Part 2: How Virginia met Jim

Blind date
by Jim Woodard

During the spring of 1955, I was working as a staff announcer at KMTV, the CBS television affiliate in Omaha.  I had also been a part-time student at a bible school in Omaha -- Grace Bible Institute (GBI) -- to satisfy my interest in church history.

One day my KMTV boss mentioned the station needed two or three new floor directors – men who would prepare sets in the studios, cue performers, etc.  I told him that a few men I knew at the bible institute might be interested in such a job. Subsequently, three of those men were hired.

One of those young men – Clarence Tieszen – was a particularly good friend of mine.  Even though he was five years younger than me, he gave me some good advice.  He thought I should be more sociable with the opposite sex.  In fact, he even offered to line me up with a blind date.  I reluctantly accepted his suggestion and a date was planned.

I was to meet the girl on Sunday at Tieszen's apartment.  I learned that the girl's name was Virginia.  She was blond and came from a small Mennonite community in Manitoba, Canada.  She was a recent GBI graduate and had a secretarial job in Omaha. She also played the organ for a church in Omaha.

I definitely liked what I saw from the start.  That first date was actually a double-date with Tieszen and his wife, Muriel.  Where did we go?  To church, of course.  After that Sunday evening event, we continued to date on a regular and frequent basis.  Still are today. 

During those early dates, there was a brief time when I wondered if this girl was for real.  Our personalities and lifestyle preferences seemed so perfectly meshed together I thought maybe she was skillfully putting on an act to get a commitment from me.  But that was just a fleeting thought.  I quickly realized she was definitely for real – very real.

About 40 days after the first date we were engaged.  Shortly thereafter we drove to Des Moines to introduce the soon-to-be new member of the family to my folks.  They were delighted with my blind date girl.  Now, 57 years and four kids later, I am totally convinced she is indeed very real.