This is the year of fiftieth celebrations: Tom’s graduation from Ripon, from Marine Officer Candidate School, and our Wedding anniversary. We’ve had a year of attendance at these celebrations, seeing people from years gone by.
All through high school, a large multi-thousand-student school outside Chicago, all I wanted to do was go to college, a small school in a small town. I found this ideal place at Ripon College in Ripon Wisconsin, a liberal arts college of about 500 students. My father made me promise it would not be for one year or semester, or until I found a husband, but to get a degree, and my wishes corresponded to his.
Tom had no intention of going to Ripon College. He had an illustrious year on his high school baseball team his senior year in Racine, and had a few write-ups in the newspaper. He wasn’t sure what he would do after graduation when a Ripon alum read about his great baseball season in the paper and offered to help him go to college if he went to Ripon.
Tom said he first saw me in the bank when I was opening a checking account, probably not realizing it was only for $200 of spending money to last the whole year. We had our first date in January of my freshman year and his sophomore year. My advisor was a Dean at the college, and when I went to him for advice, it wasn’t just about the courses I would take, but about how pleased he was I was dating Tom Troestler.
Tom and I got married the day after Christmas while Tom was between Marine Officer Candidate School and flight training. I went back to school for a few weeks after a honeymoon to Detroit, took my finals to complete my degree, and joined Tom in Pensacola Florida the end of January.
Life has had some surprises, the first being twins when I only expected one baby, but having a big family was always Tom’s dream, and those two were a good beginning to our family of six children. Tom flew fighter jets in the Marines for four years and planned on going into a profession in economics, but flying had entered his being and the job with American Airlines came along. My dreams of a husband who would finally be home on weekends and not gone for long periods of time did not become a reality, as he went to many schools advancing to Captain before he was thirty years old. But this lady’s independent nature helped, and we both did all right, my having a career as a social worker, although the days apart weren’t quite what we expected.
I have a wandering soul, and the opportunity to travel the world was an added benefit, even discovering the world was really round on a round the world excursion. I have seen more places than I ever imagined I would. We have loved traveling.
Tom’s upbringing included a devout Catholic family and attendance at Catholic schools. Mine was with an equally devout Episcopalian family, and bringing the two together for a wedding in the Catholic Church brought about distress for some of the beloved people in my life.
During our fifty years, there have been disagreements on various subjects. Seldom have we voted for the same person for President. We had to develop a unique system for handling finances, and sometimes became frustrated at the tasks life handed us. But never in those fifty years have we disagreed on religious views or spiritual beliefs or values. We have known the loving grace of God and tried to spread the love of Jesus for all people.
So this is our year of celebrating, of being alive, of challenges and blessings, and indeed the blessing of all of you, our family and friends.
Love, Carol
(This was our Christmas message for the year.)
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