Saturday Snapshot: Mom and Dad Circa 1969
by Jenners • 02/19/2011 • Love and Loss • 94 Comments
This week, I’m joining in the Saturday Snapshop meme hosted by the wonderful Alyce at At Home With Books.
Today, I wanted to share a photo of my mom and dad that a friend of theirs recently sent me with a condolence note. The photo was taken in 1969 at a party they were attending. (I think the party theme had something to do with being shipwrecked, hence the shredded clothes!) The photo was taken in Sasebo, Japan, where my dad was stationed in the Navy. (I was with them in Japan but did not attend this party.) I love this photo; it is so wonderful seeing my parents looking so young!
This photo is so awesome! What a nice thing for someone to send you. A great way to think of them, so happy and young
It was so kind. I really enjoy looking at them in this state of happy youth.
What a great shot! I love looking at old photos of my parents. It’s such a wonderful way to get to know the people they were before becoming parents.
Exactly! You see them as people other than your parents — and realize how young they were when they were your parents (even though they always seemed so “old.”)
This is a test of the commenting system. Did it work? Is it fixed now?
Did you get it when I responded this way?
Do you get it when I respond this way?
Aww, what a wonderful photo! I’m glad it found its way to you.
It really was a wonderful gift.
Wow — what a wonderful thing to have and look back on. I know you’ll hang on to it and treasure it forever and ever. And as far as who you look like… I see a perfect blend of the two, to be honest. You have features from both. You’re a living, breathing testament of their love, so think of them each time you look in the mirror
Oh … I just love your comment. I love the idea of being a “living, breathing testament of their love.” What a lovely phrase.
Now that would be a treasure to have.
It is a treasure.
what a cool picture to include in a handwritten note. They both look so full of life.
I thought it was a such a wonderful gift and so thoughtful of her to include with her note.
I love the timelessness of this photo!
by the way, I awarded you a Stylish Blogger award over on my site!
It does feel timeless, doesn’t it? Black and white always does that I think.
And thanks for the award.
Oh I love that pic, the costumes are perfect!
It was such a cool picture … so neat to see my parents as “real” people and not just “mom and dad.”
That picture is the bomb dot com. You should send the people who sent it a check. No, wait, a thank you note. That would be more appropriate.
And Snuggle Wasteland — is that her real name — is totally right: you are your dad’s daughter, and for sure.
I’m definitely sending a thank you — that’s for sure.
And thanks for settling the “which parent do I look like more” issue so definitively!
This is an amazing photo of your parents when they were young! The photo must’ve been kept in really good condition too! I agree with dusty earth mother, I see a little bit of you in both your parents
So far there is no clear consensus on if I am more like my mom, my dad or a mix of both. I see a mix myself.
It’s so strange to see young photos of my parents. I recently was able to convert our old family Super8 tapes to dvd and my parents just look like babies with children on there (they were 23 when I was born). Pictures like this are a treasure as they remind you that they had their own lives before they were “mom and dad”. And, of course, this is a special gift to receive just now. I hope that you’re doing as okay as possible these days.
It is so weird to see your parents from this perspective! Now I can see how young they were … and it is just so strange. But like you said, it is a gift to be able to see them as people other than mom and dad.
They are precious! I love old photos. How nice of someone to send that to you.
It was so nice. I was so touched. It really was so thoughtful.
Oh my! What a great photo, and your mom was quite a babe! I can see the resemblance in her face and yours. Thanks for sharing this with us.
Thanks for saying my mom was a babe! Maybe there is hope for me yet. (I think that ship has sailed though!)
Wow! I’m sure you’ve heard this before, but you look like a perfect blend of those two faces. Gorgeous.
I’ve heard that I look like one or the other … but I think I do have a little of both in me.
They look so vibrant! I think you look a lot like your dad.
Are you short like your mom? I don’t know why, I’ve always figured you were short like me. 
Yes … I am short. 5′ 2″. My mom was too.
What a looker! Look at those legs!
What a great photo!
I know!!! I was quite impressed with my mom! Too bad I didn’t get those legs.
Cute! Really neat to see parents in a role other than the “Mom & Dad” role!
Exactly! It is so weird to me so see them young and as a couple. To me, they were always mom and dad!
WOW! What a treasure! I hope you get this one framed and displayed in your home!
Working on it now. I know just the place to put it too.
that is a great photo and so wonderful of the friends to include in the card. discovering photos you’ve never seen before must be such a gift. i hope you enlarge this one and frame it because i’m sure it will always make you smile!
It was a such a wonderful surprise. In the future, I’ll keep this in mind when writing condolence notes.
What a wonderful thing to receive, your parents make a lovely couple.
It was a lovely surprise.
Nice legs.
