Peggy Heatwole Landis and have a long history with 草莓社区 (EMU), one that began more than half a century ago.
The two met, fell in love and cultivated successful careers at EMU, whose campus they can see from their nearby home.
Thursday, April 11, 2013, the duo fittingly celebrated their latest milestone on campus 鈥� the release of their respective books.
It鈥檚 rare to have a husband and wife publish separate books at the same time, , the EMU professor who organized the event, said. And it鈥檚 a rarity that鈥檚 particularly special for EMU, given the couple鈥檚 longtime ties to the university, she added.
鈥淭hey made wonderful contributions to our community [and] this is just another type of contribution,鈥� Eads said of the couple鈥檚 books 鈥� his, a compilation of poetry, and hers, a memoir.
The hosted a reading and book-signing event for the Landises on Thursday, an event that drew a large crowd of alumni, friends, faculty and administrators to the Campus Center.
鈥淲e didn鈥檛 really anticipate that it would be that many people, so that was a nice surprise,鈥� Peggy, 73, said.
On Saturday, the Landises will host another book signing similar to Thursday鈥檚 at from 2 until 4 p.m. in the fireplace room.
Peggy and Jay Landis, 80, met when Peggy was a senior at and Jay was a new teacher fresh from graduate school. The two forged a relationship after Peggy earned her high school diploma, and upon her graduation from Eastern Mennonite College 鈥� the precursor to EMU 鈥� four years later, the two were married.
Peggy worked 16 years in the at EMU and Jay, an educator for 51 years, is a professor emeritus of EMU鈥檚 Language and Literature Department. June will mark 52 years of marriage for the couple.
Writing the books was Peggy鈥檚 idea, Jay said.
A few years ago, at 鈥渁bout the time that one should be making New Year鈥檚 resolutions,鈥� Peggy posed an idea:
鈥淸She said], 鈥業 think that next year, we should just each publish a book; I鈥檒l write my memoirs and you get your poetry together,鈥欌�� Jay recounted.
The idea turned into a three-year process that culminated in the recent pressings of the books.
In her memoir, 鈥�,鈥� Shenandoah Valley native Peggy Heatwole Landis shares stories of 鈥渇riendship and forgiveness, heritage and hospitality, generosity and gratitude, loss and love and the people of the lifetime with whom she has broken bread.鈥�
The book is organized alphabetically by each story鈥檚 title and her personal anecdotes are paired with recipes from her own cookbook or those of family and friends. 鈥淜itchenary鈥� is Landis鈥� self-coined term for her personal dictionary of recipes and the memories they summon.
鈥淢y theme for the book is that the flavors and aromas and food evoke memories and so I associated my chapters with a recipe,鈥� she said.
In 鈥溾�� Jay B. Landis compiled the poems he鈥檇 written throughout his career about the classroom, family, community and faith.
鈥淸The book] is an eclectic work marking, among other things, EMU achievements, milestones, and honoring persons who are an integral part of the very mortar that is EMU鈥檚 foundation,鈥� , chair of the Language and Literature Department, told the crowd during Thursday鈥檚 event.
鈥淗aving had a vested interest in EMU for many years and being a relative newcomer here, I treasure this contribution to the EMU community,鈥� she said.
The books were put out through , a self-publishing company.
More than anything, both books are records the Landises hope to preserve for future generations of their family, they say.
But they hold something for others, too.
鈥淭he books [are] a chronicle of a lifetime of real partnership, creative endeavors, faith and family,鈥� Eads said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 really beautiful.鈥�
Courtesy Daily News Record, April 15, 2013