The story of Mom and Dad...

I was born in Eugene Oregon.  When I was 9 years old my family moved to Tierra Del Mar, a very small town next to the Pacific Ocean on the Oregon Coast.  I like to tell people that I was raised on the Oregon Coast but grew up in Hawaii.

The summer of 1958 was especially beautiful on the Oregon Coast.  The weather was warm and breezy, flowers were in bloom and the rolling waves spread upon the sandy beaches as if inviting those who dare to step into their chilly waters.         
                                                                                                     

I was spending that summer working as a waitress in my cousin’s café in the small town of Pacific City.  The only entertainment within a 50 mile radius was the nearby Pacific City dance hall.   It was next to the beach and surrounded by sand dunes.   The big bands would come out from Portland to play music at the hall and we got to dance to the live rock and roll music of the 50s every Saturday night.  

On one of those Saturday nights, I looked across the room and standing in front of a large stone fire place was the most handsome young man I had ever seen.  He was wearing a red plaid Pendleton shirt with dark brown slacks.  His shiny black hair was perfectly styled and he had the demeanor of a prince.  Just looking at him took my breath away. At that moment, I knew I wanted to be his princess.  In fact, my sister’s kids used to call me pineapple princess after a song that was popular at that time “Pineapple Princess” by Annette Funicello.  I asked someone to introduce him to me.  Herbert asked me to dance and that was the beginning of the most sensuous and sensational journey of our life.       
   
                                                                                                                 

Herbert never owned a car the whole time we were dating.  Whenever he could, he used to hitch hike 15 miles down the mountain and another 10 miles to my house.  Herbert would often buy the ingredients for my mother to make my mother’s spaghetti which he loved.  Mamma certainly had a warm place in her heart for him.  In later years, she would often side with him in our disagreements.  Herbert and I spent many hours on my mother’s front porch where Herbert would play the guitar and sing to me.  The first Hawaiian song he sang to me was “To You Sweetheart Aloha.”  He also recorded, on a record, “Just a Closer Walk With Thee.”   While I was in high school, I worked weekends during the school year and summers as a waitress at the various restaurants in the area.  Herbert was always my best customer.   Living next to the ocean, our courting grounds was the Tierra Del Mar beach where we shared not only our love for each other but our dreams and plans for our future.