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PERRY – Russell and Leona Itschner, who will celebrate their 80th wedding anniversary Sunday, say the secrets of a long marriage are respect one another, disagree without fussing, and always share a kiss before going to bed.
Russell Itschner, 101, and his 99-year-old wife, were married on March 8, 1930. They went to high school together in Macon. He was in the 10th grade, and she was in the eighth. Ironically, theirs is not a marriage of love at first sight. It was moreso, "one of convenience," according to Leona.
"He was the best friend of a fella that went with my best friend," said Leona, who is soon to be 100. Asked to recall the first thoughts she had of her then young beau, Leona just giggled, slightly blushed, and repeated, "It was just convenient."
"It was more like a blind date," Russell said as he broke into the conversation, causing Leona to giggle again. "But dates were different then," she said. "No one had cars back then. We walked a few blocks to one of the three confectioners that were in Macon then, and we went to the movie show."
Back then, a Coca-Cola cost 5 cents, and admission to the picture show was 15 cents. Other than local socials and church functions, that was the weekend entertainment the youngsters enjoyed.
The couple courted five years before they were married. When they finally did say "I do," Leona was 18, Russell was 21. Her attendants were Lola Belle Willis, Tommy Holman, Alice Mayhow and Russell Friday, and the minister that wed them, was O.L. Angel. "I always thought it was funny that his last name was angel," Leona said thoughtfully.
Before the couple married – one year before the 1930 Depression – Russell went off to "Chillicothe Business College," where he had planned to obtain his degree and make a life for his prospective wife. But, "it was the first of the depression, and times were hard for everyone," and Russell was forced to quit and get a job. "We learned a lot of lessons that year," Leona recalled.
After their marriage, Russell tried his hand at several occupations. One of his first endeavors was a traveling salesman, which was short-lived. Leona made it quite clear, "she didn't much like traveling salesmen."
But what she did like about her man, and still admires today, "he's never cussed, smoked, drank or told me that I couldn't do anything." Because of that, she said, "everything turned out good."
One thing about growing old together, you learn to think for one another, and oftentimes speak for each other as well. Wheelchair bound with a disabling leg and knee condition, Russell is partially deaf, but can still hear out of one ear with the help of a hearing aide, and Leona's assistance. It's a mutual agreement they have, she said. "I help him listen, and he remembers dates. I don't do well with dates, and he's always been real good with them."
However, if you really want to get Russell talking, ask him about the work he's done throughout his life, especially within his community. The couple moved from Macon to Perry in 1942, with the intentions of opening a coal mine. Leona's father had operated the Home Coal Company in Macon, and Russell wanted to try his luck in Perry. At that time, there were numerous strip mines scattered throughout the rural area, and money to be made, with the right mining crew. But the war effort had taken all the good working men, and Russell's dream occupation once again was short-lived, but this time not for long.
The following year, Perry's city superintendent quit to join the armed forces. Russell was in the process of closing his mine, needed new employment, and agreed to take the job. The year was 1949. Few homes had working electricity, and even fewer had bathrooms. One of the most pressing issues was Perry's sewer.
With the help of other city officials, Russell pushed for the city's first sewer system – one of the first sewer lagoons to be built and used in the state of Missouri. When he retired from the city in 1973, he took on the city alderman seat, making even greater leaps and bounds. With the Mark Twain Lake due to be built only miles from Perry, he turned his attention on how to use the lake's resources to his city's advantage. Hence, the establishment of the Cannon Dam Wholesale Water District – which today, still supplies water to 23 towns.
Not bad for a country boy, with one year of college.
"Life has been good," Russell said. And age hasn't stopped the couple. The two co-own two antique shops with their daughter, Shirley Levings. One is called Miss Daisies, the other Arlington Antiques. At 100, Russell was still working in Miss Daisies, and his plans to return to work this spring, after the weather breaks.
Leona has primarily been a housewife her entire married life. She worked a short time for Geiselman's Drygood Store while living in Macon in 1929. After wedding Russell, she took up painting china – which she sold out of her home until the birth of their first daughter, Judy, who was born with cerebral palsy and required total care. The couple would eventually have two more daughters, Shirley (Levings) and Janna (Gordanier). Looking back, the now grandmother of three, great-grandmother of two, and great-great-grandmother of one, says she would have preferred being a carpenter. It was customary – every two years she remodeled their home.
Russell said he came home one day and she had torn off the front porch, and still had dinner on the table. "Of course, I had a little help," Leona admitted, giggling softly. And, that wasn't her only project. "When we moved into this house, we had one closet. Now, we have 12."
Russell and Leona have been married longer than most people live. In 2002, a Taiwanese couple recorded the world's longest marriage with Guinness after marking 85 years of matrimony. They also hold the record for being the oldest married couple. Lui Yung-yang was 103, and his wife, Yang Wan, was 102.
Longevity is also prevalent in Russell's family. His father lived to be 94, and his mother, 92. Leona's mom and dad were 72 and 64 respectively, when they died.
The only downside to living so long, the couple agreed, is that all of their friends and siblings have gone. But that only makes them closer, and their memories that much more important.
The two have traveled abroad more than once, and enjoyed many vacations stateside. For their 50th anniversary they went to Europe, and their 75th was celebrated in Joplin. This year, a reception is being held in their honor at the Perry Christian Church, from 1:30-3:30 p.m., by members of the congregation, family and friends. The couple requests no gifts, just your presence.
"We've been lucky," Russell said. "And blessed," Leona whispered. Together they've proven that "love, trust and respect," are far more important than material things. To this day, they are proud to say they've never owned a credit card, a computer or a cell phone.
"A lot of times we were financially strapped and she never complained, because I did the best that I could," Russell said. And they both agreed, it was "going through those hard times that helped us stay together as times got better."
