Ronald and Marlene Rice met on a school bus near Scranton, Pa., 57 years ago.
The couple dated throughout high school and was married, as Marlene says, “as soon as I got out of high school and it was legal to do so.”
After honeymooning in Niagara Falls and spending 18 years living in Long Island, N.Y., the two, now in their 70s, began calling Colorado home in 1978.
Just a little more than two months prior to their 50th wedding anniversary, Ronald Rice dropped to one knee in the middle of downtown Frisco, presented a second ring that she had been eying at an artisan fair, and asked her to marry him all over again.
“I asked if she would spend another 50 years with me,” he smiled. “And she said yes.”
The couple was one of 23 that renewed their vows Feb. 9 at Cherry Hills Community Church in Highlands Ranch in an annual covenant ceremony that takes place each year around Valentine’s Day. Having read about the ceremony in the church bulletin after their second engagement, the Rices figured it was the way to go.
The two, one of three couples married for more than 50 years renewing their vows, enjoyed having their children and grandchildren present to witness the ceremony. For Doug and Carrie Lhotka, married just seven years, it was finding out that they couldn’t have children that brought them together with the other couples.
“It’s time to start fresh,” said the kilt-donning Doug Lhotka. “Life didn’t turn out the way we planned, so we are making new plans. What better way to do it?”
The cheery couple, which got married outside in the rain and snow in Estes Park the first time around, has plans to take a second honeymoon to Scotland-Wales in a couple months to seal their recommitment to one another.
“We’d heard about (the vow renewal ceremony) a couple years ago and figured seven was the magic, lucky number and that would be a good time to do it,” Carrie Lhotka said. “We’re doing good, we’ve just had some really tough times.”
Robin Williams wore her original wedding dress that she had worn 21 years ago when she first married her husband, Gary. Others dressed more casual as they were met by their husbands and escorted up the aisle at Cherry Hills’ Chapel.
In all, the Saturday-morning ceremony lasted 25 minutes and featured music and words of wisdom from Dick and Maria Schultz, 41 years; vow renewal from Dave and Sherry Hamilton, 14 years; and words and prayer from Pastor Mike Anderson.
“We’re a forgetful people,” said Anderson. “This is why we come together to celebrate and recommit our vows. We forget sometimes of the commitment that we’ve made to one another. Life comes in, children come in, other commitments come in, we get busy and sometimes we put our marriage or relationship on the backburner. … This is a chance to renew that commitment.”