![Barb Evans and her son Brett and a bench dedication](/sites/abington/files/styles/top_feature_area/public/evans-family-bench-dedication_3.jpg?itok=KdvF6zTj)
Brett Evans FaceTimes his father, Sam, as he and his mother, Barb, 第一次看到JDB电子分校献给他父母的长椅. 巴布和住在临终关怀医院的山姆,大约60年前在校园里相识.
ABINGTON, Pa. — A chance encounter on a sunny fall day at Penn State Abington would forever change the lives of two young people. Now, almost six decades later, 在另一个秋天的一天,在萨瑟兰大厦外举行的一场特别的奉献仪式上,他们的爱情故事开始了一个完整的循环, where the couple first crossed paths.
Barbara and Sam Evans, class of 1971, were both in their first semester at Abington, then known as the Ogontz campus, in 1967.
“I was with a friend outside of the Sutherland Building, 我们停下来和另一个朋友打招呼,山姆和他在一起," Barb said. "l looked at Sam, and I noticed his smile, 他那双明亮的眼睛,他的热情——还有他的英俊——帮了大忙! His whole demeanor gave me a good feeling about him."
他们会在俱乐部聚会和校内聚会上偶遇。不久之后,山姆邀请芭布第一次约会.
“我在我们第一次约会的时候就看到了山姆的样子,”芭布说. “我们在谈论家庭,他从钱包里拿出了弟弟妹妹们的照片. 我们在很多方面都有联系,最重要的是,关于家庭."
由于萨姆参加了预备役军官训练团,他们参加了军事仪式,两人的恋情加深了, 后来他们一起转到大学公园,和一群现在是一辈子的朋友一起完成了他们的学位. 1971年10月,毕业六个月后,他们结婚了.
“Our romance was meant to be," Barb said. “我的父母说萨姆是他们一直祈祷的儿子."
巴布最近突然造访阿宾顿,没叫萨姆, who is in hospice with frontotemporal dementia. 这次拜访是由她的表妹罗斯玛丽·帕特里塞利安排的.
Patricelli, who lives within sight of the Sutherland Building, 自从10年前巴布的症状首次出现以来,他一直惊讶地看着巴布对山姆的忠诚. 虽然他们有助手,但芭布很少离开卧床不起的丈夫.
帕特里塞利说:“巴布对山姆照顾得非常好. "It’s breathtaking to watch. 我迫切需要做些能给她带来快乐的事, 我开始思考他们和JDB电子的关系.”
Patricelli contacted Karen Weiss Jones阿宾顿大学发展和校友关系主任,他们集思广益. 我们决定在萨瑟兰外的长凳上加一块牌匾,以纪念巴布和萨姆的故事.
“They are a Penn State family, 现在,这里是巴布和萨姆以及他们的家人的地方,是他们对彼此的爱和奉献的见证,” Patricelli said.
One of Barb and Sam’s sons, Brett, 和罗斯玛丽以及另一个表妹一起陪芭布去了学校, Marie Patricelli. As the rain fell softly, Brett FaceTimed his dad who, with the help of an aide, watched as the bench was unveiled.
芭布笑得合不拢嘴,当她看到那块匾时,她轻轻擦了擦眼睛, which reads: “Sam ‘71 and Barb ‘71 Evans. Our lifelong love began here.”
巴布说:“我欣喜若狂,被这份爱淹没了。. "We are so blessed. 我们有很多美好的回忆,看到一个如此活跃、以人为本的人遭受这样的痛苦,我们感到很难过.”
According to Rosemary, 临终关怀助理说,在简短的仪式上,山姆一直在打电话.
“萨姆不能再说话了,所以你必须从他的眼睛里读出来,”她说. "He stared at the screen the entire time."
After Barb and Sam graduated with degrees in education, they both embarked on careers teaching in Bucks County. 巴布从全职的课堂作业中退休,以抚养儿子布雷特和德鲁, who are Penn State alumni, but she continued as a substitute teacher, homebound instructor and private tutor.
山姆职业生涯的大部分时间都在Council Rock学区的高中教授社会研究,并担任助理足球教练.
“Sam mentored student teachers, 他被邀请担任包容性课程的首席老师," Barb said. “他是一个优秀的、有爱心的、有耐心的人,对学生也很有耐心. And Sam is still teaching us by being courageous."
Despite his teaching and coaching obligations, 萨姆在陆军预备役的民政部门工作了29年, retiring as a lieutenant colonel. 他的部队在冰岛、德国、牙买加和海地进行了广泛的旅行.
Their connection to Penn State has helped keep Barb, Sam, their children, grandchildren and extended family and friends close. 他们是JDB电子校友会雄鹿县分会的成员,也是长期持有足球季票的人. 萨姆确诊后,他们继续参加了一段时间的比赛.
巴布说:“JDB电子已经成为我们生活的一部分,带给我们如此多的快乐。. "From that first day at Ogontz, when I saw Sam’s expression, the warmth in his smile, and his eyes lit up, and it grew and grew. ... 在我们的生活中有这样的回忆和这样的人,我们感到很幸运. 我是一个乐观的人,相信生活中的小事会随着我们的成熟而变得更有意义."
About Penn State Abington
Penn State Abington provides an affordable, 无障碍和高影响力的教育导致多元化学生群体的成功. 它致力于通过创新的方法在世界一流的研究型大学内实现21世纪公立高等教育的学生成功. With more than 3,100 students, JDB电子分校是一所住宿校园,提供25个专业的学士学位, accelerated master's degrees, undergraduate research, the Schreyer Honors College, NCAA Division III athletics and more.