Photo: MONA REEDER / STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
Jack Evans, left, and George Harris are celebrating their 50th anniversary by going on a cruise in April. The portrait behind them was taken on their 40th anniversary.
By KATHLEEN GREEN / Special Contributor
Published 23 January 2011 10:11 AM
Jack Evans and George Harris reminisce about their 50-year journey, amazed that it’s gone so fast.
As they recall their accomplishments together — from running a successful real estate business to starting their own networking group to serving on numerous boards — it’s little wonder that half a century has flown by.
Jack and George have been together since they first met at a friend’s bon voyage party on Jan. 19, 1961.
“After three days, there was never any question,” says Jack, now 80.
They shared a love for travel, the arts and community involvement. Jack was in the banking business and George worked in the trucking industry before they decided to join forces in the real estate business.
For nearly a decade, they worked in their own office on Lomo Alto, then moved to Adleta Fine Properties, eventually switching to Ellen Terry Realtors. Spending so much time together might be daunting for most couples, but they’ve made it work.
“We work together and live together, which creates its own challenges,” George says. “Relationships are difficult because we’re all different people, but it’s what you want and what you want out of life. {ellipsis} It takes commitment and you have to care.”
They both agree that hard work and mutual admiration have made it work. George says he admires Jack’s varied palette of interests, from art to photography. And Jack knows that a good book is always a perfect gift for bookworm George. But in their earlier years together, the two had to keep their relationship under wraps.
“Back when we got together, everything was underground,” says George, now 77. “There was no fraternizing. {ellipsis}They only had a couple of gay bars back then. Most of the entertainment was at home. I can’t believe we have gone from getting arrested in bars to dancing at the Anatole at the Black Tie Dinner.”
Times have changed in Dallas and in metro areas across the United States and, as Jack points out, it does get better.
When George was hospitalized for three weeks in 2006, Jack stayed by his side and was pleasantly surprised by how accepting the staff was.
“Not one time during all of that did I have a doctor, an intern or nurse or anybody question what I was there for,” says Jack. Over the years, they both say they’ve worked hard to gain wider acceptance in the world.
When they bought their first home in 1964, they couldn’t get a mortgage under both names, Jack says.
“The first two houses we bought had to be in my name alone because mortgage companies would not allow two people who were not married to borrow money to buy a house,” he says.
Despite all this, Jack and George have made inroads elsewhere. They have been high-profile in both the business and gay-lesbian community, launching the Stonewall Professional Business Association. Their networking group started with a handful of friends at lunch in 1992 and now touts more than 400 members.
“When I got to Dallas and we met up, I said, ‘I want to try to make a difference,’ ” says George, who is working on a book about his ordeal with the military back in the ’50s, having been kicked out because of his sexual orientation.
“I want to set a good example for these kids and that’s what we’ve tried to do with being on these boards.”
But as they head into their golden years, Jack and George have scaled back on such endeavors to make time for art-museum outings and trips, such as an upcoming cruise down the Mexican Riviera to mark their anniversary milestone.
“It’s gone so quickly,” says George. It’s just unbelievable. We’ve had a great time. We’ve had some wonderful houses and good careers. If we can keep our health going, we don’t have any complaints.”
Kathleen Green is a Plano freelance writer. If you have a True Romance suggestion, e-mail dmngreen@sbcglobal.net.
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