The Marriage
In May 1960, I gave Barbara an engagement ring. We had looked for two Saturdays at rings all
over town. The Kleinpeter’s next door neighbor worked at Stone’s Jewelry on 3rd street, about
two blocks down from where I worked at Sears. Barbara’s dad had talked to him and he said
come by and he would fix me up.
I went down on my lunch hour and he pulled out some unmounted stones. There was one that
I liked. It was a solitaire stone of about a third of a carat. I was living on $20 a week take home
from my job at Sears so money was a MAJOR consideration. He sold the stone to me for $95
and gave me the ring. I gave him $10 and paid $5 a week until it was paid off.
Barbara used to pick me up after work (9:00 p.m.) on weeknights and take me to where I was
living while going to school. On this particular night in mid-May, I had the ring. It was in a little
In May 1960, I gave Barbara an engagement ring. We had looked for two Saturdays at rings all
over town. The Kleinpeter’s next door neighbor worked at Stone’s Jewelry on 3rd street, about
two blocks down from where I worked at Sears. Barbara’s dad had talked to him and he said
come by and he would fix me up.
I went down on my lunch hour and he pulled out some unmounted stones. There was one that
I liked. It was a solitaire stone of about a third of a carat. I was living on $20 a week take home
from my job at Sears so money was a MAJOR consideration. He sold the stone to me for $95
and gave me the ring. I gave him $10 and paid $5 a week until it was paid off.
Barbara used to pick me up after work (9:00 p.m.) on weeknights and take me to where I was
living while going to school. On this particular night in mid-May, I had the ring. It was in a little
box, no wrapping, no frills…just a plain little box. She didn’t know I had bought a ring. So she
wasn’t expecting one. She opened the box and gave a little squeal. She was so excited. I knew
her ring size from trying on so many rings in the recent past. It was now official…we were
engaged. The wedding would be in August. In the Salt Lake Temple. We would go out with her
folks. My mom and dad would drive out with our family. No big deal. WRONG! It was a BIG,
BIG deal and got bigger every week.
First there was the dress. No store had one that met the standards for a temple wedding. So,
Barbara and her mother (mostly her mother who was a great seamstress) would make the
dress. That way it would be what she/they wanted. But there must be a pattern. Not an
ordinary pattern but a very, very pretty dress pattern. That took what seemed like weeks.
Then there was the material for the slip, for the dress, for the bodice (?), for the sleeves, for the
veil, for the lining. There was a whole room full of material…$600 of material. None of which
was I supposed to see. I once saw the slip material and thought the wedding might get called
off. I steered clear of the “sewing room” after that.
Next was the tiara, then the gloves, then the shoes, then the purse and sequins…hundreds of
sequins. I couldn’t believe that there was that much to getting ready for a wedding. Things
were frantic. I, of course, remained calm about the whole thing. It was a woman’s thing and I
watched from afar…or at least from the living room where the TV was.
Well, as luck would have it, we finally got to Utah with the dress, the shoes and all the other
stuff. We went through the temple on the 15th and were married on the 16th by Elder Elray L.
Christiansen, then President of the Salt Lake Temple. There were in attendance Barbara’s
parents, my parents, several Sevario’s, my Aunt Nancy and Uncle Mel Larson, the Buchanan’s
along with a Brother Anderson who had spent some time in Baton Rouge and came to our
wedding. Altogether there were 16 people in our party…a very good showing in 1960 for a
couple who lived about 1800 miles away. We left the temple and retired to our honeymoon
suite at the HI-HO Motel on State Street a mile or so south of the temple.
wasn’t expecting one. She opened the box and gave a little squeal. She was so excited. I knew
her ring size from trying on so many rings in the recent past. It was now official…we were
engaged. The wedding would be in August. In the Salt Lake Temple. We would go out with her
folks. My mom and dad would drive out with our family. No big deal. WRONG! It was a BIG,
BIG deal and got bigger every week.
