Allen (B.S.’62, M.S.’66) and Carol (Marcks) (B.A.’63) Smith met on campus as students in 1960 and have quite the story to tell, included an unexpected kiss. The following was submitted by Allen.
A Short History (58 Years)
On a cold January night in 1960, a freshman girl came into the Student Center to ask a team mate of mine for a ride to Birmingham between semesters. We were introduced and chatted for a little while.
The very next day as our team bus pulled into the Yost Fieldhouse in Ann Arbor, the same girl climbed out of her father's station-wagon and walked across the ice thick road to the building. During the AAU track meet, I sat in the bleachers and talked with her. Then when my event came up I went onto the track and anchored the American Record breaking 4x220 relay (Johnson, Johnson, Singleton, Smith). I walked back to the seats and kissed her.
Now 58 years later, two sons and years of college lecturing and administration, we sit in retirement in Florida and wonder how different our lives would have been had she not needed a ride to Birmingham that winter.
We married in Birmingham in 1961 and WMU was well represented at the wedding. When Carol graduated we flew to Australia so she could meet my family and our first son Graeme was born there.
I taught high school in Melbourne before we flew back to the States in 1964. I received an assistantship to do my M.A. at WMU in geography while Carol taught history at a high school in Battle Creek.
After the M.A., I took a position at Central Connecticut State University in New Britain and Carol took charge of a girl’s dormitory. After three years I did advance work at Southern Illinois, Indiana, and Harvard Universities, before retaking my post at CCSU where I lectured in geography for 30 years.
After raising our second son Matthew, Carol took a position in the administration of the Greater Hartford Community College where she was the Director of Personnel, until she retired in 1996.
During my career as a professor I was involved with serval environmental organizations, lectured at both Harvard and Yale, published two thematic atlases and received several National Science grants.
It has been a very rewarding life and both our sons and their wives are involved in educational careers. Our only grandchild was recently admitted to the National Honor Society and we are immensely proud of her.
Did you know there are at least 12,604 married Bronco Alumni couples out there? Are you one of them? Share your story or story idea at MyWMU.com/MyStory.