thedrifter
05-02-07, 07:11 AM
Theme of this prom? It's never too late
By Michael Levenson, Globe Staff | May 2, 2007
SUTTON -- He was 15 and she was 13 when they met in the halls of Northbridge High School. Soon, they were out on movie dates, chaperoned by her mother, who sat a few rows behind them, keeping watch on the young couple. They would have gone to the high school prom together except World War II broke out , and he joined the Navy. On the night of the dance, he was in Okinawa, ferrying Marines into battle, and she was on her porch, passing the time with her sister. There was no chance Norma Duhamel was going to the prom with anyone else besides Norman Baker.
"I never even gave it a thought," she said yesterday. "I wanted to wait for him."
Last night, Norma Baker, now 79, slipped on a royal blue-and-aqua-colored silk dress and her husband, Norman Baker, 81, donned a navy jacket, and they waltzed across the community room of the Sutton Senior Center, as the Sutton High School jazz band played "Zoot Suit Riot." It was 62 years late, but they were finally at their prom. And it had all the trappings: ribbons of silver and gold bunting to set the mood, valet parking, courtesy of the Sutton High School Honor Society, and a smorgasbord of cake, popcorn shrimp, and pigs in a blanket.
"There's a first time for everything and this is it," said Norman, after the festivities had gotten underway. "It went beautifully -- even the young people joined in and you'd never know there was an age gap at all."
Norma, who had been especially excited about the coming prom, added, "It was just wonderful."
It was the first time the senior center had thrown a prom, and 20 seniors mingled and danced. But the Bakers were the undisputed stars of the night. Michelle Edelstein, director of the senior center, gave the Bakers crowns and dubbed them king and queen of the prom. When they danced, everyone applauded.
"I'm just thrilled for them," said Barbara Besette, 72, their friend of 40 years who attended the prom, dressed in a mauve gown. "They're a lovely couple."
Of course, at this prom, some things were different. It began at 5 p.m. and ended promptly at 7. Everyone was well-behaved. And no one ended up in the bathroom in tears.
Edelstein called the Bakers "hot tickets."
The Bakers have been sweethearts since they met during the Roosevelt administration.
"We saw each other and fell in love," Norma said. "It was love -- I can't say it any other way."
Norman shrugged. "It was one of those things," he said.
Two years after they met, in 1942, Norman quit high school and volunteered for the Navy. He was 17, and was quickly shipped overseas as a boat operator on the USS Hamul. Three years passed, but, Norma said, she wrote to him every day.
When the mail arrived by seaplane in the Pacific, Norman said, he would receive such thick stacks of letters from Norma that he would have to sort them by date and read them in chronological order.
"The guys used to say at mail call, 'Ain't there any mail inside there besides Baker's ?' " he recalled.
Then in July 1945, Norma read in the newspaper that Norman's ship was due back in California. He took a train back to meet her in Northbridge, and they married the following year, at St. Patrick's Parish in town.
The following year, their son, Keith, was born. They settled in Sutton in the 1950s, and for nearly five decades, they worked together at St. Vincent Hospital in Worcester, she as a secretary, he as a maintenance man.
They have been going to the Sutton Senior Center for years, and have stayed close with many of their friends from Northbridge High.
When Edelstein proposed a prom this year, the Bakers leapt at the idea, especially Norma. "She has been excited about it from the first day she heard about it," Besette said. "She said, 'I'm going to my first prom!' "
Ellie
By Michael Levenson, Globe Staff | May 2, 2007
SUTTON -- He was 15 and she was 13 when they met in the halls of Northbridge High School. Soon, they were out on movie dates, chaperoned by her mother, who sat a few rows behind them, keeping watch on the young couple. They would have gone to the high school prom together except World War II broke out , and he joined the Navy. On the night of the dance, he was in Okinawa, ferrying Marines into battle, and she was on her porch, passing the time with her sister. There was no chance Norma Duhamel was going to the prom with anyone else besides Norman Baker.
"I never even gave it a thought," she said yesterday. "I wanted to wait for him."
Last night, Norma Baker, now 79, slipped on a royal blue-and-aqua-colored silk dress and her husband, Norman Baker, 81, donned a navy jacket, and they waltzed across the community room of the Sutton Senior Center, as the Sutton High School jazz band played "Zoot Suit Riot." It was 62 years late, but they were finally at their prom. And it had all the trappings: ribbons of silver and gold bunting to set the mood, valet parking, courtesy of the Sutton High School Honor Society, and a smorgasbord of cake, popcorn shrimp, and pigs in a blanket.
"There's a first time for everything and this is it," said Norman, after the festivities had gotten underway. "It went beautifully -- even the young people joined in and you'd never know there was an age gap at all."
Norma, who had been especially excited about the coming prom, added, "It was just wonderful."
It was the first time the senior center had thrown a prom, and 20 seniors mingled and danced. But the Bakers were the undisputed stars of the night. Michelle Edelstein, director of the senior center, gave the Bakers crowns and dubbed them king and queen of the prom. When they danced, everyone applauded.
"I'm just thrilled for them," said Barbara Besette, 72, their friend of 40 years who attended the prom, dressed in a mauve gown. "They're a lovely couple."
Of course, at this prom, some things were different. It began at 5 p.m. and ended promptly at 7. Everyone was well-behaved. And no one ended up in the bathroom in tears.
Edelstein called the Bakers "hot tickets."
The Bakers have been sweethearts since they met during the Roosevelt administration.
"We saw each other and fell in love," Norma said. "It was love -- I can't say it any other way."
Norman shrugged. "It was one of those things," he said.
Two years after they met, in 1942, Norman quit high school and volunteered for the Navy. He was 17, and was quickly shipped overseas as a boat operator on the USS Hamul. Three years passed, but, Norma said, she wrote to him every day.
When the mail arrived by seaplane in the Pacific, Norman said, he would receive such thick stacks of letters from Norma that he would have to sort them by date and read them in chronological order.
"The guys used to say at mail call, 'Ain't there any mail inside there besides Baker's ?' " he recalled.
Then in July 1945, Norma read in the newspaper that Norman's ship was due back in California. He took a train back to meet her in Northbridge, and they married the following year, at St. Patrick's Parish in town.
The following year, their son, Keith, was born. They settled in Sutton in the 1950s, and for nearly five decades, they worked together at St. Vincent Hospital in Worcester, she as a secretary, he as a maintenance man.
They have been going to the Sutton Senior Center for years, and have stayed close with many of their friends from Northbridge High.
When Edelstein proposed a prom this year, the Bakers leapt at the idea, especially Norma. "She has been excited about it from the first day she heard about it," Besette said. "She said, 'I'm going to my first prom!' "
Ellie