A local couple has reached a special milestone in their marriage.
Burton and Adeline Griner are celebrating 80 years of marriage today.
9&10’s Caroline Powers and Photojournalist Jeremy Erickson learned more about their long-lasting love story.
“I thought I’ll try and stay married for at least ten years.”
Now 80 years later this longtime Traverse City couple is celebrating a milestone of an anniversary.
Burton and Adeline Griner are taking us back to where it all started… at a Saturday night country dance.
“I like what I see and I made a date with her,” Burton says.
“He was dancing with another girl, maybe it was the one he brought I don’t know, and I was dancing with someone else and anyway he leaned over and said how about a date,” Adeline says. “So that was kind of how we met and I liked what I saw too. Then he had this fancy car and that helped.”
Burton worked as a farmer and field agent for the United States Department of Agriculture.
Adeline was the secretary for the first president at Northwestern Michigan College.
The two have always called Northern Michigan home, and they are happy as their family continues to grow that everyone is right here.
“How many grandkids… seven. Great grandkids… eight. And great-great… five. They’re the cutest little fellas, little boys. A whole bunch of little boys running around,” Adeline says.
At 102 and 99-years-old their love for each other is just as strong today as it was 80 years ago.
“That’s the thing we’ve never had serious conflicts. Sure you have small arguments, everybody has that,” says Burton.
“It’s right there all the time. We kiss each other and we hold hands,” says Adeline.
And they have one simple message for everyone.
“Well anyone who watches this story can do the same thing and it’s lovely. Try it. You’ll like it.”
© 2023 - 910 Media Group
