A Valentine Jubilee
By Tracy Rolling

Clara and Donald at the Ramona Senior Center smile just as brightly as the day of their wedding.

Inside the cathedral walls of a San Diego Methodist Church on August 14, 1947, Reverend Warmer asked a 26-year-old man and a 21-year-old woman if they promised to love and cherish each other, for richer or poorer, in sickness and in health, all of the days of their lives.

"I do," they exchanged to one another, and Clara Frances Donahoo joined Donald Schock in holy matrimony.

It was more than 60 years ago when the couple met by fate on a blind date. A mutual friend made arrangements to double date and attend a 'Fighting Bob Evans Legion Valentine's Day Dance.'

Donald had just returned home from World War II where he served as a First Class Medal-Smith for the U.S. Navy.

Clara giggles as she shares, "He had sewn his wild oats and was looking to settle down."

It wasn't long before Donald proposed, and respecting Clara's father's wishes, they waited until Clara turned 21 to marry.

The Schocks smile as they begin their married life together.

Though the courtship was brief - six months to be exact - the newlyweds had established the utmost of respect for each other, even saying simultaneously, "The key to our marriage has been respect and communication."

Clara added, "Family comes first. You have to take care of you, your husband and your children, and you have to learn to be independent from your previous priorities."

Donald chimed in, "Never go to bed mad,"admitting he never has.

A year after they were married, they rejoiced with the birth of their son, Steven, and 21 months after that, they were delighted when their daughter Joy was born.

As native San Diegians, the Schock family enjoyed the wonderful year-round climate, visiting all of the local attractions, and camping and fishing whenever they had an opportunity.

Clara was proud to be a homemaker, while Donald supported their family by working as a civil service employee at the U.S. Navy Amphibious Base in Coronado in the Sheet Metal Shop.

As their children grew, they began to do more things together and Clara took up golf and bowling and joined Donald in his weekend activities.

In 1974, when Donald retired, Clara decided to pursue a career in real estate. Donald became a homemaker/retiree and narrated, "I would golf on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, clean the house on Tuesdays and tend the garden on Thursdays."

It was a great time in their lives and the duo concur that there has been no one season greater than another.

In 1987, for their 40th Anniversary, the couple embarked on a trip of a lifetime. They wrote an essay titled "Why we want to go to Australia," and were awarded the opportunity to travel with two of their closest friends as international friendship ambassadors for the United States Touring Junior and Senior Citizen Bowling Team.

Needless to say they enjoyed every minute of the 34-day journey, visiting Singapore, Beijing, Hong Kong and the Great Barrier Reef, along with other areas of Australia.

It was their Golden Anniversary party-- arranged by their children- - that truly touched their hearts. "The kids organized a wonderful party and we enjoyed visiting with family and friends whom we hadn't seen in a very long time,"Clara tells, as she and Donald agree that money has never been important. "Being companions and laughing a lot is what has made our life together so enjoyable," she says.

Today the Schock's have three beautiful grandchildren; Aaron, Sunny and Jacob. They have six wonderful great-grandchildren; Ashley, Brian, Justin, Willow, Slade and Hannah.

They live in Ramona with their son, Steven Schock, while their daughter and her husband, Joy and Jeff Wise, live nearby in El Cajon.

The couple visit the Ramona Senior Center often for a friendly game of cards and have recently joined the Ramona Ramblers, where they will soon be headed to Laughlin, Nevada for their next adventure.

Donald and Clara attribute the success of their marriage to respect, communication and a 50/50 partnership. They smile, hold hands and say, "We've really enjoyed our life together."