A fortunate stroke of serendipity. The word is defined as good luck in making unexpected and fortunate discoveries. fluke, good fortune, good luck. a stroke of luck, which leads to a very interesting meeting a few days ago.

A while ago, Gil and Marie Culbreth were in a doctor’s waiting room in Vero Beach. While there, Gil started talking to another patient in the room. When she found out where they were from, she shared her connection to Okeechobee and they invited her to come over and tour.

Turns out, she was Lynne Scharfschwerdt Glass, granddaughter of Edward Scharfschwerdt who, along with his two brothers, Otto and Louis built a hardware store, movie theater and garage on Park Street in 1915, where One Stop Party Shop is now located. Next door to their businesses was Doctor Charles and Anna Darrow who had a pharmacy, Park Drugs and their medical offices. The Darrows then provided our next bit of unexpected discovery.

Lynne, during her recent visit, asked if anyone in attendance knew anything about the Darrows. Magi Cable, President of the Okeechobee Historical Society volunteered some information about a birth certificate signed by Dr. Darrow that was hanging on a wall in the Historical Society Museum. When Lynne visited the museum, guess who Dr. Darrow delivered? Ida Mary Scharfschwerdt, one of Lynne’s great aunts, a daughter of Otto. The museum also had a copy of Otto’s enlistment card when he entered the military.

Edward, Lynne’s grandfather, served as Okeechobee's State House Representative in the State Legislature in 1921.

During a communication with Lynne, she shared the following information: "I have an identical twin, Laura and we have five siblings. We spent our first couple of years in Okeechobee. Our parents said we were an attraction, anytime we were outside on the wrap-around porch. The local folks stopped by or drove by to visit on a regular basis. Laura and I never meet a stranger, and we owe our socialization skills to our Okeechobee family."

So a chance meeting in a doctor’s office led to a family history being shared and appreciated, that’s serendipity!