Eddy and Betty Wolff celebrate 70 years of marriage

It was late in the fall of 1944 when two young people, Betty Turn of Hallock, Minn., and Eddy Wolff of Pelan, met for the first time.  They, along with two other friends, went on a blind date to Grand Forks, N.D.  

The next spring Betty and Eddy became reacquainted at a dance in Halma, Minn.  This meeting would turn out to spark the beginning of a love story resulting in 70 years of marriage.

It was Saturday, September 14, 1946, when at the parsonage in Hallock, Eddy Wolff and Betty Turn were united in holy matrimony.  Attendants were Eddy’s brother, Bill, and Betty’s sister, Barbara.  Following the ceremony a reception was held for 15 people at the home of the bride’s parents, Elmer and Inga Turn.

Sunday, September 15 was the couple’s honeymoon; the next day Eddy returned to work, helping with the fall harvest.

The couple rented a farm near Kennedy until they bought 160 acres, eight milk cows, and some pigs and sheep on the home place where they continue to live today, west of Strathcona, Minn.

Eddy began farming with two horses and a little B John Deere tractor purchased from a neighbor, Johnny Hendrickson.

In those days electricity was unheard of in most areas.

“Betty first washed clothes in a washing machine that was powered by a gas motor,” Eddy said.  “Because of gas fumes, a hose was hooked up to the motor that led to an opening in a window providing a way for the  fumes to escape.”

Big gardens were grown to provide ample provisions.  “I canned everything, including meat,” Betty stated.  “At first all we had was a wood cookstove in the house.  I baked bread, seven loaves at a time, twice a week.  My uncle would say, ‘The bread you bake is just like grandma’s because you bake in a wood stove’.  We also had a wood cookstove outside that I did all the canning on.   This helped to keep the house from getting all heated up.”

The Wolff family tree includes son Curtis and his wife Marjean of rural Strathcona, Dean and Marilyn Wolff who reside in Thief River Falls, Minn., Connie and husband Kerry Snare, of Elk River, Minn., and son Darrell, deceased.  There are also 12 grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren.

Eddy and Betty were honored with a 70th Wedding anniversary open house at the home of Kara (Wolff) and Dale Forst on Saturday, September 3.

Congratulations on 70 happy years of togetherness, Eddy and Betty Wolff!

To see the full story, read the September 14 edition of The Tribune in print or online.