Max and Ruth- a love story

 

It was a bet with a fraternity brother that brought the two of them together. Max, handsome with twinkling blue eyes was dared by one of his fraternity brothers to kiss Ruth Mabel Stoddard Kimball Weaver, or Kay as he called her. With confident arrogance Max placed the wager. After all, he had traded a few dances with Kay and was sure she was interested in him. But Kay was not a kiss on the first date girl. No, she made Max wait. So after a walk up the Logan River with Kay, he reluctantly placed 50 cents in his fraternity buddy’s hand.
Max lost the bet, but won the girl. Dancing with Kay led to the bet, the bet led to a courtship and then an engagement. Max courted Kay during the poorest of poor days at Utah State. It was the 30’s and the great depression hit Utah hard. Max was a farm boy from Layton, son of David and Sophia Weaver with roots dating back to early Utah settlement days. Max was determined to get his education and put his farming days behind him.

Kay was the daughter of Leo and Marie Kimball and granddaughter to the beloved Thomas X. Smith- a prominent Logan citizen in the early days. Kay carried herself with confidence, wore a smile and dazzled Max with her sparkling blue eyes. She in turn was quickly mesmerized by this darling farm boy.

Max would walk 32 blocks to and from his apartment to court Kay. This had to be a mark of true love. Max and Kay had both grown up dancing and together they quickly found a rhythm. Max remembers with fondness dancing with Kay at the fraternity and sorority dances at USU. He even seemed to hum his favorite songs while we visited “… I’ll be seeing you in all the old familiar places…” and “… She kissed me once, she kissed me twice, she kissed me once again..” The two were married on December 28, 1939 in the Logan LDS temple on a very cold morning.

 

 

 

 

 

 

( The love story of Max and "Kay" (My paternal grandparents)  is one of my all time favorites.  A perfect read for Valentine's!)