Jim and Susan Duncan
Bill and Nancy Jordan
FEBRUARY 2017 PARKER COUNTY TODAY
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Jim and Susan Duncan
The 50-Year-Long College Romance
Jim and Susan Duncan met at Texas Tech University in the autumn of 1964 . Jim ’ s roommate happened to be Susan ’ s friend . He set the two of them up on a blind date . “ We went to the movies ,” Jim said . They hit it off .
“ She was very attractive .”
After their third date , Susan came down with mononucleosis and had to go home to McKinney to recuperate . She finished her fall semester at Southern Methodist University and stayed for the spring semester then went to the University of Hawaii for a summer semester . Jim , of course , stayed at Texas Tech . “ I ’ d drive down to Dallas and see her from time to time while she was at SMU ,” Jim said . The summer was rather lonely . “ I figured I ’ d lose her to the Marine Corps or to the Navy .” But there was no one in Hawaii that compared to Jim Duncan . Susan returned to the mainland a little early . “ She called and said she was back ,” Jim said . “ I went to McKinney to see her and a year later we were married .”
Their wedding took place on Jan . 27 , 1967 , at the First Methodist Church of McKinney — the same church her parents and grandparents had attended for decades .
After their honeymoon the newlyweds returned to school at Texas Tech . Both graduated . Susan became an elementary school teacher and first taught at Stanley Elementary School where Jim had once been a student . Jim followed the same career path that his father had taken — real estate with a brief detour .
“ I went to Fort Bragg , NC , for basic training in November 1968 ,” Jim said .
He returned to his hometown of Weatherford , made a life , a brilliant career , and he and Susan raised a family . In January , they celebrated their 50 th Anniversary .
What ’ s the secret of staying married for half a century ?
“ A lot of people would joke and say it ’ s learning to say , ‘ Yes , Ma ’ am ,’” Jim said . “ It ’ s better than that . It ’ s a two-way street . You ’ re going to have your ups and you ’ re gonna have your downs . You ’ re gonna have your stress times and your emotional times . The finest thing that I feel like we have in our relationship has been caring for each other and knowing when to keep your mouth shut . It ’ s a give and take . You can make yourself be more giving — which Susan is .” Jim and Susan Duncan clearly have had a happy life . “ We have been fortunate ,” Jim said . “ Both our kids turned out wonderful .”
Their son , Matt , and daughter , Ashley Conlon , are both successful in their careers ; they give back to the community and are active in their churches . They ’ re people that any parent would be proud of . But , best of all , “ We have three wonderful granddaughters ,” Jim said . “ We ’ ve had a lot of fun together . We ’ ve had a great past . We ’ re enjoying the present and we look forward to a long , great future .”
Bill and Nancy Jordan
Sixty Years Of Never Crossing Jordan
Bill and Nancy Jordan ’ s story would have made a great Sandra Dee movie . They were high school sweethearts . He was on the football team and she was a cheerleader . They both grew up in Weatherford , met in junior high , and became fast friends . They started dating in high school . They married the summer after their graduation in 1957 .