“He did a lot of extra credit projects to impress nurse. Leona asked him whatever happened to ago introduced me to this lovely man,” said me,” recalled Leona. But Leona knew that this Carl Rice. Paul said he went into the army, but Leona. “It was just fun catching up: ‘These are “six-foot young man with striking blue eyes” was knew nothing else. my kids and my grandchildren.’ I wasn’t the older off limits. “I gave Paul his marching orders—that if he woman any more.” “I was perfectly aware that there is a definite ever attended a class reunion and saw Carl, he divide between student and teacher, and I would was to tell him that Miss Shapiro wondered what arl had worked in the lumber business inC never entertain spoiling his romantic life,” she had happened to the rest of his life,” said Leona. Indiana and raised nine kids on his own said. “He needed to grow up and fall in love. It That was fifteen years ago. after his second wife died at the age of 50. He has was awkward at best.” After Paul retired from nursing, he moved out numerous grandchildren and a great grandchild. “After that year I realized I was too young to of state and told Leona he probably wouldn’t They began talking every day and after six be teaching high school students,” she added. go back to Arizona. For some reason, however, months, Leona invited Carl to meet her in San Leona went back to school and earned her he did decide to attend his 2010 reunion. As it Francisco and a romance blossomed. They Masters degree, and then taught middle school turned out, Carl had moved back to the area. His continued to meet once a month until they took another six years. sister, who was on the school board, wanted to a trip together to Mongolia. attend the reunion, and so Carl went with her. Fthrough life: After being a mom and remembered what Miss Shapiro had asked him to said Leona.“After that trip, Carl went back to Tucson andpacked. We have been together for the past year,”When Paul ran into Carl at the reunion, heast forward Leona’s incredible journey a three-term state legislator, Leona went to do, and he gave Leona’s new name to Carl. Later, “Timing is everything,” said Leona. “It would work for a hospital. It was while working there Carl found her on Facebook and decided to call. have turned out different if Carl had contacted that she met her late husband, Jack Siadek, “My phone rang and the caller ID said ‘Carl me a year earlier, when Jack was still alive. We who was a former mayor of El Sagundo and Rice,’” smiled Leona. “He asked if I remembered both have had a lot of chapters in our lives; they later a prominent member of the Napa Valley him and I told him I could never forget him.” have made us who we are. There is an overriding community—active in the schools and interfaith The two started talking. Three weeks later feeling that permeates everything we do and we council. Jack passed away in 2009 after a ten-year Leona was attending her 50th class reunion from enjoy each other.” battle with cancer. Leona was his caretaker. the University of Arizona and asked if Carl would When she asked Carl if he ever thought about It was at the hospital that she ran into a former meet her for brunch before she flew back. her, he responded that all his kids had known student named Paul, who was a cardiac surgical “That young man that I saw almost fifty years about Miss Shapiro: she was his first love. Leona and Carl shared a recent full solar eclipse. J A N U A R Y / F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 3 21
NVLife Jan-Feb 2013
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