First there was the dress. No store had one that met the standards for a temple wedding. So,
Barbara and her mother (mostly her mother who was a great seamstress) would make the
dress. That way it would be what she/they wanted. But there must be a pattern. Not an
ordinary pattern but a very, very pretty dress pattern. That took what seemed like weeks.
Then there was the material for the slip, for the dress, for the bodice (?), for the sleeves, for the
veil, for the lining. There was a whole room full of material…$600 of material. None of which
was I supposed to see. I once saw the slip material and thought the wedding might get called
off. I steered clear of the “sewing room” after that.
Next was the tiara, then the gloves, then the shoes, then the purse and sequins…hundreds of
sequins. I couldn’t believe that there was that much to getting ready for a wedding. Things
were frantic. I, of course, remained calm about the whole thing. It was a woman’s thing and I
watched from afar…or at least from the living room where the TV was.
Well, as luck would have it, we finally got to Utah with the dress, the shoes and all the other
stuff. We went through the temple on the 15th and were married on the 16th by Elder Elray L.
Christiansen, then President of the Salt Lake Temple. There were in attendance Barbara’s
parents, my parents, several Sevario’s, my Aunt Nancy and Uncle Mel Larson, the Buchanan’s
along with a Brother Anderson who had spent some time in Baton Rouge and came to our
wedding. Altogether there were 16 people in our party…a very good showing in 1960 for a
couple who lived about 1800 miles away. We left the temple and retired to our honeymoon
suite at the HI-HO Motel on State Street a mile or so south of the temple.
The Honeymoon
Our honeymoon was essentially the drive back to Baton Rouge. We had Barbara’s folk’s car. I
don’t remember how they got home. The ride back was uneventful except for two items. We
were driving across Texas on U.S. Highway 287 in north central Texas. I was tired and so
Barbara was going to drive awhile so I could take a nap. I explained that we needed to stay on
Highway 287…wherever it went, go that way.
An hour or so later I woke up. Looked out window and saw nothing but fields in every
direction. The road was a small, narrow blacktop road. The power line running along the side
of the road had one wire on it. It didn’t look like a U.S. highway. I asked, “Are we on Highway
287?” She replied, “I think so.” I asked, “Did you turn off the other road?” She replied, “Well,
there was this big turn and the road forked so I took the right fork.” I grabbed a map…sure
enough the right fork led out to nowhere and we were there! About an hour later we were
back on Highway 287 and headed home.
When we got to Shreveport, I began to feel sick. By the time we were in Alexandria, I couldn’t
drive. Barbara took over and drove us on to Baton Rouge.
Our First Place and Babies
Our “house” was a garage apartment owned by the Kleinpeter’s. We lived upstairs with a
storage room downstairs. It was a small apartment. There was a small living room, a small
bedroom, a smaller bedroom, a small bath, a small kitchen and a small eating area. As I said, it
was a small apartment, but it was home sweet home for us for a couple of years. I had big
plans to carry Barbara over the threshold. Instead she had to help me up the stairs and into the
apartment. The best laid plans and all that stuff……
In December 1961 Randall arrived on the scene. In those days we used cloth diapers with
plastic pants over them to keep “things” from running out of the diaper. Barbara thought the
plastic pants were too hot, no air conditioning, so she let him sleep in a little bassinet by the
bed. If he wet When he wet, she would get up, change his diaper, change his clothes and
change the bassinet. She slept with her hand in the bassinet so if he moved it would wake her
up. New parents.
Our honeymoon was essentially the drive back to Baton Rouge. We had Barbara’s folk’s car. I
don’t remember how they got home. The ride back was uneventful except for two items. We
were driving across Texas on U.S. Highway 287 in north central Texas. I was tired and so
Barbara was going to drive awhile so I could take a nap. I explained that we needed to stay on
Highway 287…wherever it went, go that way.
An hour or so later I woke up. Looked out window and saw nothing but fields in every
direction. The road was a small, narrow blacktop road. The power line running along the side
of the road had one wire on it. It didn’t look like a U.S. highway. I asked, “Are we on Highway
287?” She replied, “I think so.” I asked, “Did you turn off the other road?” She replied, “Well,
there was this big turn and the road forked so I took the right fork.” I grabbed a map…sure
enough the right fork led out to nowhere and we were there! About an hour later we were
back on Highway 287 and headed home.
