The Galveston County Daily News

TEXAS CITY — Jay Arrington’s fondest memory of his days attending class at Texas City High School came during P.E. class in 1955. He saw a pretty girl through the window.

“That’s really the best thing that ever happened to me in school,” said the 64-year-old Texas City resident. “Saw her right through that window while we were outside in P.E.”

That girl was Theresa “Tess” Lindsey. She’s now a teacher at Texas City’s Blocker Middle School.

And, oh, by the way, she is also Mrs. Tess Arrington these days.

“We were high school sweethearts all the way through,” said Arrington, although he admits that it took him until the spring semester of that school year to ask Tess out. “Dated all the way through college and got married the day after she graduated from Rice University.”

With his blond streaked hair in a crew cut and athletic build, Arrington figured he had the upper hand in grabbing the young Tess’ attention. After all, she was the new girl in school and competition to date her was fierce.

“She had gone to Catholic school and transferred in that first year of high school,” said Arrington. “That’s the first time I had even seen her. I was really attracted to her.”

The pair raised two children while Arrington operated an accounting firm and his wife taught school. Both are still at it.

“School was great,” Arrington said. “This community has been so wonderful.”