Celebrating 70 years of marriage

 

Yesterday I had the privilege of attending a celebration for John & Jo Ann Fagerland (my father and mother-in-law) on their 70^th year of marriage. They were married on November 15, 1956 at the Catholic church in Eau Galle, Wisconsin. Seventy years of marriage. Wow! I told people in my sermon at Chain of Lakes yesterday that I was going to their celebration. I asked the congregation if they could imagine being married for seventy years. Some said, “no” out loud. Not because they wouldn’t want to be married to their spouse for that long, but they didn’t think they would live that long. I was married at 36 and Amy was 39 on our special day. Do the math, and it’s easy to conclude that the two of us probably won’t celebrate seventy years of marriage.

But John and Jo Ann were married in their late teens. And though they live with the challenges of being in their late 80’s they still are in decent health. So their health gave them the opportunity to be together for so long. And their dedication to each other is amazing.

My parents, Chuck and Jackie, celebrated their 65^th wedding anniversary this year. Amy and I are extremely fortunate. How many people in their 60’s still have both sets of parents who are still alive? Yay, God!

John and Jo Ann first met at high school in Durand. He was on the basketball team, and she was a cheerleader. They dated for about a year. When he asked Jo Ann to marry him, he went to their parents’ home and asked her with her parents present. I’m grateful I didn’t have to do that with John and Jo Ann when I got down on my knees and asked Amy to marry me.

The two of them worked side by side for many years. Though they had normal disagreements, they never thought about getting a divorce. Like my parents, when you got married you worked through the challenges that came up.

They did almost everything together. Like my parents, they participate in almost everything as a couple.

 

The pictures that I have from their wedding are beautiful. John’s best man was 15. There was snow on the ground on November 15, 1956. They got married at 9am.  Jo Ann’s mom had a reception for the bridal party and family afterwards. They then they had a larger celebration.

According to the Census Bureau, six percent of married couples make it to their 50^th wedding anniversary and one tenth of one percent make it to their 70^th wedding anniversary.

We had a beautiful celebration yesterday of immediate family at the Ridgetop between Ellsworth and Prescott, Wisconsin. Much of their family was there. We enjoyed a beautiful meal and music by Jennifer Grimm and Joe Cruz. John still had his socks from the wedding—which he wore, and Jo Ann had her head piece.

 I feel privileged to have these two as part of my life. Their demonstration of love and fidelity will last long beyond their years on earth.