When we got to Shreveport, I began to feel sick. By the time we were in Alexandria, I couldn’t
drive. Barbara took over and drove us on to Baton Rouge.
Our First Place and Babies
Our “house” was a garage apartment owned by the Kleinpeter’s. We lived upstairs with a
storage room downstairs. It was a small apartment. There was a small living room, a small
bedroom, a smaller bedroom, a small bath, a small kitchen and a small eating area. As I said, it
was a small apartment, but it was home sweet home for us for a couple of years. I had big
plans to carry Barbara over the threshold. Instead she had to help me up the stairs and into the
apartment. The best laid plans and all that stuff……
In December 1961 Randall arrived on the scene. In those days we used cloth diapers with
plastic pants over them to keep “things” from running out of the diaper. Barbara thought the
plastic pants were too hot, no air conditioning, so she let him sleep in a little bassinet by the
bed. If he wet When he wet, she would get up, change his diaper, change his clothes and
change the bassinet. She slept with her hand in the bassinet so if he moved it would wake her
up. New parents.
Our First House and More Babies
The next summer we moved into a little house we bought on Poinsettia Street just behind Glen
Oaks High School. The house was small (is there a pattern here?) at 1008 square feet of living
area. It was new and we were the proud owners or our $10,950 house. We put a big air
conditioner (23,000 BTU’s of cooling) in the wall of the living room and it cooled the whole
house. We put a chain link fence around the back yard where the kids could play without
roaming off. It was home sweet home for the Richardson’s.
By this time (August 1962) I had gotten out of school and had a real job. Teaching math at
Brusly High School. I had all the math classes in the high school except the business math
course. I was working part time at Sears in the credit department to augment the budget. In
late November 1962, Sears offered me a fulltime job. The pay would work out to about $376 a
month as the collection manager. Mileage allowance would run the total up to almost $400 a
month. Teaching was paying $205 a month take home. Already I could see the writing on the
wall. It said, “STARVE!” Goodbye teaching, hello Sears!
The following December (1962), Crystal arrived. She wore plastic pants over her diaper. No
more changing the bassinet at night. She also slept at the end of the bed instead of the side.
Everything else stayed about the same. We were learning.
December 1964, Clif arrived. He started out in the bassinet in the other bedroom. We were
learning as parents. However, Clif made three little ones in diapers and on the bottle. We
washed a load of diapers every day. But we enjoyed the kids. With three in December, Barbara
was careful to just shake hands in the hall during the following March. Obligations were piling
up and time was getting scarce. For the time being, three were enough.
The next summer we moved into a little house we bought on Poinsettia Street just behind Glen
Oaks High School. The house was small (is there a pattern here?) at 1008 square feet of living
area. It was new and we were the proud owners or our $10,950 house. We put a big air
conditioner (23,000 BTU’s of cooling) in the wall of the living room and it cooled the whole
house. We put a chain link fence around the back yard where the kids could play without
roaming off. It was home sweet home for the Richardson’s.
By this time (August 1962) I had gotten out of school and had a real job. Teaching math at
Brusly High School. I had all the math classes in the high school except the business math
course. I was working part time at Sears in the credit department to augment the budget. In
late November 1962, Sears offered me a fulltime job. The pay would work out to about $376 a
month as the collection manager. Mileage allowance would run the total up to almost $400 a
month. Teaching was paying $205 a month take home. Already I could see the writing on the
wall. It said, “STARVE!” Goodbye teaching, hello Sears!
The following December (1962), Crystal arrived. She wore plastic pants over her diaper. No
more changing the bassinet at night. She also slept at the end of the bed instead of the side.
Everything else stayed about the same. We were learning.
