70 Years.

The year: 1943.

The world was in the middle of World War II.

Gasoline cost approximately 19-cents per gallon.

Bread could be found for just 9-cents a loaf, and it cost 3-cents to mail a letter.

 

Casablanca won the Academy Award for Best Picture and Bing Crosby's crooning voice singing I'm Dreaming of a White Christmas topped the Billboard chart at the beginning of the year.

It is also the year that my grandparents said "I do." Seventy years ago. And today they are celebrating this monumental anniversary.

Not many of us will have the opportunity to make it to 70 years of marriage. In fact, the way I figure it, if I wanted to stand a chance I'd need to get married tomorrow, AND live until I was 96. Somehow I don't think that is going to happen (just a hunch....).

What a legacy my grandparents leave to their children. To their grandchildren. To all future generations.

I'm told the wedding was a lovely affair. My grandfather has been working on writing his life story and I hope he doesn't mind if I share the part he wrote about their wedding. I was going to try to re-write it but I decided to share it in his words.

"Our wedding took place on the evening of January 16, 1943 at the Immanuel Presbyterian Church in Detroit where we were members. Our pastor, Dr. Albert J. Lindsay, performed the ceremony. Ruth had made her bridal gown of blush pink satin. It had long sleeves and a gathered skirt that swept into a long graceful train. Her sister Bernice was the maid of honor...our mothers and Ruth's grandmother Volk were attired for the occasion. About 250 guests were received at the reception held in the church parlor.

The weather was a bit treacherous as it had started to snow that morning. Ruth and I had reservations at the Dearborn Inn for that night and then at St. Clair Inn for a few days. That first night we had one of the small private rooms behind the main Inn. When we looked out the window in the morning the snow looked about 2-ft deep and it was still snowing. Breakfast was delivered to our room. We probably dined at the Inn for all our other meals. There was no way we were going to be able to get to the St. Clair Inn, so on Tuesday we settled in at the apartment...our new home in Dearborn."

I'm thankful for my grandparents and the strong example and legacy they are leaving behind.

Happy Anniversary, Papa and Grama! I love you!!!