Backstory of How Margie Met Jim

How did you meet Grandpa?

Well, it was in April 1940 and my boyfriend Chuck Johnston was running for student body president at USC. (His rival was Gordon Wright, who ultimately became one of Grandpa's best friends and Dean's godfather, but at that time he was the enemy and got skunked.) Anyway, Grandpa was Chuck's campaign manager and they had come to the Theta house to campaign. Grandpa had just had his tonsils out and was sporting a scarf around his neck and his voice creaked. I guess that is why I noticed him! He noticed me too.

They (Chuck's committee) had just been to one of the professors to change one of Chuck's grades to a b so he could run for office. That was the T.N.E. group that ran politics at USC. I think on UCLA too. We chatted and, from then on, that is when I ‘just happened’ to see him a lot on campus at the SAE's "corner". (Grandpa was an SAE, and Grandma was a Theta.) He was always surprised to see me. Hah!

We saw each other the following weekend at the Trojan Knight's dance. Chuck was out glad-handing everyone for their votes, and I was sitting at the table by myself. Well, Grandpa came over and sat down and talked to me, leaving Barbara (his girlfriend) with some friends. That is when i decided that he was for me and I was going to do all in my power to snag him, and I did.

Chuck won the election and we all celebrated at the Coconut Grove for dancing. (Grandma was, admittedly, a two-timer. She owns up to it even today.) Then my friend Evelyn Angle, who was engaged to an SAE, got me a date with one of the SAE brothers, who didn’t have a date, for the day and night long yearly party at the Norco Country Club. It included lunch, swimming, dinner, dancing and more. Boy did I make use of that!!!! I think grandpa didn’t know what hit him (he told me that later, but of course was happy about it). Anyway right after that he made a date with me for after our Monday night meeting, May 6. (And Grandpa was a two-timer too! Just goes to show, great things can come by less-than-socially-acceptable means.)

Well, unfortunately, that was the day that my dad was killed…