Posted 6/22/01 Seniors celebrate marriage commitment Wedding anniversaries were celebrated with a party at the Senior Dining Site in North Branch June 13, with music by Vernon Johnson, flowers, a memory booklet and a drawing for gifts. Peter and Ann Pohl were married the longest of those gathered for this special occasion. They were married April 23, 1938. Others observing many years of married life were: Al and Elaine Rydeen, married November 21, 1940, Tony and Verna Nienow, March 14, 1942, Roger and Irene Sellman May 29, 1943, Wes and Irene Ward April 23, 1945, Carl and Phyllis Lindberg October 23, 1945, Duane and Esther Grell March 2, 1946, Vernon and Ardell Johnson March 16, 1946, Stanley and Margaret Sybrandt May 26, 1946, Kermit and Laura Hellem June 14, 1947, Walden and Lois Johnson October 24, 1953, Orrin and Jean Asklund November 21, 1953, Stan and Barb Manthey December 2, 1953, and Lyle and Margaret Ward April 29, 1955. At the anniversary celebration, Muriel Kennedy congratulated everyone for their years of married life. ìIn this age of non-commitment you are to be commended for such faithful loyalty to each other. We are proud of you,î she said to the 14 couples. ìMay God continue to bless you all with many more years of happiness together.î The folks at the senior center thank the following for gifts for the drawing: Perkins Family Restaurant, The Oak Inn, Koepís Village Bakery, the Post Review, Heartís Desire Gift Shop, Skelton Drug, Country Valu Drug Store and The Flower Shop. The anniversary couples Ann and Peter Pohl met in 1936 at a restaurant in St. Paul named Arrigoniís. Ann was dancing with a girlfriend when Peter first saw her. He asked her to dance and ìthat was his downfall,î he said. Married in 1938, they have lived in Remer, MN, the Twin Cities, and in Stacy since 1969. They have two children and four grandchildren. Walden and Lois Johnson met at a dance in Center City. They married in 1953 at St. Peterís Church in Dresser, WI. The have lived in Lindstrom, Almelund and North Branch. They have two children and eight grandchildren. Ardell and Vernon Johnson met at a dance in Stacy in 1943. They were married in 1946 at Trinity Lutheran Church and lived most of their married life in North Branch. They had three children and now have seven grandchildren and four great-grandchildren. Roger and Irene Sellman met at a dance at Payneís Pavilion at Fish Lake in Harris. They married at the Immanuel church parsonage at Almelund in 1943. They lived at Almelund and Lindstrom. They had three sons and have 10 grandchildren and six great-grandchildren. Duane and Esther Grell were introduced by Duaneís cousin in St. Paul in 1940. They married in 1946 in the church parsonage. They lived in St. Paul, Stanchfield and Cambridge. They have six children, 16 grandchildren and four great-grandchildren. It was August 1944 when Irene went to the Great Northern Railroad Depot to see her brother off to war. He introduced her to his buddy, Wes, who was also leaving. Irene and Wes Ward started corresponding and one thing led to another. They married in April 1945 in Monticello, MN. They lived in various places, the last 30 years in Cambridge. They have eight children, 18 grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren. Lyle and Margaret Ward met by chance on the street in North Branch when Lyle was visiting his brother Wes. That chance meeting led to their marriage in June 1954. They lived in St. Paul and North Branch, raised three children and now have 10 grandchildren and three great-grandchildren. It was a friendly visit between neighbors when Margaretís family visited at the Sybrandt home and Margaret and Stanley Sybrandt met for the first time. They married at the Lutheran church in Pine City in 1946. They lived in Rush City, Harris and North Branch. They have two daughters and four grandchildren. Al and Elaine Rydeen met at the ice skating rink in Lindstrom in 1938. They married in 1940 and lived in North Branch ever since. They have two sons and one grandchild. Orrin and Jean Asklund met at the roller rink at Payneís Pavilion at Fish Lake near Harris in 1953. They married at Fish Lake Lutheran Church later that year. They have lived at Kost and at Sunrise for the past 45 years. They have three sons, five grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. Stanley and Barbara Manthey met on a blind date at Flat Rock, Indiana and married one week later. When Stan completed his military service they moved to Circle Pines where they lived until moving to North Branch in 1999. They have five children and 13 grandchildren. Carl and Phyllis Lindberg grew up together in North Branch and saw each other in school and church and Luther League. They married in 1945 at Trinity Lutheran Church and had their reception at Phyllisís parentsí home. Because of wartime rationing, Phyllis remembers borrowing sugar coupons from friends to give to the bakery for the wedding cake. The Lindbergs have five children and 12 grandchildren. Kermit and Laura Hellem met in Fargo, ND in 1946 and were married a year later. They lived in Fargo, the Twin Cities and North Branch since 1972. ©Post Review