News

Celebrating 70 years of marriage

By Scott Wagar

01/08/2013

Dec. 30 was a special day and time for Albert and Mary Pugh, who celebrated their 70th wedding anniversary with family and friends.

“The celebration and week was beautiful,” Mary said. “There were so many nice people there and we have heard from so many by phone or by cards. It has just been a wonderful time.”                                                                                                                                             

During the anniversary celebration, which took place at St. Mark Catholic Church, more than 115 individuals came from seven different states and the province of Manitoba, making it an international gala.

The Pughs were married on Dec. 31, 1942, at St. Mary Catholic Church in Lignite, N.D.  

The two became acquainted after Mary moved to Bottineau following graduation from Minot State University with a teaching certificate. She taught in the rural school system of Bottineau County in the Gardena and Souris areas.

“When I came here to teach I stayed at the Waters place and I met Albert through the family because he was close friends with their boy,” Mary said. “So, that is how I met him.”

After the couple started to date it was not long after they made the decision to marry.

“I went home for Christmas vacation and then he came out. In those days you didn’t have to have three or six months counseling or something, you just got married. So, we got married,” Mary said. “I think we knew before Albert came to Lignite for Christmas that he was coming out and that we would get married. I was on vacation from teaching school, and I could get away for a couple of weeks, so we decided to get married then.”  

Albert was born in May of 1920 to William and Jessie Clark Pugh on a farm close to Bottineau. Albert attended school at Oak Valley Grade School and Carbury High School and became a farmer after gaining his education.

He was a farmer when he met Mary and continued to be an agricultural producer until 1953 when he made the decision to purchase the Hi-Lo Food Store in Bottineau, which was located where Family Vision Center is today.

Albert sold the business in 1961 and started selling insurance for the Knights of Columbus. Ten years later he accepted a position with Wold Engineering as a job inspector and continued in that position until he retired.

Mary was born in June of 1919 to Henry and Mary (Sauer) Busch in Lignite. She attended school in the public school system in Lignite and then went onto Minot State University, which at that time was called Minot Teachers College.

After earning her teaching certificate, moving to Bottineau County and marrying Albert, she became a stay-at-home mom for the couple’s eight children. She eventually went back into the work force becoming the purchasing agent for St. Andrew’s Health Center.

The Pughs have a large family, which include their eight children: Carol Olson, Anne Bergeron, Arlene Duval, Bill, Bob, Greg, Gary and Mary Manz.

Albert and Mary also have 23 grandchildren, 31 great grandchildren and one great-great grandchild.
Mary said the achievement of their good marriage has to do with two important reasons.

“I think it’s 50 percent each way of give and take,” she said. “And, I think we have had a successful marriage out of respect for each other.”   

Statistically, only 220 couples in the U.S. have celebrated a 70th wedding anniversary, while worldwide, only 2,220 couples have made it to their 70th wedding anniversary.