Eddie played hockey and baseball in Canada, and he belonged to the Elks in Canada before immigrating to the United States in 1932. He was a staff sergeant, ordinance division, in the U.S. Army in World War II, enlisting at age 36. While serving in England, Eddie worked in truck maintenance. He worked for the Red Cross instead of going with his unit to the East after the European war ended. Eddie was a foreman in the chemical department of National Oil and Supply Co. for 25 years. He liked reading, sports and fishing, and he golfed now and then.²

Ida was a Girl Scout and was active in church groups as a child. She attended Robert Tread Junior High School through the 10th grade, and she attended Coleman Business College, Newark, New Jersey for two years. For 38 years until her retirement in 1967, Ida was the office manager and executive secretary for Disbrow Manufacturing Co., Newark, New Jersey (and later East Orange), a manufacturer of folding cartons, cards, and packing materials. Mr. Disbrow was a salesman in a similar firm when he started his own company along with his brother and Ida. Ida enjoyed ice skating, knitting, sewing, reading, crafts and traveling. She and Eddie moved to Lake Worth, Florida, in 1967.²

Irene and her brother Edward Johnston (husband of Ida V. Patterson) were from a large family in Canada. Their parents owned wheat farms in the Milestone, Saskatchewan, area. As a child, Irene was active in church groups and Canadian Girls in Training, similar to the Girl Scouts in the United States. She graduated from Milestone High School in 1926, and she immigrated to the United States on 31 October 1927. Irene attended Drakes Secretarial School in New Jersey, and before her marriage to Johnnie she worked for Penn State College. For 22 years, she worked as a stenographer and clerical worker for Disbrow Manufacturing Co., Newark (and later East Orange), New Jersey. Irene enjoyed sewing, cooking, reading and sports, and she did volunteer work for the American Lung Association. She lived in Lake Worth, Florida near her two sisters-in-law, Ida V. (Patterson) Johnston and Effie (Patterson) Steffen.²

As a teenager, Johnnie attained the rank of Eagle Scout. He attended Newark Technical College, and he also completed several international correspondence courses. He was the assistant sales manager for National Oil and Supply Co. In 1954 he moved to Florida and opened a paint store as an agent for John Lucas Paint Co., along with his brother-in-law, Karl Steffen. He enjoyed bowling, golfing, reading, sports, traveling and music, and he was a Mason.²