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^ Page A6-The Chronicle, Thursday, January 12, 198 people Close-Up Romance Is Still By AUDREY L. WILLIAMS t af Staff Writer he Half a century is a long time - especially when you've th been married that long. The Rev. and Mrs.-Marcus Laughliivand Mr. and Mrs. ly Willie Grier have spent 50 years of their lives together, sh Both couples married in the midst of the Great Depression, and both couples are success stories when it comes pi to their marriage. lif The Laughlin's marriage brought them a total of eight th children, but only two are living today, while the Griers had no children, but managed to accumulate an abun- 1 dance of godchildren. . th In a celebration of their 50th anniversaries, the dc Laughlins, who will have been married 51 years thjs It month, and the Griers, married 50 years last month, have renewed their wedding vows and reaffirmed their love. bi Both couples have their own formula for longevity in a th marriage, but the one thing they both have in common is ris a sense of love and respect (or each other. The first time the Rev. Marcus Laughlin laid eyes on "1 his wife Eutha was in a church in Georgia where he was th the pastor. "I kqew 1 was gonna marry her," he says. Mrs. Laughlin/^owever, says she didn't exactly feel ar the same about him. he "My husband had been in town for quite a while," she says. "He wasn't dating any of the girls, so I-decided he at thought he was cute." to With the misunderstanding cleared, a courtship filtered th between the two, which eventually led to marriace. . . "We've never thought of ourselves as a success," says sp Rev. Laughlin. "Today, success is mos^y based on sc money, but when we married we were poor righj^ in the midst of the depression." Rev. Laughlin, who pastored at St. Andrews and Saint " ^ Matthews Methodist Church, speaks in a whisper, his y( voice silenced, he says, due to the abundance of speaking ^ . engagements he made before his retirement. After the Laughlins were married, four years and nine months went by before the Laughfins decided to start a _ family, largely because of the financial burden children would have brought during the depression. sa Mrs. Laughlin, who was a teacher, ended her career ea J THURSDAY, JANUARY 12 . i >There will be a one-hour press conference with Dr. hi I Benjamin Hooks, executive director of the NAACP, I and Patrick Hairston, Winston-Salem Branch bt I NAACP president, at Mechanics and Fanners Bank to I Salem College will sponsor an information session to ?w QMDi vowp rinc ato center urama I FRIDAY, JANUARY 13 I ^fll^kstration for an Old House Restoration ^Workshop continues today. For more information! I on die workshop and regisration, call 767-8213. Registration for boys and girls aged 5-12 lntere?ted^ I & modeling in the Ebony St Ivory Models Spring I Fashion Show will tafein at 1 p.m. at the West End Bpulevard YMCA. For more information call I The Southeastern Center Tor Contemporary Art (SECCA) will present a special program titled I Hfchistler*' at 8:15 p.m. In a one-man dramatiza- I I tion, Malcom Morrison, dean of the School of I Drama at the North Carolina School of the Arts, will 9 present the Efe and legend of 19th century artist 9 1 James McNeill Whistler. j I SUNDAY, JANUAR^ 15 . f I The High Point Human Relations Commission will sponsor the lOth-annual Martin Luther King Jr. jM Community Celebration at 3 p.m. at the High Point Theatre at 220 East Commerce St. Ralph GvNeas, 9 The executive director of the Leadership Conference on Civil Rights will be the guest speaker. MONDAY, JANUARY 16 . 