December 1964, Clif arrived. He started out in the bassinet in the other bedroom. We were
learning as parents. However, Clif made three little ones in diapers and on the bottle. We
washed a load of diapers every day. But we enjoyed the kids. With three in December, Barbara
was careful to just shake hands in the hall during the following March. Obligations were piling
up and time was getting scarce. For the time being, three were enough.
The Job Merry-Go-Round
I worked at Sears until Randall was ready to start school. My normal work week started at
about 8:00 a.m. On short days I was home about 7:30 or 8:00 p.m. On long days I was home
about 10:00 p.m. Wednesday’s and Sunday’s were my days off with Wednesday off being
cancelled about once a month. At least half of Sunday was taken up with Church. Most of the
time they were ready for bed by the time I got home at night.
When Randall was ready to start school, I realized that I would not really see the kids except for
I worked at Sears until Randall was ready to start school. My normal work week started at
about 8:00 a.m. On short days I was home about 7:30 or 8:00 p.m. On long days I was home
about 10:00 p.m. Wednesday’s and Sunday’s were my days off with Wednesday off being
cancelled about once a month. At least half of Sunday was taken up with Church. Most of the
time they were ready for bed by the time I got home at night.
When Randall was ready to start school, I realized that I would not really see the kids except for
about ½ of the day on Sunday. That would not do. I started looking for another job that would
give me time with the family. It turned out to be Solvay. I was hired in the accounting
department. Time off was great. Off every day at 2:30 p.m. and off Saturday and Sunday.
After about a year I looked around me. The guy on my left was making $10 a week more than I
was (with 12 year’s service) and the guy on my right was making $10 per week LESS than I was
(with 8 year’s service). There was absolutely no promotional opportunity in the next 20 years.
I was in a dead end job!
About then this guy from New York Life showed up. He had this great sales opportunity that
would make me more money than I could spend. It seemed like something I could do so I
signed up. Turns out Pat had signed up and soon Sherry and Larry had also. I could “sell it” but
I didn’t like selling it. New York life came up with a different deal…office manager trainee. I
was in. Six months later I was an office manager in Oklahoma City. The nomadic life begins.
The Oklahoma City Era with One More Baby
We lived at 2601 Manchester, The Village, in Oklahoma City. This was off May Avenue on the
north side of Oklahoma City. I was Office Manager for New York Life at the Cimarron General
Office. Randall and Crystal were in elementary school. Clif was at home. When Clif went off to
1st Grade, we had an empty nest. Barbara wanted another girl. Enter Rachel. Now we had
three in school and one in the bassinet.
We enjoyed Oklahoma City. The weather was good. The people were nice. We joined a
Square Dance Club…the Star Promanaders…took lessons and danced in a Square Dance shindig
give me time with the family. It turned out to be Solvay. I was hired in the accounting
department. Time off was great. Off every day at 2:30 p.m. and off Saturday and Sunday.
After about a year I looked around me. The guy on my left was making $10 a week more than I
was (with 12 year’s service) and the guy on my right was making $10 per week LESS than I was
(with 8 year’s service). There was absolutely no promotional opportunity in the next 20 years.
I was in a dead end job!
About then this guy from New York Life showed up. He had this great sales opportunity that
would make me more money than I could spend. It seemed like something I could do so I
signed up. Turns out Pat had signed up and soon Sherry and Larry had also. I could “sell it” but
I didn’t like selling it. New York life came up with a different deal…office manager trainee. I
was in. Six months later I was an office manager in Oklahoma City. The nomadic life begins.
The Oklahoma City Era with One More Baby
We lived at 2601 Manchester, The Village, in Oklahoma City. This was off May Avenue on the
north side of Oklahoma City. I was Office Manager for New York Life at the Cimarron General
Office. Randall and Crystal were in elementary school. Clif was at home. When Clif went off to
1st Grade, we had an empty nest. Barbara wanted another girl. Enter Rachel. Now we had
three in school and one in the bassinet.
We enjoyed Oklahoma City. The weather was good. The people were nice. We joined a
Square Dance Club…the Star Promanaders…took lessons and danced in a Square Dance shindig
with about 1200 people in attendance. We wore our square dance uniforms and had a great
time. We were active in church. Our good friends, the Renfroe’s, were a delight to be around.
