About 25 years ago a young couple purchased their first home on Nugent Avenue in Temple. About six months later another young couple purchased the home next door.

Right from the start they found they had a lot in common. Both couples were new to the area, both were young newlyweds - life was carefree.

Naturally, the women introduced themselves first. When Brenda Reddell realized new neighbors had arrived, she did the neighborly thing and took over a plate of cookies and something hot to eat.

Suzanne Walters knew then it was the beginning of a wonderful friendship.

“Well, the food was good,” she said. “And I couldn’t find anything that resembled a kitchen utensil in our boxes. That box had been lost during the move, so I was very thankful.”

It was the beginning of a friendship that would last for years - and it is still strong today.

As time went by both couples started their families - their sons were born within a week of each other.

The two grew up together like brothers. Holidays were usually spent out of town with respective families.

But one holiday was always reserved for just the two families - July Fourth.

“We house-hopped,” Ross Walters said. “We would start a barbecue in either backyard early. Lunch was always early because we would go out somewhere in the afternoons. Evenings were spent outside the city for fireworks and then it was back to a house. It never mattered which one; both boys had a bed in each house. If they fell asleep in one, we would pick them up the next day.”

It was the same every year; the two families always spent Independence Day in Temple.

“Even when the boys grew up and started going out with their own friends, our boys went out together,” Craydon Reddell said. “But they would often spend at least part of the day with us.”

This year is a break in tradition.

Both of the boys are in college now at Oklahoma State University. Both families have moved from Nugent Avenue, but not too far away from each other.

“We still see each other every other week,” Brenda said.

This year, to accommodate both families, a trip to Dallas is in order.

“The boys are both working up there (Oklahoma) over the summer so Dallas is a halfway point for all of us,” Mitali Walters said.

“I miss having neighbors like I had for so many years, but I thank God that we had something special for so long. They really stopped being neighbors and became family many years ago,” Brenda Reddell said. “We really should write a book.”