Love Story: The Sheridans of Franklin Square

Walter Sheridan of Franklin Square recalls how, when he first met his wife, Eleanor, he thought she was trying to avoid him.

I first laid eyes on my beautiful wife, Eleanor, in 1958 at a weekly "singles" dance at the Cresthaven Country Club in Whitestone, Queens. She was 21, and I was 20. When the dance ended, I asked for her phone number, but she started to walk away - only to turn back and quickly rattle off the number.

I'm sure she thought I'd never remember it, but I did, and I called her about six weeks later when I needed a date for a Valentine's Day party.

Her dad answered the phone and told me she was at a Girl Scout meeting. He answered again the second time I called and said she was at a church meeting. I thought I was getting blown off, but I persisted: I called a third time, spoke to Eleanor, and she agreed to go with me to the party - where we had a good time.

We planned a second date, but Eleanor called to cancel on the day we were to go out.

She explained that she was in Brooklyn with her parents, and their car had broken down. I offered to drive to Brooklyn to pick up her and her family and drive them home to Richmond Hill, Queens. I lived in Ridgewood, Queens. Slightly reluctant, Eleanor gave me the address and thanked me.

When I drove up to the address, I learned it was a convent. At that point, I thought that I was the one being taken for a ride! Since I was there, anyway, I got out of the car and rang the bell. A young nun came to the door. It turned out that Eleanor had been visiting with her cousin, Sister Olga.

That memorable and fateful day must have been a sign from God, because a little over a year and a half later, on Nov. 26, 1960, I married Eleanor McKenna at St. Benedict Joseph Labre Church in Richmond Hill.

We are both retired, now. Eleanor was a secretary for a law practice and then with the Diocese of Rockville Centre. I was in the engineering field for many years, then opened my own employment placement business and later worked as a consultant.

Eleanor and I were very fortunate to have shared our love of history in many travels around the world. We have three grown children and look forward to the new journeys ahead for us with them, their spouses and our six grandchildren.