Finding love in the library

Fred (BEd’65) and Judy (BEd’65) are retired teachers living in Regina. After convocation, Fred went to teach in Creelman, Sask., while Judy travelled west to Lethbridge in southern Alberta. After their marriage in July, 1966, Judy also taught in Creelman.

We spoke with them about their experiences at the University of Saskatchewan (USask) and the story of finding love on campus. Following are verbatim responses to a series of questions posed to them.

WHAT DO YOU REMEMBER ABOUT YOUR TIME ON CAMPUS AT THE UNIVERSITY OF SASKATCHEWAN?
JUDY: Well, we were both from rural Saskatchewan and to come to the U of S with a large group of other young people was a fantastic experience, not just for our education, but socially. And being young, we felt we just had the world at our fingertips.
FRED: We were both from very small towns, Judy from Kinley and I was from Osage, very, very small schools, there were no labs, no gym. And when we moved to Saskatoon and having a gymnasium, a curling rink, being able to play hockey, it was just fantastic.

WHO NOTICED WHO FIRST?
FRED: I think I noticed her first.
JUDY: He saw me studying in the library in between classes. Then we took a math class together. He also had a car and we were bowling within the Education college and he would invite me to go downtown to one of the hotels where the bowling alley was and I’d ride in his car…
FRED: With a whole pile of other girls. I had a convertible.
JUDY: He thought he was a magnet.
FRED: I noticed her little brown eyes across the table in the library in between two classes -- an 8:30 class and a 10:30 class – and I would go there to do some studying and she was there. And she was there the next day and the next day.

WHEN WAS YOUR OFFICIAL FIRST DATE?
JUDY: That is interesting because I think our first date was actually our convocation.
FRED: It was 1965 at graduation. We knew each other casually, I guess. But we did not date at U of S.
JUDY: That night was the dance, of course, and the next day was the ceremony and he had some of his family attending and I had my parents attending, so we decided we would have lunch together before the afternoon reception for the Education students. That’s how we got to know each other’s family.
FRED: I think her family thought I was going to be OK, and my mother and sister thought this lovely Judy was just right.

WHICH OF THE TWO OF YOU THOUGHT THIS WAS GOING TO BE THE ONE?
JUDY: Well, I went to teach in Lethbridge (Alta.) after graduation, so it had to be pretty serious be him teaching in Creelman (Sask.) and then travelling all the way to Lethbridge to visit me. He had to be pretty serious.

DO YOU REMEMBER YOUR FIRST KISS?
JUDY: Probably convocation.
FRED: Did you really kiss me at convocation?
JUDY: I’m not sure who kissed who!

WHAT IS THE KEY TO A LONG AND HEALTHY MARRIAGE:
JUDY: Thinking of the other person be willing to compromise.
FRED: Listening to each other. Being there for each other.
JUDY: We do have similar interests and we have developed similar interests. He was certainly a lot more interested in sports than I was.
FRED: We enjoy being together at home, travelling, or socializing with family and friends.
JUDY: We have a garden to look after and we do it together, so it’s not just one person’s job.