Ruth
Ann’s Grandmother, Frieda Curtin, lived only 30 miles away from Hastings (Nebraska)
in a town called Grand Island. At the
time, Grandma was in a wheelchair and when she heard about the plans for a
parade in Hastings, nothing was going to keep her from going.
Ruth
Ann’s aunt, Francis Waldo, also lived in Grand Island and offered to take grandma
to the parade. I’m sure they had to
leave early in order to park, and find a good spot along the parade route. Grandma wasn’t going to allow anyone to block her view. They found a good spot along the parade
route, and waited with 8000 other people to see the returning Nebraska Olympian
hero.
Gary
and Ruth Ann were traveling the parade route in an open convertible. When Gary saw grandma sitting on the
sideline and waving furiously, he asked the car driver to stop (which meant
stopping the parade), got out and ran over to give grandma a great big
hug. Ruth Ann also stepped out of the
car to greet grandma and Aunt Francis.
 |
| Gary and Ruth Ann along the parade route, Gary Anderson Day, October 26, 1964. |
They
hopped back in the car and the parade commenced. Unfortunately we do not have a picture to commemorate
the moment, but grandma Curtin talked
about that for the rest of her life, and Ruth Ann isn’t sure who got the bigger
bear hug in that moment.
 |
| Frieda Curtin, Ruth Ann's grandmother |