4 state employees are invited to attend a " memorial tribute for Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. at |jU:50 a.m. at the Archives-Library Building a Auditorium at 109 East Joyner St. in Raleigh. The J Honorable Henry E. Frye, N.C. Supreme Court ^Associate Justice, will be the guest speaker. ^plfgOWjESDAV, JANUARY 18 rs "Housing Option, for Older Adults" is th? subject ? w the YWCA Options for Living Program at 10:30 t] Arm. at the Glade Street YWCA. For more hrforma- ^ l 4 Social Notes, Servie Alive And W ell A ter those four years and nine months to become i msewife and mother. "I never regretted it," she says. "It was a joy raisin* e children and my husband wanted them so." Both view the institution of marriage as sacred and ho . In fact, those elements were a part of their relation ip's very existence. Says Rev. Laughlin: "The first thing 1 would tell a cou e planning to marry is to base it all on living a Christiar e and to accept the vows not just for the good but foi e bad also." a "Children nowadays have the idea of *1*11 try it befon take the vows,**' says Mrs. Laughlin. "I just don' ink that's anything to look forward to. Basically, ] >n't think there's anything wrong with marriage today 's the way people look at it." i Rev. and Mrs. Laughlin, who were married on theii rthdays, say despite what others might think after all ese years, romance is still alive and well in their marage. "Courtship begins at marriage,"says Rev. Laughlin. 1 treated her a lot better than 1 did when we got married an when I courted her. "Before I married her, she was whoever could get her id it's just foolish not to take care of what you have," : says. Mr. and Mrs. Willie Grier were high school sweethearts Columbia Heights High School, which has since been rn down. She really didn't think their courtship was at serious and marriage was far from her mind. "That's the reason 1 couldn't play baseball," says the rite Mr. Grier. "1 had to escort her home from hool." During our generation you had nobody to give iu a start, so the marriage had to be a partnerup ..." ? Mrs. Odell Grier Because they also married during the depression, they y love and understanding was the most they could offer ch other during that period in their lives. "During our generation you had nobody to give you a irt, so the marriage had to be a partnership," says Mrs. -ier. "What's mine is his and'vice versa." Deciding to leave Winston-Salem, the Griers packed up id moved north to WesLSpringfield, Mass., where Mrs. rier went into business for herself as a cosmetologist id Mr. Grier worked as a technician for General Fiber dx. They lived there for 26 years until they returned to rinston-Salem to retire eight years ago. "I didn't go to a hotshot college," says Mr. Grier, but these 50 years have taught me a lot and I had a lot in, too." "I don't believe in divorce," says Mrs. Grier, and her jsband, who'is an ordained deacon, agrees with her." "1 don't believe in this marriage counseling, either, ;cause it all starts in the home," she says. "Parents used tell a boy if you abuse her, bring her back where you )t her from." Mr. Grier adds: "People don't take marriage seriously day. You can divorce at anytime and that's not the pro- . ir way to settle things." Whenever there is a disagreement between the two of o Pwl v' Blwli* -^^^IHPilj^HMH^H?^^? 4j^ li'i' ' BMi ' 1:W ? - w& >?$ mmKm ? * * & *" :-fp^f^^ '?* 'Jis ^ - <$$jiwr~^M ^S-^"'-/ jjPj^'^ ' ' r'-'?&3$1 llllllSr iflH? >* . .^Mfc:., %W^M gWs ;: Betty Abbott Wilson Couple Celebrate Golden Anniversary Mr. and Mrs. George Also speaking was at the tivender of 1027 Manly St. Rev. E.L. Clark Sr. seemly celebrated their u were Mr$ Hattie 0th wedding anniversary Fulwood and Bernestine le "Say Inn Torth! *?? 8-^aughter of the .? . n . couple. nth the Rev. James ulwood of Saint Mark More than 50 guests ataptist Church officiating, tended the celebration. f , 1 e News, Club News , ? K33? - _jj^M HpP-' wS H jggU The Rev. and Mrs. Marcus Laughlln agree that lea< riage survive (photo by James Parker). 