Please add your stories, memories, well wishes for John & Jeanette. We will present this website to them while we are on vacation in Hatteras on June 21st.

~ Lyssa Adkins

For many years when I was a child, we vacationed at Myrtle Beach. I remember being very happy there, enjoying the family and whatever friends happened to join us. It seems to me that mom and dad were especially happy there. I remember one time that mom, dad and I (and maybe Troy) pulled the seine net in knee deep mud to catch shrimp. I'm sure it was awful in its own way, but all I remember is us laughing when we got stuck in the mud, or fell over, or got excited to see the shrimp in the net. Another time, I remember family laughter when Troy was catching the she crabs that two women on the beach were throwing back and they got upset with him. He couldn't understand why they were upset. He was so excited to catch so many crabs so quickly!

~ Lyssa Adkins

My parents love to dance.
Ever since I can remember,
my parents have loved to dance,
with each other.

I have always known this.
Ever since i was a very little boy.
We lived in Madison Heights, Virginia.
I was 4. Or 5. Or 6.

We all piled in the car one Saturday.
Mom, Dad, Lyssa, and me.
We passed Jerry Falwell hill.
And parked in front of an unassuming ranch home, I'd never been to.

From the front porch I could hear
a thump thump thump.
The host opened the door
and she was beautiful. Chic even.

As we went down the split-level stairs,
the thumps turned into beeps
and boops and, wow, sopranos
and bass and hope and LIVING.

Mom set me and Lyssa up
with coloring books and crayons
in the far corner of the room,
thankfully not out of eye- or earshot.

I dragged crayons across paper
pretending to do my work,
but I could not take my eyes off
the actual business of the room.

A few couples, my parents' age,
watched the hostess and her husband
weave their arms in and out of each other
with the fanciest footwork i'd ever seen.

Once the first magical song had ended,
the hostess put on another record,
and then all of the couples began to
repeat the twists and twirls.

They were all laughing and hooting
and sometimes even hollering, as
they twisted around the concrete floor
to the most amazing sounds i'd ever heard.

I was so excited by the ensemble effort,
but have to admit, I could not take my eyes off my mom and dad
as they learned the Hustle.

All afternoon long. At Disco class.
It was Heaven.

~ troy clark

Well, Jeanette and John, next your kids, I know you longer than most. I was there when Cupid stuck his arrow into you guys and a "skinny" girl from Perth Amboy and a sailor from Laurence Harbor became girlfriend and boyfriend and fell deeply in love. From then on there was no one else for either one of you, and look with that got you! Married 50 years! Yipes. It was a journey, I'm sure, but one blessed with a beautiful family, a lovely home, and a new one soon to enjoy.

May you be blessed with good health and good fortune.

Love and hugs,
Bernadette.

~ Lyssa Adkins