Only English I Knew
Kim Rose
I was born in South Korea where I met my husband. I have lived in Bedford County since 1967. Since then, Bedford has been home.
In Korea, my friend was an interpreter. Her career in language was to translate Korean and English. She learned English and then started getting interpreter jobs. My husband was stationed in Korea. We had a get together - a big party. He was looking at me. I thought he wanted to talk to my friend, but my friend said he wanted to talk to me. My friend had to translate. While we talked and she translated he said he wanted to see me again.
That's when we met. Then you know what parents do. They worry about a different country and being so far away from home and not knowing what’s happening. All that stuff that makes families concerned. So, it was a long process and a hard time. Finally, we got married in April of 1967 and right away I came to the United States in October. I couldn’t speak English. Maybe just "I love you." That's all I knew. But that was enough.
My husband was from Bedford. Everybody in his family was in Bedford. He was a homeboy. He is gone now and I’m still grieving. He was a good man. And he was so good to his wife. He always spent money all the way but no children. He didn't care. He stuck with me. He didn't know we'd be together so long in a partnership. He is the only man I knew. Some people may go five times but still not be happy. I miss him but stay in Bedford. Bedford is the only home I know.
Kim was born in South Korea and came to Bedford in 1967 with her husband. She worked for 41 years at a food distributor which had many names, among them Golden West Foods. She retired in 2010.