1%Sy Mr. and Mrs. Willie Grier's key to 50 years of ma them, they say instead of fighting it out they have always gone their separate ways until some rationale could be found and tempers cooled. "We need each other," says Mrs. Grier. "I feel secure Social Notes Ahhntt Ami liZSh t ii/t/i/n jl if?i4 r r lui/i Betty Sloan Abbott and Booker T. Sloan of Rural Franklin Samuel Wilson Jr. Hall. The bridegroom is the were married in a 4 p.m. son of Mrs. Inez Wilson of New Year's Day ceremony Winston-Salem and the late at Prince Hall Masonic Mr. Franklin S. Wilson. Temple, with the groom's Abbott is a graduate of brother, the Rev. Bobby North Forsyth High School Wilson, and . the Rev. and Forsyth Technical InClaude Turner officiating, stitute. She is employed by The bride is the daughter Bali Company, of Mrs. Mamie Sloan of Wilson is a graduate of Winston-Salem and Mr. Carver High School and Urban League Laun< Winston-Salenfr Urban organizational work is League President Thomas under way in preparation Elijah Jr. announced late for the official campaign last week that the Urban kickoff Jan. 18. League will launch a ---A f . # . ^ Current economic con? , . . Virions have increased the paign ater t is mon . number of unemployed and The fund-raising effort . , . c ... . . -r. the problems they face in will be known as The r. .. . ' ,, . , _. ? . , . _ finding employment," said Challenge to Achieve Cam- _ . ?? n c . . * , , Emken. "... Because of its paign. Proceeds will be used . ... ' ... . , longtime commitment to to establish a new employ- . * . ^ improving employment op meru irauuiiK tciuci in inc , . 1T . T ? u -1J- . portunities here in WinstonUrban Leagued building at L .. . , ? - Salem, the Urban League is the northwest corner of . . ? -i.. , _ . . . in a unique position to work Fifth and Trade streets. . . . .. . .. . . , . with minority and, disad- ' The campaign's general . . . . , / . . . . M. ? , a vantaged citizens, black and chairman will be Robert A. ... , . ' _ . .. . white older adults, women Emken, executive vice . . , . ... f ... r. and other people who president for Finance and . . , . \ . . . . .. . D t deserve a chance to make it Administration at R.J. .. . i . -r , ^ on their own. Reynolds Tobacco Co. Under Emken's leadership, s Emken also noted that a campaign steering com- the Urban League is mittee is being formed and presently ,hampered in its ? fi H I T ding a Christian life has made their 50-year mar- : ! iiaiPift, .... > & nii.? mmm v fiiip -"v ^|i? i0 mm 1';:. :?... a - > r ifipi#*. * WW1''' ? mm K> rriage: Sharing (photo by James Parker). with our marriage. It has made our love stronger." "We still have romance in our marriage," says Mr./:', Grier. "1 kiss my wife anytime I feel like it." "Yeah, he's a real kisser," she says. n Marry At Temple Winston-Salem State rain#? W/ilcr?r? T .. ........ - ? ? - ? - ? ?. ? " "own, L.iiiua rayuc University. He earned his and the bride's sisters, master's degree from New Sharon Shuford and Diane York University. Wilson is Hadley. employed by Phillip Morris The best man was his Tobacco Co. in Richmond, brother, Freddie Wilson. Va. Ushers were Nelson The bride was escorted by Williams,^ . Kenneth her brother, Booker T. Spillman, Nathaniel Wilson Sloan Jr., with Naomi Hunt and Alphonso Bell, as maid of honor. v; The* couple will live in Bridesmaids were Lor- Richmond. j ches Campaign work by inadequate League's Senior Center, facilities. The goal of The Challenge The former Wachovia to Achieve is to provide Bank branch at Fifth and funds for renovations of 1 1 1?! 1 -** - - nauc succia auu several uincr OUIIdingS. When this small buildings adjoining it work is completed, the Urwere acquired by the Urban ban League's offices and League in 1980. One training facilities will be building was remodeled moved to Fifth and Trade more than a year ago and from their present location presently houses the Urban in the Pepper Building. Couple Honored Mr. and Mrs. John H. Blackburn. Martin Sr. were recently The two-hour celebration honored with a surprise w*s held at Les Abres, with golden anniversary dinner the couple's children servgiven by their children and ing as hostesses, daughter-in-law, Mr. and The Martin's have seven Mrs. John H. Martin Jr. grandchildren and one and Mrs. Carol M. great-grandchild.
Winston-Salem Chronicle (Winston-Salem, N.C.)
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Jan. 12, 1984, edition 1
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