The First Day of the Rest of Our Lives

Ken’s Story
On May 20, 1977, Kay and Rich Gerdes, son of Ruth and Orville Gerdes, were married at the United Methodist Church in Auburn.

In 1978 Sam graduated from the University of Nebraska “With High Distinction” (3.86 GPA) in geology. Sam and Jo Ellen Groothuis, daughter of Will and Ruth Groothuis, were married at the Christ Lutheran church in Falls City, Nebraska, on May 19, 1978. Sam and Jo moved to New Orleans where Sam was employed by Texaco as a petroleum geologist and Jo finished her degree in chemical engineering at Tulane University.

Sam and Jo got acquainted at Nebraska, both living in the same coed dorm. Their penchant for studying (she was a straight 4.0 student) probably brought them together. Sam called one day and told his mom he was bringing a friend home for the weekend. We didn’t think much about it until he walked in with a girl and he introduced her as Jo Ellen Groothuis. I commented on the name and asked her if she knew a man named Will Groothuis. She did, of course, since it was her father. Will had been employed as a linotype operator at our newspaper in Stanton. He and Ruth, later his wife, were dating at that time. Some 20 years later their daughter and our son met at school and eventually got married.

Sam’s Version
And that’s the start of a whole ‘nother story.