CELEBRATING 50 YEARS

Our story began on the campus of Rio Lindo Academy, a private boarding school nestled along the beautiful banks of the Russian River in Healdsburg, California. It was the summer of 1972, and though we were aware of each other, we didn’t truly connect until classes began that fall.

​

That’s when Ann Louise caught Andy’s eye. She was one of the prettiest girls in the class, and Andy was determined to get to know her better. Boarding school life meant that all the students ate together in the cafeteria, so Andy devised his own plan: he began “inviting himself” to sit with Ann and her friends at mealtimes. To Ann, who had been raised with proper manners, this was a bit bold—after all, boys should ask politely before taking a seat! But she tolerated the tall, lean boy who wouldn’t be deterred… and, if truth be told, she thought he was kind of cute.

​

Soon, the spark between us began to grow. Our first “dates” were simple but meaningful—cheering at intramural softball games, playing on the field, and spending time together in the rhythms of campus life. Andy enjoyed showing off his skills, and Ann enjoyed his company more than she let on.

​

A few weeks later came the school and class elections. Both of us were running for class offices, and we attended the event together. That evening, when we both won our elections, it felt as if another vote had quietly been cast—the one that sealed the beginning of our relationship.

​

What started with cafeteria conversations and softball games became the foundation of a love story that would last a lifetime.