Our marriage was given about two weeks to two months to survive. We stood two chances of making it work out-slim and none. But through commitment and stubbornness, we hung in there. The name sumpter is in the dictionary and says “a packhorse,” which I relate to a mule, telling Bill he was stubborn as mule. This book tells a little of the years we live in Rapid City and how we grew. I’m sure there are others that have endured more turmoil and grief, but this is my tale of those formative years of marriage.