Couple celebrate 68 years of true love at Gathering Place
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Louis and Lucille Sunby have been married for 68 years.
MILTON — Louis and Lucille Sunby’s wedding got off to a late start.
“I remember it real well because my uncle was coming from Battle Creek, Mich., to marry us, and he had an accident,” Lucille recalled Thursday.
The accident wasn’t too bad, and Lucille’s uncle made it to the church at 9:30 p.m. to marry the couple in front of a small family group.
From that inauspicious start grew a marriage of 68 years and counting.
Louis, 93, and Lucille, 92, boasted the longest marriage at a celebration of married couples at The Gathering Place, 715 Campus St., Thursday. Other marriages ranged from 20 to 63 years.
The lunch guests were greeted by black-and-white wedding photos of the couples—and one color photo from program coordinator Leigh Kuelz’s wedding.
The couples sat around tables reminiscing about their weddings and lives together.
Gene Curler, 84, remembered marrying her husband, Bruce, 84, in a big hurry 62 years ago.
The couple’s best man was on furlough from the military, and Bruce’s sister was visiting from California.
“They encouraged me to plan the wedding for the next weekend, and Bruce found out that Thursday, and we were married Saturday,” Gene said.
In fact, Bruce found out when he read the announcement in the newspaper.
“I was a surprised groom,” he said.
The couples didn’t have much advice for building a lasting marriage. Several said shared interests or raising children kept them close.
“Having twin boys as your first babies—that’ll keep you together,” said Rose Berger, 87.
She and her husband, Fred, 87, raised four children in their 62-year marriage.
The couple loved to square dance together until Rose could no longer do it.
“That’s one thing we wish we could still do,” she said.
When asked what kept her and her husband together, Lucille looked in Louis’ eyes, shrugged and said “true love.”
But she inadvertently might have offered some advice when she described how they fell in love:
“We were always, always good friends,” she said.
Jun 27, 2008 at 9:23 p.m.
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What a terrific inspiration! My parents have been married for 40 years, having known and gone through school together for 60 years. Being good friends is the greatest rock to build on. Her final comment of the article is the greatest one for someone to get married...
"But she inadvertently might have offered some advice when she described how they fell in love:
'We were always, always good friends,' she said."
Jun 27, 2008 at 3:12 p.m.
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Congratulations on sixty eight years of marriage. This is an inspiring story to anyone is married or plans to be married. In an age when divorce is so common, it is nice to read an example of two people staying together.
Jun 27, 2008 at 12:31 p.m.
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Lucille really possesses a timeless beauty. She is the most lovely and refined lady I have ever met. She is in every way an exemplary expression of a true lady and an example for all to look to. Louis is the perfect gentleman and a fitting complement to Lucille.
God bless you both Louis and Lucille, you have made the world a better place and inspired generations.
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