Bill and Bobbie White celebrate 60 years of marriage

Photo by Donna Kupke

Photo by Donna Kupke

On June 17, 1955, “The Seven Year Itch” starring Marilyn Monroe was playing in theaters, “Rock Around the Clock” was a top music hit and Disneyland was ready to open. The average home cost about $10,000, gas was 23 cents a gallon, minimum wage was $1. And on that day, William (Bill) White married Barbara (Bobbie) Bennett.

Both had graduated from Fullerton High School in 1948, but hadn’t known each other. In 1954, after a day of work at Knott’s Berry Farm, Bobbie went to a bar with friends. There, she met a young man, a U.S. Marine, who asked for her number. Says Bobbie, “He caught me!” The two quickly became serious and got engaged. Within a few short months, Bill, a jet pilot, was shipped out for a year in Korea.

“You really get to know each other through letters,” says Bobbie. “I wrote every day.” Like a cinema love story, Bill returned from service on Memorial Day and married his love on June 17, 1955, less than three weeks later, in Bellflower, California. Bobby says she had it all planned out, “It was a Marine wedding, of course!”

The Whites had a fairy tale marriage. “We never really fought,” says Bobbie. Their secret: “Number one is you have to be best friends!” Bill got a job with the City of Santa Ana working with a specialty paint crew. He enjoyed his job, especially when he helped build the city’s parade float entries. Their life in Anaheim was good.

They raised their three sons: Rob, Greg and Devon, and enjoyed traveling. “For our 25th anniversary we took a 21-day cruise through the Panama Canal,” Bobbie remembers with a smile. They also had a date night every Friday, another secret to a life-long and loving relationship. Dancing was a also passion for the couple, particularly line dancing. Bobbie says, “We really had a fun life!”

In 1980, Bill and Bobbie moved to Canyon Lake. “Everybody knew everybody back then,” says Bobbie of the small-town community. “There were two houses on our street. Now there are two empty lots.”

The Whites have loved living in their active community. They’ve enjoyed bowling and being members of the Lions and Lioness Clubs. Bobbie tells of the large Club holiday parties held at their home. “We held a Christmas party with 250 people seven times!” Bobbie exclaims. Bill was a CLAMS member and two-time president. Both have been very involved in the Elks, with Bill a lifetime member of 52 years. Bobbie has enjoyed being part of the Elks Ladies Axillary for 15 years and especially values their philanthropic work with crippled children and weekly waitressing at the Elks Lodge.

Today Bill and Bobbie enjoy a quiet lifestyle, though they remain active with the Elks. Bobbie continues to waitress at the lodge every Tuesday, and the couple still has their weekly date. Bill loves to sing, so their favorite date is the Elks Wednesday Night Karaoke.

In addition to their three sons, they now have two daughters-in-law, six grandkids and five great-grandkids. They also have Sandi, a little Silky Terrier who, according to Bobbie, is “Dadd0y’s girl.”

For their 60th anniversary the couple decided to have a quiet celebration. “We did the big 40th and 50th with 200 people,” Bobbie says. “So we chose to spend this with our closest friends and family.” They had a party at the Elks Karaoke Night. Bobbie tells of a custom the Elks have, “We ‘rang the bell’ to buy everybody a round of drinks.”

When asked about their secret to a long and happy marriage, both agree that most important of all is being best friends. Bobbie adds, “You should never go to bed without saying ‘good-night’ and ‘I love you.’ You’ll feel better in the morning.” Bill, who prefers to pout rather than fight, says, “If you don’t say the (mean) words, you never have to take them back.”

With over 60 years of friendship, happiness and devotion, this loving couple is a wonderful example.




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