Fort Worth Couple Still Has Plenty of "Fizz" 64 Years Later

Feb. 7, 2012 - PRLog -- The year was 1947, and a young man named Bill Yinger had his eyes set on a lovely young woman named Joann.  His roommate at Oklahoma University had bet him five dollars that he could not get a night date with Joann, and Bill accepted the offer.  Joann, a recent transfer from Sweetbriar College in Virginia, was booked every weekend for the next month, so Bill settled for weekly coke dates during the week.

“Since the bet was for a night date, our weekly coke dates didn’t count,” said Bill.  “I patiently waited my turn until we finally had our first evening date.  I ended up winning the bet, but the five dollars did not cover all of the daytime coke dates!”

After going steady for two years, the couple married in 1949 in Oklahoma City.  Bill took a job as an engineer for a local oil company, and together, the couple moved to Midland, Texas, to begin their lives together.  In 1952, Bill and Joann moved back to Oklahoma City where Bill became an independent oil and gas producer.  While Bill was out in the oil fields, Joann was a homemaker and cared for their four children.  Together, the family became involved in their local church, and Bill and Joann became highly involved with Young Life, a non-denominational Christian ministry which focuses on youth development. Eventually the couple’s involvements lead to Bill serving on the national board of the organization for 35 years.

“Our marriage really began when we began to focus on our faith,” said Joann.  “A marriage takes work, and adding children to the mix can complicate things.  Knowing we were raising our family on a strong foundation of love and spirituality, kept us going strong.”

Now enjoying retirement at The Stayton at Museum Way, these senior lovebirds stay young by trying to keep up with their four kids, 14 grandkids and four great grandkids.  Every now and then they take a walk down memory lane, and drink to each other with a coca-cola, the drink that keeps on making memories 64 years later.


ABOUT THE STAYTON AT MUSEUM WAY

The Stayton at Museum Way, a $164 million senior living community in Fort Worth’s Cultural District, is an 11-story, three building community featuring 188 independent living residences with a variety of spacious one-, two- and three-bedroom floor plans. In addition to resort-style independent living, The Stayton provides onsite assisted living, memory support, and private skilled nursing for life care residents and others in the community.

The Stayton at Museum Way is a 501(c)3 not-for-profit senior living community sponsored by Senior Quality Lifestyles Corporation (SQLC), a Texas-based nonprofit organization that sponsors sister communities The Buckingham in Houston, Edgemere in Dallas, Querencia at Barton Creek in Austin, and Mirador in Corpus Christi. For information call (817) 439-6936 or visit www.thestayton.com.