Married forever (or 60 years!)

 

How flattered would you be if someone drove 200 miles just to meet you on a Friday afternoon? Would you fall in love and drive to Duluth on Monday morning to buy a marriage license? And would you marry that man just four days after your high school graduation? This, my friends, is the love story that has been the ground that “my story” was built. It is the story of my Mom, LaVonne Allard, who is now married to my Dad, Art Anderson, for 60 years.

I didn’t know the whole story until my mom’s cousin, Cliff Morris, told me one day. For some reason, I believed it was three months before they were engaged, not three days! This misunderstanding came because they had to wait three months to actually get married. Going to Duluth for the marriage license didn’t keep the couple’s engagement secret for long. Little did they know as these announcements were published in the paper. Doris Lamb called my Grandma Isabelle Allard to share her congratulations. Shocked, my Grandma waited for her high school daughter to get off the bus and confirm the news. I cannot fathom her reaction. I see pictures of my mom and dad during this time and I understand the attraction. My dad had a “Rebel Without A Cause” look about him. He smoked, played cards, and probably danced. To a young Baptist, this was just too much to resist.

 

Over their 60 years together, they had three children. Two boys and a girl. Missed Irish triplets by a month as Richard was born September of ‘62, Sandy October of ‘63, and Gary August of ‘64. For 23 months my mother barely saw her feet! They lived in a small home without running water until 1969. I remember the day Bill McKeever drilled our well and I cried because they were wasting so much water! We had hauled water in milk cans the first six years of my life. Indoor plumbing is something I never take for granted.

I grew up with parents who liked to camp and snowmobile and make homemade ice cream and wreaths. They taught us about being good neighbors. Helping anyone and everyone who needed a hand. How to jump in, help, and make a difference. None of this was done for show or attention. They did it because they had both grown up without. It’s the little things that matter. Just last weekend, my parents visited to spend two long days building a fence for their Granddaughter, just because they could. I can’t tell you how many projects and ideas of mine they have supported over the years. From high school spaghetti feeds to Field to Feast Community Dinners, they have done whatever needed to be done.

I look forward to sharing the celebration of their special day with all their family and friends. Those who can join them in person and those in spirit. I love and admire my Mom and Dad. I only hope I grow up to be just like them. Peace and Hugs to You, Sandy

“To be capable of lasting love or steady friendship are the two greatest proofs, not only of goodness of heart, but of strength of mind.”

William Hazlitt

My mom has always been a wonderful baker. The smell of bread is a favorite childhood memory. These recipes are easy to make for even the novice baker.