Millersville couple honored for 68 years together

Earl Wills and Opal Martin met during a party at Millersville, Mo. That was more than 68 years ago.

Earl and Opal Wills observed their 68th wedding anniversary in December.

They were honored again on Thursday, Valentine's Day.

The Wills were among more than 275 couples who gathered at the A.C. Brase Arena Building in Cape Girardeau Thursday for a Valentine's Day celebration for couples who have been married at least 50 years.

The Wills were honored as the longest-married couple.

"We were married Dec. 23, 1933, at Jackson," said Opal Wills. "It was a very small wedding."

"We remained in the area," said Earl Wills. "We still have a small farm, about 200 acres, where we raise livestock and crops." The Wills have a son, Gene Wills, two grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.

Schnucks and KZIM Radio co-sponsored the event.

Also honored were couples with the most grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

Mr. and Mrs. Ray Seyer had a total of 40 grandchildren -- 27 grandchildren and 13 great-grandchildren.

Also honored were Paul and Alberta Marchi, who drove more than 110 miles one-way, from the St. Louis area. The Marchis are parents of Schnucks store manager Dennis Marchi.

Robin Hosp provided the entertainment for the event. Entertainers Mike Dumey and Hosp were on the program, but Dumey had to cancel.

Celebration turns 25

Schnucks Valentine Day celebration was started 25 years ago by the Cape Girardeau Schnucks store.

"It was held in the store," said Marchi. The first event was held in the store with less than a dozen couples showing up.

"More than 275 couples were here Thursday," said Marchi. "We had 550 people to start, and some joined us during the program. We wound up with between 550 and 600 people."

The celebration has been so successful in Cape Girardeau that other Schnucks stores in the Midwest have copied the idea. But Cape Girardeau's party has the largest turnout.

While most couples here came from Cape Girardeau County, several couples came from a far distance -- Dexter, Puxico, Perry County and the St. Louis area. A number of party recipients have attended the party a number of years.

The majority of the party-goers were married 50 to 55 years ago, but no fewer than a dozen couples had been married at least 65 years.

The couples enjoyed a continental breakfast provided by Schnucks and served by managers and sales associates from Schnucks and Zimmer radio stations.