Joe & Nina Savidge
Our love story began in 1973. We were both at my now-brother-in-law's wedding. I caught the bouquet and he caught the garter. We talked for quite a while and went for a ride the next day. He was working in Harrisburg, so we didn't get to see much of each other until weekends. This happened in September 1973, and he proposed marriage on December 1973. Our wedding took place on Oct. 19, 1974, and what a ride it has been since then.
I was working as an administrative assistant at Our Lady of Lourdes Regional High School and he apparently was a student there during that time. He really didn't want to go to Catholic high school, since most of his friends were at the public school.
One day, he followed through on a bribe from his fellow Vo-Tech friends, got caught and asked to leave the school. This, of course was great for him, but not at all what his parents wanted to hear. He graduated from high school in 1970 and I had no idea who he was. Ironically, the same priest that asked him to leave school, married us. Since I worked with so many religious clergy, I could not ask one and not the others to concelebrate at our marriage, so he felt like we really got married with double and triple blessings.
Our age difference is nine years with me being the oldest. So many people took bets that it would never work, even my own family. We did, however, prove them wrong because we will be celebrating our 38th wedding anniversary this year and still so much in love.
Our biggest accomplishment was welcoming of our daughter, Josette Marie Savidge, into our lives. She was what we had all of our friends and family, including my Lourdes family, praying for. Her arrival on Dec. 19, 1980, was the biggest miracle we could have ever imagined. Our daughter is now 31 years old and living in Missouri and has been such a blessing in so many ways.
My husband works at National Ticket Company and I am presently retired from Shamokin Area Community Hospital and do volunteer work for the Visiting Nurse Association of Shamokin, president of the Trevorton Senior Action Center, secretary of the Patsies Over 50 Club of St. Patrick's, Trevorton.
When the time comes for my husband's retirement, we hope to be able to travel and just enjoy good health and happiness together and follow our daughter, in all her accomplishments, especially attending her marathons in different states and, eventually, in other countries.
My husband is the most loving and caring individual and I feel so blessed everyday to be this lucky to have him complete my life. He is a great husband and father and would lay down his life for either our daughter or myself. My prayer now is that we could have 50 to 60 more years together, some shaky but still the best we could ask for.
Nina Savidge