‘Life is just a box of chocolates’

This is a love story that extends over 52½ years. It is a vibrant red velvet heart loaded with rich caramels, truffles and crème selections and tied with a satin bow with shining loops. The story starts when the two, Maryjane and Gregg Giesler, met at the University of Illinois at Urbana; she a freshman and he a sophomore. They were introduced on a blind date arranged by her hall mate and his roommate.

He was a chemistry major, and she needed this subject and had to work hard on it in high school. She was an English major who had tested out of English 101 and 102, and he was in remedial English. So they both had ulterior motives for going on a second date. They dated until she went on to student teach in a suburb of Chicago. But the sweetest caramel of all was when they were engaged and married on June 22, 1968.

Little did they know the adventure of that satin ribbon. After marriage, Gregg received his doctorate in nuclear chemistry, and Maryjane got her M.A. in British lit, both from Michigan State University; Maryjane taught at Lansing Catholic Central. When Gregg was finished, they moved on to Los Alamos, so Gregg could work for the Lab. There they enjoyed their oldest daughter Susan. But the ribbon of adventure was not done with them. Nineteen months later, they had triplets, Jana, Jon and Jeff, the first set of triplets to be born in L.A., and then the excitement really started. Raising four children including triplets while building a home sure has a number of challenges, the chewy nougats in the heart-shaped box. This shows the degree of cooperation and communication needed to keep this family going. There were some real challenges including an egg story that would make anyone laugh, showing the need for good humor. Those years when all were in high school at LAHS and all played three sports apiece and showed the need for hard work and attention. But all four ended up in major universities, some on scholarships.

Now those white chocolate truffles have really stood out as all four are married and there are nine grandchildren. In total the happy twosome has expanded to 19. And that ribbon ended up being tied in a huge bow at a big celebration on the Harmony of the Seas in June of 2018 to celebrate the big 50. Now Maryjane and Gregg have plenty of time to take trips and see other countries and cultures. They both still work: he at the Lab and she teaches at UNMLA. And they still look forward to any challenging times ahead and more chocolates from that heart shaped box.