By GLYNIS HART
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NEWPORT — June and Jack Liberman didn’t have a long engagement. She was 23; he was 21 when they met on Oct. 21, 1943. Five months later, on Feb. 13, they were married, with just a few days of honeymoon before Jack had to report back to base on the 17th.
They’ve been married ever since. The Libermans renewed their vows in a ceremony Friday at Summercrest, an assisted living center in Newport, almost half way to their 76th anniversary.
“So much for long engagements,” said June.
“The funny thing was, I was Episcopalian, and he was Jewish although he became Episcopalian later. My maid of honor was Methodist, and his best man was Roman Catholic, and we were married by a Congregationalist minister,” said June.
“We judge a person by the person, and not by anything else,” said Jack.
Looking back on their many anniversaries, the Libermans agree that the 50th was the best. They went to Québec City for the Winter Carnival “and almost froze to death,” June laughed.
“We wanted to do the toboggan run at the Chateau de Frontenac,” June said. “One day there was a whole bunch of people doing the toboggan chute. It wasn’t our anniversary day, but we decided to do it anyway. We were so glad we did, because two days later, it was too windy and they closed it.”
They had three children. Friends and family filled the dining hall at Summercrest for the celebration. Rev. Jay McLeod officiated, telling a funny story about June getting her license — she was told to slow down!
“She still hasn’t,” said McLeod.
The Libermans have been together almost constantly since they retired, a feat which many couples might find challenging. But bumps in the road are a normal part of any relationship, said June:
“Anyone who says they don’t have them is living in a fantasy world.”
“You straighten it out as best you can and go on,” said Jack. “If you say sorry too much, it brings up the dispute again.”
“Never go to bed mad,” said June. “If you do that, you’ll wake up mad and it will just go on.”
Then the two of them got to their feet, pushing their walkers in front of them, and went to meet their guests.
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