He graduated from Nebraska (and played football there) and when Oklahoma and Nebraska
played football we got together and rooted for our favorite team. But all good things must
come to an end and we were soon on our way to Kansas City, Missouri.
Missouri and One More Baby
A member of our Oklahoma City Ward recruited me to work for National Inventory Control
Systems (NICS). This necessitated a move to Kansas City, Missouri. I took over an area as
Regional Manager. There had not been regular service for the customers there for about 18
months. Several were very dissatisfied with the inventory control system that NICS sold and
serviced. I managed to keep all the old customers and signed on several more. I had 19 sales in
my first year compared to 24 for the national leader.
While in Missouri, Scott came along. He was a big baby when he was born, I think 9 pounds 12
ounces. We were in the Independence hospital. The nursery had Scott, a 5 pound baby and a
nursery full of 2 to 3 pound premature babies. Scott looked like he should be up walking
around. It was such a dramatic difference in size as to be almost comical.
We enjoyed Missouri. There were nice parks where we could go to let the kids romp. We
would drive out to Lake Jacomo let the kids play and watch the radio controlled airplanes.
There were good church history sites for us to visit. Schools were good. Neighbors were
friendly. We would drive on snow in the winter which was a big thing for the kids. I enjoyed
the job. Things were comfortable.
After a year, promises made by NICS were broken. At this time New York Life began calling.
They needed a training supervisor. This was a chance for us to get back to Baton Rouge and our
families. It was too much to pass up. So, we packed everything we had into a very large U-Haul
truck and headed south right down Highway 71 to Shreveport.
We ended up in Denham Springs in a house big enough for all the kids to have space. Pete’s
Hwy was our new address and I was back with New York Life. We stayed in that house for
about 16 years. All the kids graduated from Denham Springs High School. Barbara and I settled
into our home there, planted trees, had a garden and enjoyed things. Then the bishop thing
happened, but that is another story for another day.
Don Richardson
time. We were active in church. Our good friends, the Renfroe’s, were a delight to be around.
He graduated from Nebraska (and played football there) and when Oklahoma and Nebraska
played football we got together and rooted for our favorite team. But all good things must
come to an end and we were soon on our way to Kansas City, Missouri.
Missouri and One More Baby
A member of our Oklahoma City Ward recruited me to work for National Inventory Control
Systems (NICS). This necessitated a move to Kansas City, Missouri. I took over an area as
Regional Manager. There had not been regular service for the customers there for about 18
months. Several were very dissatisfied with the inventory control system that NICS sold and
serviced. I managed to keep all the old customers and signed on several more. I had 19 sales in
my first year compared to 24 for the national leader.
While in Missouri, Scott came along. He was a big baby when he was born, I think 9 pounds 12
ounces. We were in the Independence hospital. The nursery had Scott, a 5 pound baby and a
nursery full of 2 to 3 pound premature babies. Scott looked like he should be up walking
around. It was such a dramatic difference in size as to be almost comical.
We enjoyed Missouri. There were nice parks where we could go to let the kids romp. We
would drive out to Lake Jacomo let the kids play and watch the radio controlled airplanes.
There were good church history sites for us to visit. Schools were good. Neighbors were
friendly. We would drive on snow in the winter which was a big thing for the kids. I enjoyed
the job. Things were comfortable.
After a year, promises made by NICS were broken. At this time New York Life began calling.
They needed a training supervisor. This was a chance for us to get back to Baton Rouge and our
families. It was too much to pass up. So, we packed everything we had into a very large U-Haul
truck and headed south right down Highway 71 to Shreveport.
We ended up in Denham Springs in a house big enough for all the kids to have space. Pete’s
Hwy was our new address and I was back with New York Life. We stayed in that house for
about 16 years. All the kids graduated from Denham Springs High School. Barbara and I settled
into our home there, planted trees, had a garden and enjoyed things. Then the bishop thing
happened, but that is another story for another day.
Don Richardson
