Valentine's Day coincides with 70th anniversary for Latham couple

B.L. and Edna Dowell are pictured on their recent 70th anniversary.
B.L. and Edna Dowell are pictured on their recent 70th anniversary.

Seventy years is a long time.

It's hard to imagine doing anything for 70 years, but Latham's B.L. and Edna Dowell recently celebrated their 70th anniversary on Jan. 22.

Even though the two don't have any big plans for Valentine's Day, the milestone of 70 years is a special occasion in and of itself.

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AP

Michigan Attorney General Bill Schuette (left), standing with Jennifer Gratz, chief executive officer of XIV Foundation, speaks after arguing their case before the Supreme Court in Washington on Tuesday. The high court debated whether voters can ban affirmative-action programs through a referendum.

For B.L. and Edna, their anniversary has always been about gathering with the family. With their three children having remained in the area over the years, the Dowells spent time with Wanda Wilde, David Dowell and Belva Gerke at a dinner recently.

It was a far more low-key occasion following their respective 50th and 60th anniversaries, when larger gatherings were held.

B.L. and Edna also have eight grandchildren and 13 great-grandchildren, who range from age 21 all the way down to six months.

"It's hard to get them all together anymore," Edna said.

After getting married in Versailles in 1947, the pair settled in the area south of Latham in December of 1949 before moving to the north of Latham in 1979.

"It's home to us," Edna said. "We like it here."

Both 90, Edna is the older of the two. She'll turn 91 in May. For the early years of their marriage, B.L. worked in construction before getting into farming in 1969.

For fun, the two enjoy playing cards. B.L. also bowls on Wednesdays in the senior citizen league at California Lanes. His high game is 175. Edna also bowled in the league up until last year.

While this year's Valentine's Day doesn't figure to come with any fanfare for Latham's longest married couple, it did cause Edna to look back in appreciation at the time she and B.L. have had.

"I feel very fortunate and very lucky to have lived this long to celebrate 70 years together," she said.