The Gathering Room

In Loving Memory...
I once wrote this for my parents 
who enjoyed their family and their long life together.
We miss them both so much! 
~~~~~~~~~~~
Once Upon a Time , In a Place Where Family Tales Come True, Lived Our parents, Howard Wellman  and Junietta  Schultz
they married July3rd, 1926  ....

Yes, Once Upon a Time...

Has anyone ever read you a fairytale And taken you to places magical?

Where homes are made of gingerbread and skies are always blue...Where pumpkins turn to coaches and wishes all come true?...Has anyone ever sung you a lullaby?

You can fly above the rain clouds ...Close your eyes...Let the melody carry you... Leave all your fears behind...You can float across a rainbow sky to once upon a time.

"I believed in miracles  ...I believed love would conquer all  ...I believed anything was possible...And I believed again the moment when I saw you here tonight...Now once upon a time has never felt more right

Oh yes I believed that anything was possible...And I believed again the moment when I saw you  , nothing has ever felt  more right... ! "

Junietta and her "Mr Right"

Once upon a time in a far away land of Sandwich Illinois, a shining knight named Howard Wellman met his Lady, Junietta Schultz . They were my parents . They met after dad returned home after serving the US Navy during WW l. Both worked at the Plano Foundry , and dad was boarding at Aunt Ethel's in town. My parents had a short courtship, fell in love , and were secretly married that same year (by elopement) in Princeton Illinois ... a secret that , at that time, would be kept from my grandparents! My Uncle Raymond, ( moms brother) discovered their marriage license one day in her room( she says hidden under her mattress) and went and told Grandma... it was no time at all that grandma had all in hand...mom and dad had their marriage announced and Dad moved in with his bride! Can you imagine being married a few weeks and not even telling your parents? I always loved hearing mom "explain" this story. When I asked why they never said anything, mom replied... " I didn't want to be teased by fellow workers and family, or have a shindig given"! Married July 3, 1926, dad would later purchase his grandparents home and take his new wife to the home of my great grandparents, Christopher and Amanda Wellman, where they lived for over 50 years, and mom much longer . They happily and proudly raised five children (Sir Howard Jr, Sir Donald, & Princesses Helen, Karen, and Cindy. ) They dearly loved their 17 grandchildren, and 27 great grandchildren, and one great great grandchild. They knew what "happily ever after" meant , when having their family and living out their dreams of what a family should be. We their children, were the lucky ones, in this fairytale marriage come true. As I saw the words to the Brooklyn musical, it seemed only fitting to add them to this post and share this with my children , nieces and nephews . If grandma and grandpa were alive today..I think a " royal shindig" would be in order at their Camelot...,  what do you think? ??