Happy Anniversary Bessie and Elmer

My grandparents, Bessie and Elmer Patterson, were married 75 years ago today! Grandaddy passed away in 1992, so they were only able to celebrate 61 of those years together, but I still think it's a neat date to remember.

From what I know of the story (and I may need some help here family, so chime in on the parts I leave out), she first laid eyes on him on the night they were both baptized. He was 7 years older than she was, so maybe she was 11 and he was 18? She always talked about how tall and handsome he was.

They dated for several years, while she grew up and then taught school for one year. She said she told him one day that she thought she'd like to teach one more year before they got married and he said "That's fine with me, but I don't know if I could be as faithful to wait for you." Well, she didn't teach that year and they got married just before church on Sunday morning, June 7, 1931. While everyone else was in church, they went and had their picture made, then went to her family's house for lunch that day. Nice and simple.

He worked at the post office and served as an elder. She raised a family, taught school again, and became an author. Together they ministered to their neighbors and did mission work in Jamaica. They demonstrated care, devotion, and compassion for each other as they lived out their faith. What a beautiful portrait of Godly love.