This Story Is Mine: The Story of a Depression-Era Orphan Who Triumphed Against Great Odds

This is the story of a depression era orphan, Marie Pead, who grew up in a small town of Fairview in Western Wyoming. She never let the trials of her life hold her down. She had little money and as a young girl had the daily care of her two younger brothers and a younger sister. She still became the belle of the ball. At this time, she owned one hand-me-down dress. Marie was well-liked and popular at the big band dances held in the neighboring town of Afton. Pretty, nice, and spunky, she won the heart of the handsome Spencer Call, a University of Wyoming student who became the chief engineer at the local Call-Air airport and manufacturing company; he could design and build a plane and had a love of the mountains. Marie followed him on many adventures. She loved him distractedly, honoring him as a worthy companion but never lost her grit and spunkiness nor did she ever play second fiddle to anyone. Soon after the war, Spencer left the plane factory to form his own sand and gravel company. Spencer and Marie were a fairy-tale couple who lived in their own Camelot in a home nestled so close to the mountains one could almost touch the peaks. They lived in Camelot but they faced adversity with stoicism. Marie lost a brother in World War II, a son at 18, Spencer when he was 72, and a grandson to suicide. She lived as a widow for 18 years in her own home taking care of herself and never lost her faith in God, her charm, or her love of life. When pursued by other men, even as a widow, she staunchly maintained she was still married to Spencer Call and would be forever. The stories in this book are in Marie's own words in the form of letters she wrote and saved which were compiled and edited by her daughter, Pamela Call Johnson.