel department and asked to speak to the person that signed the letter. (This was on a Friday) He looked at the letter- looked at Genie and replied “Oh, my god, can you start Monday?” Thus Genie got her first job as a registered nurse. 

 

September 28, 2025 was our wedding anniversary of 62 years. For about 50 years we have taken a vacation to the Big Horn Mountains above Sheriden, Wyoming staying at Arrowhead Lodge. We would leave Albert Lea early am Labor Day, stay the first night at Wall Drug, Wall, South Dakota, leave early the next morning, arriving at Arrowhead Lodge by 5 pm Their time staying for a week going back to Albert Lea the same way we came. 

Because of my sciatica we decided rather than go to entertainment we would let entertainment come to us this year. 

 

How could we get the entertainment to come to us? The answer was “The chicken therapy cabin” in Albert Lea. (Besides, it was good therapy for our mind and body.) To be continued 10-23-25. 

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Bob is a retired AAL (Aid Association for Lutherans) agent, currently working on his master’s degree in Volunteering. His wife, Genie, is a retired RN, currently working on her doctor’s degree in Volunteering. They have two children, Deb in North Carolina, and Dan in New York. Bob says if you enjoy his column, let him know. If you don’t enjoy it, keep on reading, it can get worse. Words of wisdom: There is always room for God.