Bernd Haines
Jesse,and I wer like brothers throughout high school. We just seemed to get in trouble together on a regular basis. In our senior year we extended senior skip day to a skip week. Upon our return to school we were ushered into the counselors office and informed we would not be graduating. Jesse called his mom and when she arrived with flames and anger the decision was made to let us graduate. I inadvertently overheard her most reasonable argument "Do you really want to deal with these boys for another year?"
Fran and Jesse met at Lakes High School and in our senior year Jesse confided he was going to marry that girl. After graduation we went to the Army Recruiters office to join under the buddy program somehow on that day I was the only one who joined (long story for another day). I returned home on leave enroute to Vietnam, Jesse and I got to spend some valuable time together. He kept telling me how much Fran meant to him. One day we went to the Tacoma Mall so he could pick out a ring for Fran. He apologized that he would be marrying Fran while I was deployed. I let him know I understood and there never would be a situation that changed our relationship.
Upon my return from Vietnam it was Jesse in his 1968 Camaro that picked me up from Fort Lewis and drove me home to surprise my family.
We have stayed in touch periodically through the years.
To my Brother Jesse and his partner in life, Fran, I am thankful that you two are once again together, pain free and healthy. I will miss your posts on fb and our conversations through the years. With all my love, Wayne