How Sherry and I met…

            

     Sherry had moved to Los Angeles a week after Debbie’s birthday in December of 1971. She had really good friends (Lynda and Ralph Bradley) that she had originally met at church in Charlotte, who invited her to live with them until she could get on her feet and become settled in her own apartment. So, Sherry, Todd and Debbie moved into the Bradley’s home in LaVerne, California along with the six Bradley children. It was quite a crowd but also was a very loving home and they had a wonderful time living together. Sherry knew that living on her own with two youngsters was going to be hard, but her faith was as strong as her determination to be independent so, facing each day as a new challenge she began her new life in the really big city.

      In May of 1972, I was invited to join the production team of a new show called “Disney on Parade” that would be touring the major U.S. and European cities during the upcoming 50^th anniversary year (1973) for Walt Disney Productions. I was hired as the Production Assistant to the legendary Hollywood Producer/Director, Mike Grilikhes and was truly excited to have an office in the famous animation building on the Disney lot in Burbank. Talk about livin’ the dream! I had just finished eight months contributing to the grand opening of Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida and was now moving to a new opportunity to dive deeper into helping to create some more “Disney Magic” with this exciting new show.

     I got a really cool apartment in Glendale, CA, just minutes from the Disney lot, bought a brand new chocolate-colored Nissan 240-Z sports car and started my new job - loving life.

     Sherry started working at the Alta Loma Institute of Religion as a receptionist and was also really enjoying her new west-coast experience. We both were active in the church and especially in the program for single unmarried adults that met every other Sunday night at the Institute of Religion on the campus of the University of Southern California (which both Paul and Tanya know really well having attended school there).

     There was a fireside one night at the USC Institute and the leaders of our group had invited me to sing a song that I had written especially for a missionary farewell. So, my song was the special musical number on the program that night and I was standing close to the piano in the far back of this great big meeting room. The song went well, the speaker was terrific and the fireside was about to close. The person leading the meeting thanked everyone for coming and invited Sister Sparrow to say the closing prayer. Sister Sparrow (Sherry, of course) was in the front, I was way in the back and there had to have been close to 150 other people in the room – big crowd that night.

     I closed my eyes and bowed my head in prayer as this wonderfully sweet voice filled the room raising her tender petition to heaven above. Somewhere in the middle of the prayer, Sister Sparrow thanked Heavenly Father for, as close as I can recall her words, “Michael’s beautiful voice and for his wonderful song.” My head snapped up immediately as I was trying to see who was thanking God for me! It was this gorgeous blond girl with the gentle honey-dripped voice of someone obviously from the South.

     

     I had to meet her!

            

     As the group broke up for the evening, I fought my way quickly to the front of the room searching for the beautiful person who said the closing prayer. Not surprisingly, when I found her, she was with a date. Undeterred, I introduced myself and was immediately stunned by both her beauty and charmed by the gentle southern lilt in her speech. She was a stunner!

            

     And, I knew I only had one chance. So, I asked for her number.

     

     Now, remember that is probably an unwritten rule of dating engagement that you simply don’t do that when the woman’s date is standing right there. But, she was worth breaking the rules for. And, even more amazing…she actually gave me her number – with her date standing there with his mouth wide open.

     So began our dating life.