A Match Made in Heaven – Finally!

Hope and Endurance Wins Her Heart
By Mary A. Flowers

Donna Callahan and her family moved from Virginia to Midwest City, Oklahoma in the summer of 1955.  She became active in school her junior year and in 1957 graduated from Midwest City High School.  She had left her heart back in Virginia, however, and all the while kept telling everyone about her boyfriend back in Virginia, whom she planned to marry. 

 Into the picture enters Phil Caldwell, a friendly good-looking industrious young man who was immediately smitten by Donna.  Phil admits he fell in love with Donna early on, but being somewhat shy, never acted on how he felt about this sweet petite girl from Virginia.  Phil hoped that time and distance would help him charm Donna.  He set about being the best friend a girl could ever hope for.

Phil's plan didn't seem to be working.  They did become close friends, but through it all there was always talk of that boyfriend back in Virginia.  Along the way Phil and Donna shared many good times together, oftentimes including Donna's two sisters and a multitude of school friends.  Many of those friends figured a romance would blossom since they were always together.  But there was that fellow back in Virginia.

 With graduation, Donna did indeed marry the boy from Virginia and moved back east.  Phil went to college and eventually married someone else.  They went their separate ways and lost touch.  They both thought of each other often but never tried to find each other.

 In 1982 Phil attended his school's 25-year reunion.  He was divorced, having been married for 22 years.  In the back of his mind, he hoped Donna would be there, but she was not.  He asked around at the party if anyone knew how to contact her.  One woman said she might know someone who might know.  In a roundabout way, Phil received a call from an old English teacher, Miss Milton, from Midwest who had two nephews who married Donna's two sisters.  She knew Donna's married name and said Donna lived in Sonora but knew nothing else. 

 Phil didn't know what would happen but he felt the need to find Donna.  He was amazed at how many Sonoras there are in the United States.  He started calling information in each town.  Finally he found a number for her.  He was excited and eager to call and see if she was the Donna Callahan from his past.  Not knowing whether she worked or not, he eagerly dialed her number and she picked up the phone at 6:30 AM her time out in Sonora, California.

 Donna couldn't believe someone would call so early, especially since she needed to get ready for work.  After identifying himself, he and Donna agreed he would call her later so they could touch base.  Phil could hardly believe he had found her.  When they talked again, Phil was determined to reconnect with his good friend from long ago.  He wanted to find out what she had been doing with her life over the past 25 years.

His heart skipped a beat when he found out she too was divorced, having been married for 22 years to the guy back in Virginia. Phil, no longer a shy teenage boy, was determined to win the heart of the girl of his dreams.  Over the course of the next month, Phil called Donna at least once a day from Texas where he was a pilot for Continental Airlines.  His phone bill for that month was over $800, but he says it was worth every penny.

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After a month, Phil began planning some way to meet Donna.  He was entertaining thoughts of marriage but wanted to see Donna in person to make sure this was something that would work out.  In their lengthy phone calls, they both adamantly declared they did not want to marry again if there was a chance it would end in divorce.  Being realistic though, they knew there was no way that could be predicted. 

 Donna hadn't thought about getting married again.  She was settled in an area she liked and had a good job at an area hospital.  She liked her life.  She remembered her good friend from high school and the history they had together.  As they talked every day she began thinking Phil might be someone she could be happy with.  She wasn't saying yes but she wasn't saying no either. 

 Phil planned four days off from work, September 24 through the 29th, so he could go see Donna.  They agreed that, if when they met face to face at the airport, neither one threw up, they would talk about marriage.  It's at this point that Phil and Donna disagree.  Phil says Donna asked him to marry her.  Technically she only asked him if they were going to "think" about marriage. 

  On the ride back up to Sonora after his arrival at Oakland Airport, the talk turned quickly to the subject of marriage.  Phil says it was at this point that they pulled the car over and he asked Donna to marry him.  He was determined to get the girl of his dreams and he only has four days to do it.  On the way back to Sonora they detoured and got their blood tests and the marriage license.  There's going to be a wedding!

 The next couple of days are a whirlwind of activity.  Donna calls everyone and invites them to a garden wedding in her backyard.  Phil sets about packing her things and disposing of household goods.  Donna attends a bridal shower hastily put together at the hospital.  One doctor thought they were crazy but after getting to know Phil at her house while moving out furniture, he and Phil become good buddies.  Everything comes together and the evening of September 28th they are married. 

The next day they fly back to Texas together.  Later on they honeymooned for two weeks in Hawaii.  After more than 25 years together they couldn't be happier.  Melding their two families together, they are close to all their kids and feel more blessed with each passing day.  Even though it took 25 years or so, theirs truly is a match made in heaven.