Today is February 14, Valentine’s Day, 2021. How about a romantic blog about two sweethearts?
Are you old enough to remember Red Foley? How about Pat Boone?
Red was a star on The Grand Ole Opry and hosted The Ozark Jubilee country/western TV variety show. I remember seeing on the show young Brenda Lee [“Rocking around the Christmas Tree” star] about the age of twelve.
And Pat Boone? Remember him from the 1950s when he had about as many hit records as Elvis Presley? He is still alive today, now a grandfather, great-grandfather…and a widower.
Below is a book review of a woman (Shirley Boone) who was both Red Foley’s daughter and Pat Boone’s wife.
Pat and Shirley, his wife of about 65 years, endured the marital perils of New York show business and Hollywood glamour, and stayed in church through thick and thin.
Originally, they were faithful members of the Church of Christ in the Nashville, TN, area but ended up in the Hollywood, CA, area and attended Jack Hayford’s church, The Church on the Way in Van Nuys, CA. They became happy Charismatics, along with all four of their daughters.
Both Pat and Shirley wrote their autobiographies in 1970 and 1988, respectively. I read them as new books but recently re-read them. Pat wrote A New Song, and Shirley wrote One Woman’s Liberation.
While both books are autobiographical, romantic, and filled with interesting background stories, they are also full of lessons that they have learned in their lengthy walks with the Lord, especially Shirley’s. She tells of her salvation experience and the wonderful difference the Holy Spirit has made in her life.
Pat and Shirley’s romance began early in their lives. Her mom’s poor health forced Shirley one summer to become a boarding student at David Lipscomb High School in Nashville, a Church of Christ school. She says in her book, “…because I had to, I transferred to David Lipscomb as a boarding student, and the first night I was there I had a date with Pat Boone. Romans 8:28!” (p. 46) He was thirteen years old.
Shirley returned later in senior high as a student at David Lipscomb. Her mom died that year. During their senior years, Pat and Shirley fell hopelessly in love. Their parents cautioned them about moving too fast and urged them to “put on their brakes.” But they were inseparable and were attracted to each other with a magnetism they could not resist. A high school counselor saw that their marriage was inevitable and wanted them to have a happy wedding; therefore, he helped them to elope. They were nineteen years old.
Their relationship endured until 2019 when Shirley passed away, or “moved,” as Pat says. A YouTube video gives us more details of Shirley’s passing in a video from the 700 Club’s interview between Pat Boone and Pat Robertson at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OPSKA7HpLSU&t=490 .
The video also shares some of Shirley’s service projects that she undertook, which rival Samaritan’s Purse in their outreach to the needy.
The Boones are shining examples of a life-long Valentine’s romance that proves that love endures.
BOONE BOOKS:
Boone, Pat. A New Song. Carol Stream, Illinois: Creation House, 1970.
Boone, Shirley. One Woman’s Liberation. Altamonte Springs, Florida: Creation House, 1988.