Family celebrates 260+ years of marriage
Four of the five McIntyre siblings have been married for more than 50 years. The youngest, Janice, is celebrating her 50th anniversary with her husband Harry Noecker next month.
“We were married on Friday the 13th, so that is even a bigger bonus,” Harry said.
“And it’s going to be that way again this year,” Janice said. “This September 13th is on Friday.”
Don McIntyre and his wife Nancy live in downstate Southfield. They know the family might never again have a chance to re-unite in its hometown.
“Newberry always has a soft spot in my heart,” Don said. “I still call it home.”
“Very grateful that we have each other and that we can get together like this,” Nancy said. “We will not always have this opportunity.”
Arlene and her husband Ed Thomas live in Niles, just like Janice and Harry. They’re glad to see their reunions extend to an additional generation or two.
“It’s amazing that we’ve all lasted this long, and we’re all doing pretty good,” Arlene said. “Still surviving.”
“Over the years, we’ve had several get-togethers like this, when the kids were small,” Ed said. “Now they’re getting married and having their own families.”
“My son told me he was going to do this, and I said, ‘oh, no!’,” Jean said. She and her husband Richard Harrington live in downstate Adrian. “But, you know, it’s just wonderful to be with all of our family. Really. Best day of our life, I think, besides the wedding day.”
“Very grateful and thankful for this,” Richard said. “Once in a lifetime.”
Elaine and her husband John Shimmens have called Jefferson City, Missouri home for more than 45 years now, but they’ve known each other since they were in kindergarten in Newberry.
“I still live her! We’re still together,” John said.
“Thank God,” Elaine said. “Sometimes we have a few little squabbles, but we get along most of the time.”
“She usually wins the squabbles,” John added.
All of the McIntyres have managed to avoid, or work through, those squabbles, as shown by more than 260 total years of marriage among them.