PERRY – Russell and Leona Itschner, who will celebrate their 80th wedding anniversary Sunday, say the secrets of a long marriage are respect one another, disagree without fussing, and always share a kiss before going to bed.
Russell Itschner, 101, and his 99-year-old wife, were married on March 8, 1930. They went to high school together in Macon. He was in the 10th grade, and she was in the eighth. Ironically, theirs is not a marriage of love at first sight. It was moreso, "one of convenience," according to Leona.
"He was the best friend of a fella that went with my best friend," said Leona, who is soon to be 100. Asked to recall the first thoughts she had of her then young beau, Leona just giggled, slightly blushed, and repeated, "It was just convenient."
"It was more like a blind date," Russell said as he broke into the conversation, causing Leona to giggle again. "But dates were different then," she said. "No one had cars back then. We walked a few blocks to one of the three confectioners that were in Macon then, and we went to the movie show."
Back then, a Coca-Cola cost 5 cents, and admission to the picture show was 15 cents. Other than local socials and church functions, that was the weekend entertainment the youngsters enjoyed.
The couple courted five years before they were married. When they finally did say "I do," Leona was 18, Russell was 21. Her attendants were Lola Belle Willis, Tommy Holman, Alice Mayhow and Russell Friday, and the minister that wed them, was O.L. Angel. "I always thought it was funny that his last name was angel," Leona said thoughtfully.
Before the couple married – one year before the 1930 Depression – Russell went off to "Chillicothe Business College," where he had planned to obtain his degree and make a life for his prospective wife. But, "it was the first of the depression, and times were hard for everyone," and Russell was forced to quit and get a job. "We learned a lot of lessons that year," Leona recalled.
After their marriage, Russell tried his hand at several occupations. One of his first endeavors was a traveling salesman, which was short-lived. Leona made it quite clear, "she didn't much like traveling salesmen."
But what she did like about her man, and still admires today, "he's never cussed, smoked, drank or told me that I couldn't do anything." Because of that, she said, "everything turned out good."
One thing about growing old together, you learn to think for one another, and oftentimes speak for each other as well. Wheelchair bound with a disabling leg and knee condition, Russell is partially deaf, but can still hear out of one ear with the help of a hearing aide, and Leona's assistance. It's a mutual agreement they have, she said. "I help him listen, and he remembers dates. I don't do well with dates, and he's always been real good with them."
However, if you really want to get Russell talking, ask him about the work he's done throughout his life, especially within his community. The couple moved from Macon to Perry in 1942, with the intentions of opening a coal mine. Leona's father had operated the Home Coal Company in Macon, and Russell wanted to try his luck in Perry. At that time, there were numerous strip mines scattered throughout the rural area, and money to be made, with the right mining crew. But the war effort had taken all the good working men, and Russell's dream occupation once again was short-lived, but this time not for long.
The following year, Perry's city superintendent quit to join the armed forces. Russell was in the process of closing his mine, needed new employment, and agreed to take the job. The year was 1949. Few homes had working electricity, and even fewer had bathrooms. One of the most pressing issues was Perry's sewer.
With the help of other city officials, Russell pushed for the city's first sewer system – one of the first sewer lagoons to be built and used in the state of Missouri. When he retired from the city in 1973, he took on the city alderman seat, making even greater leaps and bounds. With the Mark Twain Lake due to be built only miles from Perry, he turned his attention on how to use the lake's resources to his city's advantage. Hence, the establishment of the Cannon Dam Wholesale Water District – which today, still supplies water to 23 towns.
Not bad for a country boy, with one year of college.
"Life has been good," Russell said. And age hasn't stopped the couple. The two co-own two antique shops with their daughter, Shirley Levings. One is called Miss Daisies, the other Arlington Antiques. At 100, Russell was still working in Miss Daisies, and his plans to return to work this spring, after the weather breaks.
Leona has primarily been a housewife her entire married life. She worked a short time for Geiselman's Drygood Store while living in Macon in 1929. After wedding Russell, she took up painting china – which she sold out of her home until the birth of their first daughter, Judy, who was born with cerebral palsy and required total care. The couple would eventually have two more daughters, Shirley (Levings) and Janna (Gordanier). Looking back, the now grandmother of three, great-grandmother of two, and great-great-grandmother of one, says she would have preferred being a carpenter. It was customary – every two years she remodeled their home.
Russell said he came home one day and she had torn off the front porch, and still had dinner on the table. "Of course, I had a little help," Leona admitted, giggling softly. And, that wasn't her only project. "When we moved into this house, we had one closet. Now, we have 12."
Russell and Leona have been married longer than most people live. In 2002, a Taiwanese couple recorded the world's longest marriage with Guinness after marking 85 years of matrimony. They also hold the record for being the oldest married couple. Lui Yung-yang was 103, and his wife, Yang Wan, was 102.
Longevity is also prevalent in Russell's family. His father lived to be 94, and his mother, 92. Leona's mom and dad were 72 and 64 respectively, when they died.
The only downside to living so long, the couple agreed, is that all of their friends and siblings have gone. But that only makes them closer, and their memories that much more important.
The two have traveled abroad more than once, and enjoyed many vacations stateside. For their 50th anniversary they went to Europe, and their 75th was celebrated in Joplin. This year, a reception is being held in their honor at the Perry Christian Church, from 1:30-3:30 p.m., by members of the congregation, family and friends. The couple requests no gifts, just your presence.
"We've been lucky," Russell said. "And blessed," Leona whispered. Together they've proven that "love, trust and respect," are far more important than material things. To this day, they are proud to say they've never owned a credit card, a computer or a cell phone.
"A lot of times we were financially strapped and she never complained, because I did the best that I could," Russell said. And they both agreed, it was "going through those hard times that helped us stay together as times got better."
