70 years married: Don and Darlene Bollinger, in it for the long haul

“Remember when we drove out 12-Mile Road and parked by the lake and smooched?” Don Bollinger asks, his eyes twinkling in delight.

“Oh my goodness,” his wife blushes with school-girl embarrassment, “You’re not supposed to tell that!”

After 70 years of marriage, Don and Darlene are blessed with a plethora of tales that chronicle their life-long journey together.

That journey began when they met in sixth grade, at an elementary school outside Detroit, Michigan.

“She was on one side of the hall, and I was on the other,” Don reminisces, “so we were acquainted and knew each other.”

“Then in junior high,” Darlene adds, “we lived in the same neighborhood, so we walked to school together with other kids from the area.”

They were friendly in high school, the couple recalls, but did not date. Don went into the Naval Reserve during his last two years of high school, and Darlene had a job.

“In 1946, as soon as I was old enough,” Darlene explains, “I went to work in a drug store. I was what they call a soda jerk. I worked for 50 cents an hour and made about $15 a week. I had that job for four years.”

They graduated from high school in the spring of 1948, and shortly after that, romance began to blossom.

“I didn’t have a car,” says Darlene, “so I walked to and from work. One evening I was on my way home when he rode up and offered me a ride on his motorcycle.

“Well, that was that,” she laughs. “I dumped the guy I was dating and we were married five months later.”

This past November marked 70 years that the couple have been together.

In looking back over the life they built and have shared, the couple echo similar sentiments about what has held them together.

“I’m satisfied with my life,” reflects Don. “We’ve had a lot of fun, and shared some great experiences. We made adjustments and learned to do things together.”

Darlene adds, “We made the effort to get along. We took our vows seriously and never considered that we wouldn’t always be married.”

She goes on to offer this advice, “When you get bored with each other, or think you don’t have anything in common, that’s when you set about working on your marriage — both partners working together.”

Darlene points to the wedding dress she is wearing in their wedding photo.

“I was just going to wear a suit,” she explains, “but my maid-of-honor didn’t have a suit. She did have a bridesmaid’s dress, though, and was able to borrow her sister-in-law’s wedding dress for me.”

During the early years of their marriage, Don worked at Chrysler, then he and a buddy opened a garage.

“I bought my first new car in 1950,” Don says. “Back then you had to order them in advance, because it was post World War II, and the factories were still transitioning from military back to commercial manufacturing.”

Although Don and Darlene grew up in the Detroit area, they both had roots in other places. Darlene was born in Toledo, Ohio, and Don in Bell City, Missouri.

“Darlene’s mother passed away,” says Don. “Her dad remarried and moved to Detroit. My dad passed away, my mom remarried, and we also moved to the Detroit area.”

It was those ties to Southeast Missouri that eventually lured the young family away from the city.

“I still had family here,” Don explains, “so we would come this way to visit. In the fall of 1960 I was down here, and heard about this place that was for sale over around Leora.”

Don said he had become dissatisfied with city living, and wanted to get his boys away from the influences of that culture.

“Darlene wasn’t with me, but I bought it, anyway. I went home, told her what I had done, and we started preparing to move in December,” he recounts thoughtfully.

“We drove down this gravel road, out in the middle of nowhere,” Darlene says, cutting her eyes at Don, “and pulled up to this old farmhouse. No one had lived there in over a year. The grass was knee high. Well, I just sat there and bawled.”

The outside was a pretty good indication of what she would face inside.

The house had a kitchen, living room and bedroom. There was electricity, but no running water, no bathroom and no heat source.

“We had a cistern, but had to carry water from that,” says Don, “and we all shared a bedroom.”

On their wedding day, Nov. 20, 1948. From left John Dunkle Jr., best man; Don Bollinger; Darlene Bollinger; and Marilyn Sidensticker, maid of honor. Photo provided

They purchased a wood-burning stove to heat the house, and a gas stove for cooking.

The family lived in the house for several years before they were able to make any modifications.

“We eventually dug a well,” Don explains, “but we had to go down 185 feet to find water.”

Clockwise from front, son Doug, great-grandson Nick, grandson Brandon, and Don Bollinger. Photo provided

Once they had running water, the porch was enclosed to make a bathroom and they added another bedroom.

The family lived in the farmhouse for 12 years.

“We planned to remodel the farmhouse,” Don observes, “but it was nearly 100 years old and didn’t have a foundation. It was built on rocks. In 1972, we built this house.”

Darlene worked at Elder’s Manufacturing in Bloomfield, and then eventually at the Dexter plant. She retired after 27 years of service.

Don initially worked at a garage in Bell City.

“I worked a few years,” he says, “until I got established and got acquainted with the area. I figured out how to do some farming things.”

Don developed a custom hay baling business, along with his farming.

“She says I’ve been retired ever since we moved here,” he laughs good naturedly, “and to be honest, those first years were a whole lot like that TV show ‘Green Acres’ because I didn’t know anything about farming.”

“We tried just about everything,” Darlene chuckles. “We had pigs, cows and chickens, and I would sell cream, butter and eggs to the little store in Leora.”

In addition to producing their own meat and dairy, the couple always had big gardens and fruit trees.

“We used to work together in the gardens,” explains Darlene, “but I’ve gotten so clumsy, that I just stay out of the way. He does the gardening and I take care of the produce.”

Don still puts out two gardens, has a few fruit trees, tame blackberries and a strawberry patch.

“Last summer,” says Darlene, “his vegetables didn’t do so well, but his blackberries went crazy. You know how some people load visitors up with zucchini? Well I would load them up with blackberries!”

Through the years, the couple continued to share the workload around the farm.

“I taught her how to hunt and how to clean the game. When we butchered she was right there to help. She’s really been a good sport through it all,” Don says admiringly.

Don and Darlene will turn 90 in February. They both still drive, though they no longer take the extended camping trips they once enjoyed.

“We had a boat, and we still have our camping trailer, but we don’t use it anymore,” Don says.

“We used to go to all the Bluegrass festivals, and we’ve traveled all over the country.

“The farthest we’ve gone is to northern Maine — up on the Canadian border. They wouldn’t let us into Canada, though,” he adds, “because we had the dogs with us.”

In the winter when they can’t be outdoors, the couple enjoys each other’s company, as they pursue their individual interests.

“I piece quilts,” says Darlene, “and he sorts through our pictures and puts them in albums.”

Don and Darlene have two sons, Richard and Doug, five grandchildren, 15 great-grandchildren and one great-great grandchild.

“The kids come over and will play slide shows on the TV, but I like to look through albums,” Don explains. “With an album, you can stop and reminisce over sentimental photos. You can’t do that when the pictures are flashing by on the screen.”