WHEN BROOKSIE MET SUZY(cont.)

At the outbreak of World War Two, Burt enlisted as a conscientious objector and served as a medic in Europe. Three days following V E day and the end of the war, Burt drove into town for a newspaper and was shot and killed by a sniper. His college photo hangs at the entry to the church he worked so hard to salvage. His kid sister, Joyce, became my wife in September of 1956 and we attended many services in this church. One Sunday, a couple several rows in front of us introduced themselves and invited us back to their home nearby for refreshments following the service. This was the beginning of a twenty year friendship with Berkeley and Susan Bennett. Joyce died of cancer in January of 2003 and Berkeley of cancer in November of the same year. I received a valentine card in February of 2004 from “a secret admirer in New Haven Mills”. Right you are, it was from Susan, and several lunch and dinner dates followed. We discovered that our long friendship was the perfect introduction to romance. We already admired and respected each other, enjoyed many common interests and soon were inseparable. Not surprisingly, we were married in this church of many memories on July 7, 2005. Ain’t love grand!