The year was 1936. The country was still in the throes of the Great Depression. My father, then single and 26, was lucky to have a job. He worked as a teller for the Valley National Bank in Phoenix. My mother, then 24 and single, had secured a job in Phoenix as a government social worker, helping people to get educated and find jobs.
She had moved to Phoenix from Bisbee to take that job, and was looking for a place to live. As fate would have it, she chose a small rental house owned by my father's parents. That house was situated behind that of my future grandparents. At that time, both my father and his brother lived in that home, neither being able to afford places of their own in the Depression.
Well, my mom was a looker, and both my dad and his brother had eyes for her, but were a little reluctant to compete against each other to ask her out.
Their mother solved the problem. She secured a couple of tickets to a local event, and then walked over to the rental house. Knocking on the door, she said she had these two tickets, and neither she nor her husband could go. She asked my mother if she would like to go, and she could have her choice of either of her sons to escort her.
My dad had black hair; my future uncle had red hair. Mom, of course, had seen both of them. She replied "Oh, the black-haired one." She didn't even know his name. That was soon remedied.
To make a long story short, on October 10, 1936, my future mom and dad were married, and set up housekeeping in that little rental house that my grandfather had built himself. In later years, during WWII, I also lived in that house with them.
Here's a picture of the young bride and groom, then just 24 and 26:
Now since this is a gun forum, I thought I'd drag out some representative 1936 firearms from my collection so that you can see what was going on then as far as gun manufacturing was concerned. These are tangible remnants of that year in history.
First a Model 64 Winchester. It was serial numbered on November 4, 1936. It still remains in excellent original condition.
And here is a Model 69 Winchester. This was the predecessor to the improved Model 69A, and was only made for 3 years, in '35, '36 and '37. This is a 1936 gun, and is also in excellent original condition.
On the other side of the Atlantic, Germany was under the spell of Adolph Hitler, a charismatic but despotic, narcissistic and maniacal tyrant the world would soon grow to despise. Germany, under his leadership, was secretly re-arming in spite of the Treaty of Versailles, which they had signed as a vanquished nation following World War I. This Luger and its accompanying holster were both crafted in 1936.
My mother and father remained happily married for 51 years, until my dad passed on to his reward in 1987. My mom lived on, and at age 95 in 2008, she finally rejoined the man she had missed so much for 21 years. So in their honor, I lift my glass to their memory, and to that day in 1936 when they began their journey through life together. I am very proud of them both and continue to miss them, particularly on this special day.
John
She had moved to Phoenix from Bisbee to take that job, and was looking for a place to live. As fate would have it, she chose a small rental house owned by my father's parents. That house was situated behind that of my future grandparents. At that time, both my father and his brother lived in that home, neither being able to afford places of their own in the Depression.
Well, my mom was a looker, and both my dad and his brother had eyes for her, but were a little reluctant to compete against each other to ask her out.
Their mother solved the problem. She secured a couple of tickets to a local event, and then walked over to the rental house. Knocking on the door, she said she had these two tickets, and neither she nor her husband could go. She asked my mother if she would like to go, and she could have her choice of either of her sons to escort her.
My dad had black hair; my future uncle had red hair. Mom, of course, had seen both of them. She replied "Oh, the black-haired one." She didn't even know his name. That was soon remedied.
To make a long story short, on October 10, 1936, my future mom and dad were married, and set up housekeeping in that little rental house that my grandfather had built himself. In later years, during WWII, I also lived in that house with them.
Here's a picture of the young bride and groom, then just 24 and 26:
Now since this is a gun forum, I thought I'd drag out some representative 1936 firearms from my collection so that you can see what was going on then as far as gun manufacturing was concerned. These are tangible remnants of that year in history.
First a Model 64 Winchester. It was serial numbered on November 4, 1936. It still remains in excellent original condition.
And here is a Model 69 Winchester. This was the predecessor to the improved Model 69A, and was only made for 3 years, in '35, '36 and '37. This is a 1936 gun, and is also in excellent original condition.
On the other side of the Atlantic, Germany was under the spell of Adolph Hitler, a charismatic but despotic, narcissistic and maniacal tyrant the world would soon grow to despise. Germany, under his leadership, was secretly re-arming in spite of the Treaty of Versailles, which they had signed as a vanquished nation following World War I. This Luger and its accompanying holster were both crafted in 1936.
My mother and father remained happily married for 51 years, until my dad passed on to his reward in 1987. My mom lived on, and at age 95 in 2008, she finally rejoined the man she had missed so much for 21 years. So in their honor, I lift my glass to their memory, and to that day in 1936 when they began their journey through life together. I am very proud of them both and continue to miss them, particularly on this special day.
John
