Sometime around the age of five, I believe, my mother married my step father, Bruce Knoble, who was a pretty decent man and though not perfect, he did the best he could, and I have pretty good memories of the years he was in my life. 

My mother met Bruce while he was serving in the Navy in Virginia Beach, Virginia.  I believe I was in pre-k at the time, because I remember receiving a report card and crying, because I thought the grade of O meant that I had done poorly and received a zero.  I remember being so afraid I had done so poorly that everyone would be so disappointed in me.  Bruce, being very tall...over 6ft I believe, smiled down at me, scooped me into his arms, and wiped away the tears that were soaking my cheeks while saying that I not only made them proud, but I did better than anybody he knew! Of course, to a 5 year-old, that was huge! I think I decided right then that I loved Bruce and had hoped he would stay with us forever and never go away. 

At this time, dates are unclear, but my mother and Bruce married in December of 1975 and  Once Bruce finished his assignment in the Navy,