It started with a Question

Just Another American Family is an autobiographical history of two people; Doris Ann Legg and Gene Nelson Isom, starting with their births, their meeting and their marriage in 1954. The book starts with Doris’ life from the time of her birth on through to the time of her marriage. She relates the many phases of her life while living in the south central part of Tennessee. She tells of her sadness of leaving Tennessee at the age of twelve for her future home in Illinois where she eventually meets her future husband. It continues with Gene’s life from birth to manhood growing up in a Midwestern setting on the banks of the Mississippi River. A complete history of Gene’s teenage years can be found in two books, “Huckleberry Heart, The Boys of Halloran Avenue” and “Good old Olive Branch, The Way it Was.” The Book continues from 1954 when Gene and Doris are married and ends shortly after their Sixtieth Wedding Anniversary on April 10, 2014.

Our lives started almost five years and many miles apart. Doris was born in Tennessee in 1934 and I in Illinois in 1929. Our lives came together in a small town of Olive Branch, Illinois in January 1950. Early one morning I walked into the Twin Gables Restaurant for a cup of coffee. As I sat down I looked up to see walking toward me a beautiful long black haired beauty. I felt a tug of disappointment finding she was only fifteen years old. Little did I know how lucky I would be five years hence when this beautiful girl became my wife. We have now celebrated our Sixtieth Wedding Anniversary. Gene & Doris Isom.