Henry Boren S Account of Meeting and Marrying Martha

Henry Boren’s account of meeting and marrying Martha (written after her death in 2005, I believe, presumably for her memorial service)

Martha By Henry

After several decades of happy, married life, Martha and I reaffirmed what we had long believed, that God brought us together. It was, in fact, surprising that we even met. Martha grew up in southeast Missouri and I, of course, here. The age differential—which was more significant in earlier life than later—made it unlikely that if we met we would be attracted to each other.

Martha came to St. Louis in the depression years of the thirties seeking a job that paid a living wage. As for me, I came there to attend a bible study at the Manchester Avenue Church of Christ. This congregation assisted me. When that ended, I too sought a job. After a time I found one, paying $56 per month.

It was on the first Sunday in 1939 that I met Martha, in church. I sat close enough to her to note her fine alto voice and auburn hair. But there was no love at first sight. Though we were in the same church group that socialized in various ways, and though we liked each other, there was no deepening affection for more than a year.

At length I began to say to myself, Why on earth is such a nice, wonderful person not already taken? Still later, I thought, “Why not we two?” Martha was not unaware of my feelings and had some of her own on the issue of age. She tried to put an end to our relationship. I was surprised at my own reaction: I couldn’t even imagine a future life without Martha. After two or three weeks we were sitting together in church again. By 1941 we were talking of a future marriage.

Almost from the beginning I had been participating in the programs of the Manchester congregation and occasionally going to congregations at Bonne Terre and Flat River to speak. Now I was urged to think of a career as a minister, and in summer 1941 conducted two or three Vacation Bible studies. Then I agreed to go to Springfield, Illinois, to help a small group meeting there. After a couple of months I decided to find a job and stay there. I got one as a reporter on the Illinois State Journal. Seeing Martha often had become next to impossible. My days off now did not jibe with Martha’s. I worked on the morning paper from 6:30 a.m. to 2:30 a.m. On Martha’s day off, I drove down to St. Louis for a quick visit and then returned in time to go to work. 24 hours with no sleep! Periods of separation had not destroyed our love for each other.

It seemed time to introduce each other to our families. I took Martha up to Nebo, feeling a little nervous because they knew of the age difference. But I needn’t have worried. All my family, my parents, my brother and all five sisters fell in love with her too. And when I took Martha up to Galesburg where several of her family lived, they seemed to think I might be all right for their sister. It was only at a later time that I met Mama Malone.

Since I was 1-A in the draft and since many who weren’t were nevertheless drafted, we had to take account of that. We decided to get married after the war. The army sent me down to Texas to a post about forty miles from Austin. The news was not good; it looked like a long war. I wrote to Martha saying if she wanted to come down we’d get married immediately. She did and we did. Counting the minister’s wife, there were just six of us at the wedding.

When I was sent overseas, Martha went to stay with two of my sisters in a house owned by one of them, in East Alton, IL. Doris and Lois worked in an ammunition plant and Martha kept house. “War widows” they were called. Everyone hoped the expression wouldn’t become a literal fact.

In November 1944, I was wounded in action and sent to England. In January of 1945, I was sent to a hospital in Springfield, MO. Martha made it down there pretty quickly, as always, but now she had a three-month-old daughter. On the day they arrived, Martha was tired and Gail was crying. I took them home—which was a room in the home of some church folks. In their living room I witnessed one of the most wonderful scenes of my life. Martha leaned over Gail’s bassinet and talked to her. And then that three-month-old talked back! What they were both saying was “I love you.” It really was a magical moment for me. Martha charmed many a baby, and made it one mission of her life to help young mothers with their small children. She could be counted upon in case of illness of just a mother’s need for relief. She worked with handicapped babies in the UNC hospital. Even to the end of her life, all it took to produce a very sweet smile on Martha’s face was letting her hold a baby. Of course she had special feelings for her grandson and at the end, her great-grandsons.

As I’m sure all of you know, the Apostle Paul said that the greatest of enduring virtues is Love. This reinforces my view that I had a very special Spouse. She made life better for almost everyone with whom she interacted. She was a sincere Christian, faithful and true. I hope we will be together in Glory.