unfortunately our 40th Anniversary Celebration is now cancelled due to covid-19 health and safety restrictions.

We were both on active duty in the U. S. Air Force. We were introduced to each other by a mutual friend at Luke Air Force Base in Glendale, Arizona. James' best friend from college was staying with him at the time while working in Phoenix. So James decided to invite Linda and their friend to his house for dinner. Linda had no interest in dating him, but that situation rapidly changed as James pursued her with fresh vegetables from his garden and home-made chocolate chip cookies! :D

Putting our life together started out as a real challenge. The military does not care about assigning boyfriends and girlfriends together. Facing imminent reassignment to a remote radar site in Alaska, James decided to propose to Linda in the Spring of 1980. Nothing fancy prepared, no ring, nervous -- James just did not want to leave Linda for a year with no commitment. Linda's analytical mind made him wait while she took his proposal under consideration. :D Our best chance of being assigned to the same base after James' tour in Alaska would be if we were married. After many questions and answers, Linda finally said YES! On May 7, 1980 we went out and got married by a Justice of the Peace in Phoenix, Arizona. In June, James left for Alaska for one year. We saw each other for 10 days in December after arranging to renew our wedding vows at Linda's family church in Bloomfield, New Jersey, and then take off for a honeymoon in the Caribbean. It was an emotional struggle for both as James returned to Alaska, but love and faith carried us through. In June 1981 we were reunited, and flew halfway around the world to Yokota Air Force Base, outside of Tokyo, Japan, to face exciting life challenges and adventures! One of our most memorable adventures was a son, Clayton James, born to us at Yokota in December 1983. The challenges and adventures continued across much of the world . . . including our daughter, Vanessa Lynn, born in Bremerhaven, Germany in January 1986.

We have been blessed with an amazing, loving son and daughter who stand by our side with wonderful spouses that we love as our own children. We are so thankful that the Lord has brought us over, under, and through many obstacles and heartaches. The Coronavirus threw a wrench into everyone's life this year, and required us to change our celebration date from May to September. But our blessings of joy, accomplishment, sharing and caring are boundless! Nothing could make us happier than you, the family and friends we love, to be healthy and safe and able to celebrate 40 years of life together with us!