A LIFETIME LOVE AFFAIR BEGINS: Mom and dad met at a church dance in October 1937. From that day forward neither of them dated anyone else. Because they both were working full time and dad was working shift work at the Detroit Edison Company, some of their dates took place after midnight. Mom's family liked dad. On April 9, 1938, after six months of dating, they eloped to be married by a Methodist minister in Angola, Indiania. Mom was 19 and dad was 23. They never provided an explanation of why they eloped. On May 14, 1938, mom's parents hosted a reception to honor the newly weds. SO BEGINS A SIXTY-SIX YEAR LOVE AFFAIR! During and after the courtship, they would make visits to the farm and would often go horseback riding. Horseback riding was one thing mom loved to do. She had a great love of animals, especially horses and puppies. Regular summer visits to dad's family in Grayling were also an important part of mom's new married life. In October 1939, Marshall, Jr. was born and the Sauer family could not have been happier to have a grandson.