California Courtship and Marriage

Sometime in 1947 my brother Eldon had gone to California to stay with Aunt Florence and Uncle Evan. He had been bothered by rheumatic fever that had affected his heart, and our parents thought the lower altitude would be good for his health.

"Sunny California - our happy boy"
Eldon, 1947

Eldon - 1947

He met Susan Campbell while in California and they were later married.

Susan Campbell - Eldon Butler
1947

Susan - Eldon - Mable - Jess
the young couple with his parents

Susan Ione Campbell - Jesse Eldon Butler
August 27, 1947

Eldon's father, Jess Butler, gave the new couple some sound advice through the poem (above) and the note (below).

Although I can't be certain, it appears that Jess may have written the poem himself. I have done a search on the internet for poetry containing these words and found nothing. He doesn't credit another author, and the words read as though they were written specifically for Eldon and Susan.