My Introduction to Ann

It Was Not a Great Beginning

When I started preaching at Rosebud, another young single preacher had just moved to the nearby community of Rogers.  We had attended Abilene Christian together and actually graduated on the same night.  His name was Stanley Bratcher.  Since we had a lot in common, Stan and I became good friends.  At some point he moved to the La Vega church in Bellmead (suburb of Waco) where Ann was one of his members.

I first met Ann in 1958 in Cameron, Texas.  I don’t know if Stan actually introduced us that day, because I honestly don’t recall meeting her at that time.  Stan would play a major role in our getting together, but that would come later.  The church in Cameron, Texas had just completed a new building.  I was asked to lead congregational singing for the building dedication service.   Ann’s family was from Milam County where Cameron is the county seat.  Her aunt lived in Cameron and was a member of the church there.   Ann knew a lot of people there, and went to the dedication.  I was dating a young lady from Temple and she was with me that day.

The only reason I know that I met her that day is Ann’s insistence that it happened.  She’s never changed her story in more than fifty years.  To be honest, I was absorbed with the young lady who came with me, and I wasn’t thinking about any other female.

Ann had gone to the service with her Aunt Lucy Bell.   At one point in the service Lucy leaned over to her and said, “Boy, can he sing.” 

Ann said, “Yeah, but who could stand to look at him.” Obviously, I didn’t make a great impression on her.   

As she remembers it, I was overweight (that is an indisputable fact), the sleeves of my suit coat were too short, and I pretty much looked like a country bumpkin who went to town and tried to dress up and look nice but didn’t know how.   I also was going to a barber who didn't give the greatest haircuts in the world, but he was one of my elders. I don’t remember much about my suit, tie choice or anything of that nature, but I know that I was indeed a country bumpkin trying to look nice.