Alex and Leon had been a couple since their teenage years. I may be mistaken, but I believe Leon is the only guy she ever dated more than one time. They met when Leon had been recruited from Ukraine because Nevada Ballet Theater desperately needed male dancers. When he moved to Las Vegas, he spoke very little English, lived with other Russian transplants and thought 7-11s were where Americans bought their food. He was a couple of years older than Alex and had finished high school before moving here.

When Alex graduated high school, she was accepted into the University of Utah’s Ballet School. Leon joined the Air Force at the same time. Somehow, after finishing his initial training, Leon managed to get transferred to Hill Air Force Base, north of Salt Lake City. He registered at Utah night school to get his Bachelor’s degree in business on the GI Bill and finished about the same time as Alex. By then they had moved into an apartment together in downtown Salt Lake.

The last Thanksgiving before they graduated we were visiting Salt Lake and he formally proposed at that dinner. He had even asked my permission before that. How is that for old school?

They were married in a chapel on campus. We held the reception dinner in a campus art museum. Alex never did like following contemporary social norms. It was a very unique and beautiful wedding. I believe a good time was had by all.

Right after that, Alex surprised Janet and I by announcing she was going to get a Masters Degree at the University of Buffalo. Neither of us had any idea she wanted to do that. Soon after, they packed up a U-Haul and headed east.