A spunky 17-year-old celebrating her birthday with friends at the Casa Loma Ballroom in St. Louis, Mo., had no idea how fate-filled that evening in 1955 would become after meeting one very handsome serviceman.
As the young, newly-introduced couple danced to the tunes being performed by Bill Haley and the Comets, Jack VonFeldt, then 18, knew that night he wanted to get to know Beverly Balmer much better. So much so, he drove 40 miles on a regular basis from the military base where he was stationed to Arnold, Mo., where she lived.
It didn’t take long for Jack to pop the question, and on June 23, 1956, they were married in Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in Arnold. The rings they exchanged during the ceremony are engraved with “Faithful to God and each other.” It was a family affair, and the wedding reception lasted until 5 a.m. the following morning.
Despite the fact they came from different religious faiths, both believe it was their commitment to each other that guided them through 70 years of marriage. The occasion was blessed and again celebrated several weeks ago during a service at St. Michael Catholic Church in Prior Lake.
“We had a great amount of good fortune along the way, and God’s grace is what kept us together,” Jack said. “We have the same moral outlook. That’s why it has worked for us for so many years even though we originally were of different faiths. We have the same beliefs, as do our children.”
Jack’s employment in the emerging computer industry forced the couple to move frequently, which proved to be quite challenging. The family also grew to include nine children.
As the couple made many moves around the country, priorities as to where they settled were oftentimes based on church and whenever possible, locating near family or friends. It had always been his desire to return to Minnesota. He was raised in Hibbing where his dad owned a restaurant near other businesses operated by relatives of Bob Dylan, the Iron Range’s favorite son.
The VonFeldts eventually returned to the Twin Cities and have called Prior Lake home since 1996. It’s also where four of their children and 20 extended family members have settled. In total, the couple has 41 grandchildren and 33 great-grandchildren, with two more on the way.
Staying active and in contact with family and friends continues to be a priority. They said it’s been helpful to have them close by with Jack turning 90 in October and Bev a few years behind. Jack also enjoys having lunch weekly with former military friends. Both are involved in church and local senior activities.
“We have wonderful children,” she says. “They know we love them, but we don’t spoil them.”
“But they all get what they need,” adds Jack.
The couple’s wedding photo hangs in a prominent spot on the living room wall. Their home is filled with other photographs of lifetime events that have occurred over seven decades. There are weddings, graduations, baptisms and impromptu gatherings. Bev will also bring out her memento box that is filled with invitations from past family gatherings and a three-page listing of all family birthdays. With 90-plus “immediate” family members, it’s the only way she can stay on top of acknowledging the occasions special to those she loves.
Among her most prized possessions from the past is a photo album created by their daughter that features documents and pictures from major family events that have taken place during the decades the couple has been together. Favorite sayings are sprinkled throughout the album. Bev is quick to point to one of her favorite attributed to Jason Jordan: “True love does not come by finding the perfect person, but by learning to see an imperfect person perfectly.”
“We were young when we got married,” Bev said, “but we’ve always kept our promise to be faithful to God and each other.”
