George and Rosella Means were one of 61 couples who renewed their vows Sunday. They will celebrate their 68th wedding anniversary June 10. The couple was engaged on Valentine’s Day in 1939. Mario Aguilar|Green Valley News
GREEN VALLEY, Arizona (Green Valley News), February 13, 2007:
Sixty-one couples who assembled Sunday at the Green Valley Community Church’s sanctuary to renew their wedding vows of 50 years or more sent a silent Valentine’s message: couples can live happily ever after.
Rev. Louie Lyon, who officiated at two services held at 9:30 and 11 a.m., said he holds these Golden Wed Sunday services to congratulate and honor couples for their long-lasting achievement even though every day hasn’t been perfect—and to show younger generations that it can be done, but couples must work at it
Lyon has been holding “Golden Wed Sunday” services since 1989 when he began the annual renewal of vows on the Sunday closest to Valentine’s Day at Scottsdale United Methodist Church. This is the seventh annual service he’s held in Green Valley.
Among the 61 couples repeating their vows, George and Rosella Means have been married the longest; they will celebrate their 68th anniversary June 10. Asked what she thought was the main reason for their long lasting marriage, Rosella said, “I think it’s a matter of give and take; you both give and believe you’re the partner giving more.” She said they tended to do things as a couple and also worked together for 40 years in an insurance, consumer loan and financial business they owned in Mt. Pleasant, Iowa.
Asked for his input George said, “We had this agreement… that she takes care of all the minor things and I would take care of all the big worldly matters.” Rosella then chimed in and said, “He hasn’t done a very good job of that lately,” and they both had a good laugh.
Many other couples at the Golden Wed Sunday service are married almost as long, having been married in 1940 and every year thereafter through 1957.
In a group service, Lyon led couples married 50 years or longer in a renewal of their wedding vows and told other worshippers, “For those who have not reached 50 years you can look your sweetie pie in the eye.”
As the couples faced each other Lyon recited the standard vow in an emotionally-touching service. He wished the couples well as they re-enter in a holy covenant and pledge their faith as they continue to live in a home filled with love and peace.
Addressing those assembled in the filled sanctuary Lyon said, “We take each other for granted; then when illness comes we realize how much you and your significant other mean to each other… Remember how much our loved ones mean; never take each other for granted.”
He spoke about the gift of love, but said for those who have lost a mate God has given the gift of memory. He offered a prayer for spouses who have passed away and encouraged those present who had lost a spouse “to smile through the tears.”
Recently widowed Ray Muhonen told the Green Valley News that he lost his wife Betty in March of 2006. He said they had enjoyed 61 years together… that he should be up there with the other couples. It was a privately teary service for Muhonen, but he came to see the Golden Wed couples renew their vows while giving memory to his late wife.
Speaking with Lyon days before Golden Wed Sunday he said, “I’ll look into the eyes of these couples and congratulate them on their achievement… young couples need to see this… Marriage is taken too haphazardly; we must remember the joy and love we’ve had, and we must also remember those who have lost spouses.”
In closing he reminded Golden Wed couples how much of an inspiration they are to others and asked them “to provide nourishment to those who follow.”
By Ellen Sussman
Copyright © 2007 Green Valley News & Sun
No comments:
Post a Comment