Flo's Beaus and Biddies!

My mom, Flo, celebrated her 98th birthday on Sat, Nov21 and I have spent this week blogging some funny stories...with her permission, of course! Today...the last topic: Love and marriage!

Flo, the oldest of 5 kids, worked at The Packard Company for more than 10 years. She met my father there and they were married in 1941. She was 29[and a half!] and Joe was 38 [ and he turned 39 on the very next day.] He'd joke that she certainly aged him pretty fast..ha ha , wouldn't you agree? Anyway...during their marriage, three children arrived: Brother #1 in 1942, Brother #2 in 1945, and me on their eighth wedding anniversary. Home was a garden apartment in NJ where there were lots of kids to play all kinds of games like: Red Rover, Hide and Seek, Red Light Green Light, Cops and Robbers, Spud, riding bikes, playing hopscotch, and jumping rope to many verses. But let me get back to Flo!

Other than 'the family', Mom was a card carrying member of a 'club' of about 25 of her girlfriends. They would meet once a month or so, each time on a Friday night, and it was hosted by a different member rotating all the way through the list of girls. Cocktails, snacks, dinner and dessert along with conversation, laughter, and the planning of their next group trip to New York City. Dues was $2 and Verna Tango[ yep! that was her name] was the treasurer. Once a year, the entire bevy of 'buds' would go to New York City, see a Broadway Show, and have dinner at a fancy restaurant. My clearest recollection was when her tickets were to "Funny Girl" starring Barbra Streisand. Since she didn't drive, everything was prepaid, and it included her friends ...it must have been a great time for a working mom where money was tight.

Moving ahead, my dad died in 1970. And two years later one of the biddies suddenly crossed over leaving a lonely widower[Ray... who had worked at Packard years before with Flo.] After the customary 'respectful' time lapsed, [despondent]Ray was encouraged to ask long time friend Flo if she would like to do something together, and likewise, Flo was encouraged to accept. Their first 'date' was watching the Miss America Pageant , and after two years of dating fun ... they were married.

The funny part of this: Flo was a member of Ray's first wedding as a bridesmaid. And his second wedding, some 35 years later...as the bride. They were a wonderful couple and enjoyed life and its adventures together. All of their collective kids were grown and living their own lives and so the happy couple moved to the Jersey shore. Flo and Ray were both good for each other and at a time in their lives when they truly appreciated each other. Ray died in 1984 after close to ten years of marriage to my mom. And she really misses him even now...twenty-five years later. Picking up the pieces with a senior group of 'the biddies', Mom went out monthly to lunch, and on Sundays they would go to the movies and out to dinner. Monthly trips to Atlantic City were at the top of the list.

And there you have it.

My weeklong 'Flo' blog is now officially on hiatus. And now back to the rest of the stories.