thedrifter
03-01-09, 07:53 AM
Newsday.com
Burtons' love story: He proposed on second date
March 1, 2009
Charles Burton of Patchogue recalls how he made an impression on his wife Gloria's family during their courtship.
After returning home from my tour of duty in the United States Marine Corps as a radio operator with the 10th Marines, at the 2nd Marine Division headquarters in Camp Lejeune, N.C., I began work at Republic Aviation in Farmingdale as a parts expediter.
One day in early June 1957, I was at my desk when the most beautiful girl I have ever seen walked by and spoke to my foreman. She needed help carrying a large bundle of newspapers to the loading dock. I jumped up and was the first one to volunteer.
We walked to the loading dock and made a lot of small talk. Now that I knew what office she worked in, I made it my business to go by her door, which was usually open, many times during the day. I never said anything to her. I didn't even know her name.
Two weeks later, she broke the ice by asking me if I'd buy tickets to a Fourth of July dance at her church. I told her I'd take two only if she went with me.
After much persuasion from the other secretaries, Gloria finally agreed to go with me. She was 22 and lived in Patchogue. I was 21 and lived in Brentwood.
At the dance, we shared a table with her mother, father, aunts and uncles. Each table had a bottle of liquor, and I offered to make Gloria's mother a drink. As I moved the drink toward her, it spilled all over my future mother-in-law. She shrugged it off and told me not to worry.
Gloria and I started dating. On our second date, I proposed to her. She thought I was crazy. I just didn't want to lose her.
We had been going out for a month when I met the rest of her family at her house. I was uncomfortable, and Gloria tried to put me at ease by throwing her arms around my neck. I stumbled, stepped on the edge of her dress and it ripped at the waist. She went running upstairs to change while her family just looked at me.
The next time I saw the family was at Sunday dinner. This time, I got her grandmother's approval. She said, in an Italian accent, "I like him even though he's not Italian."
Gloria and I were married on Aug. 2, 1958, at Our Lady of Mount Carmel R.C. Church with a reception held at the Patchogue Hotel.
We renewed our vows, 50 years later on the same date, at the same church, with family and friends. Our entire family, three daughters, two sons-in-law, five grandchildren, and one grandson-in-law, then traveled with us to St. Maarten.
I tell Gloria continually that I love her "more today than yesterday but not as much as tomorrow."
She retired in 1996 from Eastern Suffolk BOCES, where she taught at the Sayville Learning Center. I retired from my land survey company, Burton Behrendt and Smith, in Patchogue in 1999.
Send an anecdote about how you met and married along with your phone number and a photo to Love Story, Newsday, 235 Pinelawn Rd. Melville, NY 11747-4250; e-mail dunleavy@newsday.com or call Virginia Dunleavy at 631-843-2923. Publication of contribution is not guaranteed. Photos cannot be returned and may be used in other publications affiliated with Newsday.
Ellie
Burtons' love story: He proposed on second date
March 1, 2009
Charles Burton of Patchogue recalls how he made an impression on his wife Gloria's family during their courtship.
After returning home from my tour of duty in the United States Marine Corps as a radio operator with the 10th Marines, at the 2nd Marine Division headquarters in Camp Lejeune, N.C., I began work at Republic Aviation in Farmingdale as a parts expediter.
One day in early June 1957, I was at my desk when the most beautiful girl I have ever seen walked by and spoke to my foreman. She needed help carrying a large bundle of newspapers to the loading dock. I jumped up and was the first one to volunteer.
We walked to the loading dock and made a lot of small talk. Now that I knew what office she worked in, I made it my business to go by her door, which was usually open, many times during the day. I never said anything to her. I didn't even know her name.
Two weeks later, she broke the ice by asking me if I'd buy tickets to a Fourth of July dance at her church. I told her I'd take two only if she went with me.
After much persuasion from the other secretaries, Gloria finally agreed to go with me. She was 22 and lived in Patchogue. I was 21 and lived in Brentwood.
At the dance, we shared a table with her mother, father, aunts and uncles. Each table had a bottle of liquor, and I offered to make Gloria's mother a drink. As I moved the drink toward her, it spilled all over my future mother-in-law. She shrugged it off and told me not to worry.
Gloria and I started dating. On our second date, I proposed to her. She thought I was crazy. I just didn't want to lose her.
We had been going out for a month when I met the rest of her family at her house. I was uncomfortable, and Gloria tried to put me at ease by throwing her arms around my neck. I stumbled, stepped on the edge of her dress and it ripped at the waist. She went running upstairs to change while her family just looked at me.
The next time I saw the family was at Sunday dinner. This time, I got her grandmother's approval. She said, in an Italian accent, "I like him even though he's not Italian."
Gloria and I were married on Aug. 2, 1958, at Our Lady of Mount Carmel R.C. Church with a reception held at the Patchogue Hotel.
We renewed our vows, 50 years later on the same date, at the same church, with family and friends. Our entire family, three daughters, two sons-in-law, five grandchildren, and one grandson-in-law, then traveled with us to St. Maarten.
I tell Gloria continually that I love her "more today than yesterday but not as much as tomorrow."
She retired in 1996 from Eastern Suffolk BOCES, where she taught at the Sayville Learning Center. I retired from my land survey company, Burton Behrendt and Smith, in Patchogue in 1999.
Send an anecdote about how you met and married along with your phone number and a photo to Love Story, Newsday, 235 Pinelawn Rd. Melville, NY 11747-4250; e-mail dunleavy@newsday.com or call Virginia Dunleavy at 631-843-2923. Publication of contribution is not guaranteed. Photos cannot be returned and may be used in other publications affiliated with Newsday.
Ellie