You do the math: Luther and Geneva Shetler were married Dec. 22, 1940. So, 2010 minus 1940 equals, that's right, wedding anniversary number 70 this year.
Living in their 10535 Augsburger Road, Bluffton, home, they reminisced earlier today about their wedding seven decades ago.
"We were married at Eighth Street Mennonite Church, Goshen, Indiana, by J.E. Hartzler, who was interim pastor there," recalls Luther. Members of the wedding party were Joe Weaver of Goshen, best man, and Zelma Stamm of Archbold, Geneva's sister, as maid of honor.
Although neither can remember when or how Luther proposed, they both recall how they met.
Sitting alphabetically, they ended up side-by-side in a Goshen College health class. Geneva didn't have a textbook, so they shared. The rest is history.
How about their first date? Both had to think for a moment, then Luther admitted that it was a double date. "A friend of mine asked Geneva for me. I was too bashful," he laughed.
There was no engagement ring, and no formal announcement of their engagement. "People sort of figured it out," Luther said.
Despite what they can't recall, they both remember their honeymoon.
"We drove to Florida in my 1936 Buick. It was my first car," said Luther. "We took $100 in cash and went for 10 days. When we came back we still had some money left."
Along the way the couple stopped in Georgia and paid $32 for a 12-place setting of good china, according to Geneva.
In Florida they spent time on the east coast where they recall that they could buy all the fresh orange juice they could drink for 10 cents - "you could buy as much as you could drink for a dime," said Geneva.
After returning to Goshen, Luther worked in construction from January until late May of 1941. Meanwhile, Geneva, finished the 1940-41 school year teaching grades fourth, fifth and sixth grade in a three-room school in the Archbold area. Both lived with their own parents until the school year ended.
"We'd get together on weekend during this time," said Luther. "I'd drive to Archbold every other weekend." Geneva would take the New York Central from the Archbold area to Goshen on the "other" weekends.
From 1940 to 1950 the couple lived in Indiana. Luther obtained a master's in math and education from Indiana University.
In 1950 at the invitation of Lloyd Ramseyer, Luther accepted a math teaching position at Bluffton College. He taught at Bluffton for the next 34 years. During this time he completed an Ed D doctorate from Indiana University.
"When we moved here I worked as office manager for Dr. Rodabaugh," said Geneva.
Geneva originally obtained a two-year teaching certificate. Then, in 1967 she completed a four-year teaching degree from Bluffton. She then taught 17 years in Bluffton elementary - three years as a kindergarten teacher and the remaining as a third grade teacher.
Both retired from their professional careers in 1984.
During their marriage, Luther and Geneva have been active in First Mennonite Church. Luther recently retired as volunteer at Bluffton Hospital and Mennonite Memorial Home. Luther is also known for his popular "math in the bath" bubble shows, which he presented to many groups for nearly 50 years.
Luther and Geneva have five children: Joenita (Stan) Clemens, Bluffton; Terry (Bonnie) Shetler, Fort Collins, Colo., Lu Derstine, Bluffton, Peter (Jan Bender) Shetler, Goshen, Ind., and Tami (Michael) Hardy, Elida.
They have 14 grandchildren and 18 great-grandchildren. An attachment at the bottom of this page shows the Shetlers wedding photo.
