I've heard this story so many times I feel like I was there.

Sometime in 1969 before June, Dad took mom to Arizona to meet his kids.  I don't know if this happened when mom arrived or sometime over the next day or two but at some point or another, mom went out to watch the kids shooting.  They'd stuck a match in an old weathered fence post top and were trying to shoot the match with a 22 rifle. 

After a while, mom asked if she could try.  She let the boys show her how to hold the gun and aim.  Grandpa Avants watched the scene with an amused eye.  That "California city girl" was sure to provide interesting entertainment.  I bet he wished he could talk mom into using dad's 45 pistol.  hee hee

Mom, on the other hand, adjusted her sights and fired the gun.  Now the boys swear that she not only hit the match but she LIT the match.  Mom says she merely hit it.  First shot out of the gun.  Grandpa Avants said something like, "Dad GUM!" and mom, without skipping a beat said, "Well, I was the Women's Champion Skeet Shooter of Southern California."

It took her from Ray Arizona to somewhere in California before she was able to convince dad that she' never held a gun before much less shot one!