Dick Vieira and Carmen Galdos were married May 7, 1950. They dated for three years before getting married, meeting at a dance in San Juan Bautista. Mom said he was the only boy with a car – “He was high-tone.” Dad was smitten from the beginning and said he chased “her until she caught him.” I don’t know who chased who. It depends on who tells the story.
Mom said, “I didn’t marry him ’cause I loved him, although I did. I married him ’cause he was a good man.”
Their first home was at the Indart Ranch on Comstock Road. Mom, a city girl, became the ranch cook and Dad, born a cowboy, worked as the ranch hand. Together they made $125 a month. Mom cooked on a wood stove and made everything from scratch. There was no electricity to plug anything in. Ranch life was tough. It took a special kind of partnership between a Cowboy and his Sweetheart to keep it going.
My Dad is the romantic. He would bring mom flowers – sometimes in his saddle bags, a bit ragged – “a poor man’s roses.”
From the day they married, they lived in someone else’s house. But in 2005, my Dad fulfilled a promise to buy Mom her own home on Santa Ana Valley.
They respect each other, are considerate of each other and have kept their wedding vows for all of 64 years, still holding hands and taking care of each other and their great-grandson John. They are traditional parents: Mom the caregiver, Dad the provider and protector. They worked very hard to create a life for their family, but wouldn’t trade it for anything.
Together they have two daughters, Trish and Merri; three grandchildren, Julie, Dawn and Ricky; and one great-grandson, John.
As their youngest daughter, I am very fortunate and blessed to have such wonderful folks. They have seen all of us through good times and bad times, and are always there to support us. Mom and Dad are my heroes.
(Submitted by Merri Vieira)
