Colorado Strong: Pen pals for 60 years meet for first time
Two overseas pen pals who have written letters for decades decided that after 60 years, it was time to meet for the first time.
Rosella Sutton and Masayo Lutz wrote their first letters to each other in high school. Sutton was living in a small town in Minnesota and Lutz was in Japan. The two don’t remember exactly how it started, but they have some of the first letters they ever sent.
“I am sending a Christmas card to you, I suppose you’ll get it after Christmas,” Sutton wrote in a letter to Lutz in 1951.
They kept in touch through the years, filling each other in about school, life and love. Sutton helped Lutz learn English through the letters. The two taught each other about what life was like on the other side of the world.
They tried several times throughout the years to meet up, but it always fell through. Lutz would eventually move to Chicago and Sutton moved to Colorado Springs.
Several weeks ago, Sutton’s daughter Michelle Weber sent Lutz a birthday card for Sutton’s 80th birthday. Weber was thinking Lutz would send a card. But Lutz had much bigger plans. She decided it was time the two pals finally met.
“Finally, finally,” said Lutz.
When Lutz walked into Sutton’s home Thursday, Sutton was speechless.
“Oh my goodness! Oh Masayo! So good to see you! All these years,” said Sutton.
The two spent the evening sharing stories and reading old letters. They fell in and out of touch through the decades, but always kept up with life’s biggest moments.
“I am so happy to finally, finally meet because she has been special for a long time,” said Sutton.
Their children were thrilled about the surprise trip.
“Wow, this is awesome, trying not to cry, this is 64 years in the making. I’m just glad they got to do this,” said Wendy Lutz.
“I think the whole house was tearing up,” said Sutton’s daughter Michelle Weber.
For decades, words have described life’s biggest moments. But Sutton said there were no words to describe Thursday’s reunion.
“I can’t believe it but I am speechless,” said Sutton. “More than I could ever dream happened today.”
