Marion Gunderson Art (and the Farmer's Daughter)

To understand the “story” better, if you haven’t already read my last post (Grain Elevators and Teenage Dating – Part I), you might want to scroll down and read it and then come back to this post. Click here…before or after reading Part I.

Think small town (population ~ 800) and rural northwest Iowa, early 1970s…

I started dating my (now) husband and love-of-my-life when I was a sophomore in high school.  Bill Shimon was a Rolfe (Iowa) High School senior at that time and I had just turned fifteen.  The first time I remember knowing of Bill was when I was in sixth grade and he was in eighth.  During the awards assembly the last day of that school year, our junior high principal, Lyle Foster, presented an award to Bill based upon Bill’s work ethic and character.

I don’t recall having much interaction with Bill until my sophomore year in high school when he was consoling me about “boy problems” I was having.  Within a few weeks of that conversation, Bill asked me out.

Where do Bill’s character, grain elevators and dating fit it?  I’m getting there! More…