Hey … that is my mom you’re talking about! ; )
I thought you looked just like your dad! But either way it’s a great photo. BTW, I spent 2 years at Yokota AFB, I never made it as far as Sasebo — do you remember it at all?
I don’t really remember Japan at all. I was there from when I was 1 until I was 3. I have some fleeting memories but it is hard to tell if they are real or not.
That’s a fantastic photo!!
Thanks. It was such a great surprise to get it.
That’s a great pic! I love looking at old black and white photos – before the days of PhotoShop, you really got to see how people looked!
Maybe you and Mr. Jenners could try for the shipwrecked costume for next Halloween!
I agree! And black and white photos make everything seem more important, doesn’t it?
Such a cute couple they were! Those are wonderful memories for you.
It is so fun to see them together like this. It was a such a gift to receive this photo.
Now that is a fun photo!! It reminds me to take it easy and maybe not be so serious all the time.
That is a good thing to be reminded of!
That is such a wonderful picture! What a striking couple your parents were. You look very much like your beautiful mother. Such a fun memory to have of them.
Enjoy the day, friend.
Erin
I think my mom looked better than I did at that age … she wasn’t hampered by horrible eyeglasses! ; )
This is so sweet Jenners…I love B&W photos. Your parents’ customes are nice. Photos always bring back lovely memories. Thanks for sharing this. Too sweet!!
B&W photos always seem more “important” to me for some reason. It just elevates whatever you are taking a photo of I think.
How great was receiving the, I bet you were shocked. They both look like they’re having a great time.
It was a such a wonderful surprise in the best of ways.
They made a great couple but your mama is rocking those curves! Gorgeous woman!!!
I know! Va-va-voom! I was like “Wow, Mom!” when I saw the photo!
What a wonderful photo; they look so very young and happy.
I like to imagine them as they are in this photo hanging out in heaven together. It is a nice thought to have.
This is awesome. I can see bits of you come from each of them. I just love these kind of old photos. More civilized times, don’t you think?
I can never see who I most look like … but I know I have my dad’s eyebrows! I think photos were more valuable back then because you had to really work to get them taken and back. Today, with digital, it is almost too easy that we don’t appreciate the photos like we used to.
That’s a great photo! The shipwreck theme does make sense of the state of their outfits. I need to get hold of my mom’s photo albums and do some scanning. Seeing all these older photos is making me itch to post some of my own.
Oh well…here’s a photo from 2010…taken by my not-so-little one: http://myreadersblock.blogspot.com/2011/02/saturday-snapshot-february-18.html
It is fun to see the photos from the past, isn’t it? And scanning those old photos in and sharing them would be such a gift to yourself and to the photos in case they start to fall apart. I’m glad I know have a digital copy as well.
What a fabulous picture. It’s good to see our parents not only looking young but also at a fun party. Your mom looks like she’s 18!!
It is like they had this whole life without me!! HAHA! And I’m thinking my mom was about 25 in this photo or thereabouts.
What a fun photo to have! It was so nice of your family friend to send it.
I recall you saying you favored your dad and I can certainly see that in this photo. Isn’t it neat to see what people looked like in their younger years?
Now you are the second person to say I look like my dad; most people have been saying I look like my mom. I can never tell. And I do so love seeing my parents when they were younger; they always seemed so “old” to me!
Thats very nice Jenners!! They did good on their tattered clothes look for the theme. How sweet of the person to send you this photo.
I thought it was so sweet and thoughtful. It was really a lovely gift.
What a fun picture of your parents! How wonderful that someone sent it to you. I love looking through old photos.
It was such a wonderful gift they gave me. In the future, if I have a great photo of someone, I will enclose it with any condolence notes I write. I now know what a gift that can be.
What a great picture! You resemble your dad, Jenners.
So funny … everyone else thinks I look like my mom!
How fun!! Don’t you just love photos from the past like this??
I love it. It was such a wonderful gift to get in the mail. I’d never seen this photo and it is so flattering to both of them.
What a great photo!
Thank you. Having just lost both of them within the last 18 months, it is such a treasure to look at this photo.
Oh gosh you look so much like your mother, except witih your dad’s dark hair!
Thank you — especially based on this photo. I think she looks so lovely in it.
They look absolutely lovely together!
I think so too!
These old photos are such treasures. I’m always amazed when I look at pictures of my parents from 40 years ago and see how young and vibrant they were.
It amazes me because, for so much of my childhood, they seemed so old to me!! And obviously they weren’t!
What a treasure for you to have right now! Boy, do you favor your mom.
Your posting of the photos of your dad inspired me. And when I got this photo in the mail, it was such a gift.
So young and vibrant and happy! Love the costumes.
I know! The costumes are so artfully shredded.