OWINGS MILLS — At Atrium Village, prom is not just for teenagers.
Two veterans celebrate love, laughter and senior prom at Atrium Village
The senior living facility is getting ready for its senior prom, and for two veterans, the celebration is also a chance to honor companionship, laughter and love at every age.
Robert Merritt served three years in the Navy. Henry Goodman served three years in the Marines. The two men bring different branches, different life stories and a little friendly rivalry to the table.
Merritt joked that Marines still need the Navy.
“Well, tell Marines learn how to walk on water. They need us,” Merritt said.
Merritt’s prom date is Joyce, a woman he met after she sat down at his table at Atrium Village. He said their relationship grew from simple conversations and time spent together.
“I was sitting at this big round table. With the group. And we had an empty seat, and she came in and sat down with us,” Merritt said.
Merritt says he is looking forward to getting dressed up for prom and enjoying the night with Joyce.
“Get all dressed up, smell good. Make everything right. Wish I had more hair, but what the hell?” Merritt said.
Goodman’s love story with his wife, Odessa, goes back much further. The two met in high school and have been married for nearly 68 years.
Goodman said he still remembers visiting Odessa’s family for the first time. He came from a small family, while Odessa’s home was full of siblings.
“Oh, man, it was like, it was like a party going on all the time, you know,” Goodman said.
Goodman went to his high school prom, but about 10 days later, he left for Parris Island to serve in the Marines. Decades later, prom is giving him and Odessa another chance to celebrate together.
After nearly seven decades of marriage, Goodman says Odessa is still the person he depends on most.
“I wouldn’t know how to go on without her, to tell you the truth,” Goodman said.
For Merritt, Goodman and their partners, Atrium Village’s senior prom is more than a dance. It is a chance to dress up, share a laugh and make a new memory, no matter your age.
