John and Ruth met while teaching at Annapolis Junior High School in 1971. Both were teaching seventh grade science. John and another fellow teacher, Pal McGill, embarked on an ill fated Sailboat Trip in the fall of 1972. Ruth was the third party and major supporter who was suposed to meet them in Nassau, Bahamas for Christmas 1972. Unfortunately several problems occurred on the way to Florida, and as a result she had to settle for meeting them at Melbourne, Florida. But the three friends did manage to tour Disney World that had opened that winter. The following spring, John came back to Maryland and returned to teaching-Annapolis Senior High. That summer, Ruth and John got married and have lived in Annapolis, Md. ever since. In 1977 twin boys-Brian & Sean were born. Three summers later, Craig became the third boy in the family.