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The
Story City Herald
Winning couples say romance is still alive John Gildersleeve and Bessie Clouser braved subzero temperatures on Jan. 3, 1923, sneaking off to Indianola in an old Ford with side curtains to be married by a justice of the peace. The 16-year-old groom and his 19-year-old bride returned to Gilbert that same afternoon, and John spent the evening playing basketball. They kept their marriage a secret for five months. After 71 years together, the Gildersleeves say they no longer keep secrets from anyone. The rural Gilbert couple claimed top honors in The Story City Herald's Valentine search for the area's longtime sweethearts. They were nominated for the award by Vena Mae Larson of rural Story City. The Gildersleeves, along with Amos and Selma (Praland) Thompson, who will be celebrating their 69th anniversary this July, were named first place winners in the contest. Each couple received a box of Valentine candy and a complimentary one-year subscription to the Herald. Runner-up honors, and a box of candy, go to Harry and Hazel (Senter) Northrup, married Oct. 25, 1927, and Thelmar and Judith (Stensland) Ford, who will be celebrating their 65th wedding anniversary on Feb. 20. Our four winning couples have combined for a total of 272 years in marriage, a thought that would make even Cupid smile. THE GILDERSLEEVES With the temperature falling to 16 degrees below zero, the Gildersleeves recall having to use warm bricks to keep their feet warm on the trip to Indianola. At the time, Bessie was a country school teacher, and John remembers that "three or four other guys wanted her, so I picked her." Bessie said the secret for their successful marriage is understanding and never going to bed angry. John added, "I tell her I love her every day." The Gildersleeves now live on the farm that John's parents moved to when he was three years old. The retired farmer and his wife have three children, including Mildred Rice who lives with her parents as a caregiver,14 grandchildren and 28 great-grandchildren. The Story City Herald |
