Do you want to know who is the bachelor resident who has lived in the village longerthan any other bachelor? He is Gerry Langley. He arrived in 1990, and moved in to #2043. A young single guy at age 62, hewas the most sought after dude in the neighborhood. Today, to celebrate his birthday of August 10th. we celebrated Gerry's 83rd. birthday.
Along with three of his children, and hosted by Lyle and Reta, there was a record crowd at the clubhouse.
Gerry was born on a farm near Chalk Mound,Kansas, the fifth of thirteen children. He worked and lived on the farm, learning the important things in life. When he entered high school, he left the farm, and in 1948, after graduation, enlisted in the Air Force. Stationed in Okinawa,he went to Korea when the Korean Conflict broke out. Back home in Kansas after his enlistment ended in 1952. he took on several jobs. The firstwas with Western Electric where he held the title of electrician and installer.
The next was as a dump truck driverat the Moleen, Kansas Rock Quarry.Gerry married and had four wonderful sons: Floyd of Arlington, Texas, David (his wife Nancy)of Kansas City, Kansas, Bruce of Shawnee, Kansas, and Douglas (his wife Colette) of Mesa, Arizona.
He has been blessed with five granddaughters, and two great grand sons. An interesting side note told to me by son Bruce. He said their mother had three sisters (no brothers) and they all had sons only. The sons all had daughters only. Now the only sons and only daughters tradition is continuing. Gerry's son David told how his dad once took on a second job as Crew Chief for Tom Hook Maintenance, (janitorial work) in order to make it possible for Dave to have a job. Gerry would go to work all day on his regular job, then come home and work the second job while being Dave's boss. Guess we can assume, Gerry was a good dad. The big baseball team in those early days was the Kansas City Royals. The boys say they got to go to several Royal games, mostly because their mom needed to get them out of the house for a while. Gerry happily obliged.
Gerry was very active in Boy Scouts. He took the Scouts out on their annual Lincoln Trail hike, out of Springfield, Illinois. He was also the Scout Master who,"took us out on those long assed nights," quipped Doug.
J.C.Penny Credit Office of Mission, Kansas, was the establishment where Gerry worked for most of his career, and from which he retired. He has spent these last twenty years right here in the village,and enjoyed it to no end. He loves watching the St. Louis Cardinals, and of course, the Arizona Diamond Backs, while honkered down in his recliner chair. Although Gerry is not able to join in many of the activities in the complex, we recall a story told to us about one special activity he was involved in, in 1992. It was a Fashion Show put on by Gerri Weinreich and friends, featuring one surprise model. Turns out the surprise model was Gerry, dressed up as a most elegant lady. We are told he came slinking down the stairs in his fancy get-up, and immediately stole the show.
In our opinion, Gerry still steals the show.
Many more happy years, my friend.
Mary Weeks