Ed and Gerty Stewart, of Oxford, reached two rather impressive milestones this year ? 69 years of marriage and Ed’s 95th birthday.
An open house celebrating both events was held Saturday at the Lake Orion First Baptist Church, even though technically the couple’s wedding anniversary isn’t until Oct. 1 and Ed’s birthday was July 28.
Given the immense size of the Stewart clan, it’s not easy to pick dates for family get-togethers that everyone can agree on.
You see Ed and Gerty’s nearly seven-decade-long union has produced five children (four girls and one boy), 14 grandchildren, 21 great-grandchildren, and five great-great-grandchildren.
‘We’ve multiplied,? Gerty said with a chuckle. ‘Isn’t that wonderful??
Ed and Gerty met sometime in late 1935.
An Oxford resident since age 6, Gerty had just graduated from Oxford High School earlier that year. In the fall, she began taking college classes through Eastern Michigan at the high school.
That’s where she met Ed’s sister. ‘She kept saying, ‘I’ve got a brother I want you to meet,?? Gerty said. When the two were finally introduced, Ed was so immediately taken with her, he showed up at Gerty’s Stanton Street home that night to invite her on a date into Pontiac.
Born in Royal Oak, Ed was in town from New Mexico helping his parents move here to care for his grandparents.
Ed and Gerty continued dating in the coming months and were finally married Oct. 1, 1936.
‘She caught me before I had a chance to get back out west,? joked Ed, who was a General Motors employee for 35 years before retiring in 1978.
The Stewarts spent all but a few of their 69 years living in Oxford. And most of those years were spent in the 7 Hovey Street home that once belonged to Ed’s grandparents then his parents. Ed and Gerty still live there today.
‘It’s been wonderful being together,? said Gerty, who will turn 87 in September. ‘We’ve had a very happy marriage. . . I think our home has been full of laughter.?
So what’s the secret to staying married for 69 years?
‘Always talk to each other,? said Gerty, noting they didn’t believe in giving each other the silent treatment when they were mad. ‘We always talked things over.?
By the same token, Ed said he ‘learned not to talk when I should be listening.?
For couples planning to have more than one child, Gerty recommends spacing them out. There’s 21 years difference between the oldest and youngest of the Stewarts? five children.
‘I wanted to be able to spend time with each one,? she said. ‘I used to do a lot of baby-sitting when I was younger and I’d see these children ? so many, so close (in age) ? nobody had time for them individually. I didn’t want it that way.?
Being an accountant for several local businesses allowed Gerty to work from her home while raising the kids.
A combination of humor, music and strong Christian values gave the Stewarts a close, loving family.
From gathering around the organ at home to singing in church, music helped create strong bonds within the family, according to Gerty.
In addition to their own children, the Stewarts also took in four foreign exchange students from Germany, Sweden, Argentina and Uruguay.
Being extraordinarily gracious hosts, the Stewarts offered to take each visiting student anywhere in the United States, which resulted in trips to California’s Disneyland, Niagra Falls and Florida.
Over the years, the Stewarts have travelled to 49 states and South America.
After living nearly a century, one might think Ed is ready to slow down and take it easy. Not a chance.
Ed’s still quite active and young at heart. ‘He goes out everyday and swings the sledgehammer just to make sure he still can,? Gerty said.
In early July, Ed bicycled 17 miles of the Virginia Creeper Trail ? for the second straight year.
‘The first time I went down there I’d have done it in about two hours, but they kept hollering at me,? he said.
‘We had to get him to slow down a bit,? interjected Judy Morris, the Stewarts? second oldest child who lives in North Carolina.
Back when he was only 93, Ed decided to have a little wintertime fun following a heavy snow.
After he finished clearing the roof over the sun porch, Ed looked down at the huge pile of snow below and decided to jump in ? from the roof ? just like his kids used to do. Buried up to his neck, Ed had to be dug out of the snow bank.
‘That was fun,? he said with a smile.
Clearly, Ed still has some daredevil spirit left in him, announcing during this interview that he would like to go hang gliding sometime ? seriously.
Give us a call when you’re ready Ed. We would love to cover your flight.