40 years ago it was 15 degrees below zero. I had been living in sin with Kenny Mercer for 1 year. When we had been dating for a few weeks we decided we would get married. I told him of my past marriages and that if we could live together for one year without me leaving I would marry him. So began a life of sin!
That year went by very well with only a few bumps in the road. We began a trucking business in and life was good. On December 23, 1983 Kenny and Gene Baugh were putting a drive line in one of the old tandems. It was 15 degrees below zero! They went to Pueblo Brake and Clutch to pick the drive line up that had been repaired. PB&C was closed! They came home and Gene left. Over a cup of coffee and a sandwich, Kenny looked at me and said, "Well, it has been a year. Let's just go get this shittin' mess over with!" So we did!
We picked up a license and found a retired minister in an assisted living place in Canon City. He mumbled a few words, had his bed bound wife in the next room sign on the dotted line. He stepped into the hall and found a befuddled old man to sign on the other line and we left the building as man and wife! A quick stop at the donut shop for a cup of coffee and a chocolate doughnut and then home to Pueblo.
Upon our arrival, we found a cheap bottle of wine in the middle of the table. Apparently Gene had known what the plan was. The next time Gene showed up we offered to share the wine with him in a celebratory drink. He declined, saying "If I knew I was going to have to help drink it I would have gotten some good stuff!"
And so began my life as Mrs. Kenneth Mercer, a role I enjoyed until his death in 2003. We fished, traveled, worked, learned to square dance, played cards, raised 2 of my kids and adopted a grandson. He retired and I continued to work with my AIDS patients. He baked cinnamon rolls and made carmel corn. We joined a church and life was good.
Do I miss him? There is not a day that goes by that I do not see those twinkling, beautiful blue eyes. He is the person who made me realize that I am a worthwhile human being and I should never sell myself short. I have learned to live alone. He had always said that I should not give up when he was gone. Life does not end for one just because it ends for the other. I do date occasionally, but it never ends well.
He was honest. He was patient. He was faithful. He had an incredible sense of humor. Trustworthy. He believed in me.
I guess mother said it all when she said "When you lose a husband, he immediately takes on sainthood. Even if he is completely worthless, you will remember only the good in him."
Momma was right! Momma was always right!
RIP Kenneth A Mercer
1931-2003
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