A local love to last a lifetime

MILLERTON – With Valentine’s Day on the horizon, love is in the air. But for John and Diane Walters, married 61 years, love is their way of life — and they intend to keep it that way.

Born one month apart at Sharon Hospital in Connecticut, John and Diane, who lived separate lives during childhood, came together in their late teens as the result of a blind date at a dance. The blind date, however, was one Diane was on with a friend of John’s, who fatefully introduced them to each other during the evening. Diane, the daughter of former village trustee and mayor William Bradley, was immediately attracted to John, originally from New York City, but who had relocated to the area as a ten-year-old. “I wanted to dance with him,” she said, reflecting on their first meeting. They were both 19 at the time.

By 21 they were married. For reasons she can’t explain, Diane felt very strongly about waiting until adulthood to marry. At one time, 21 was the legal age to wed in Connecticut. The law has since been amended to allow persons 18 and over to marry.

Diane, who describes herself as practical, is from a large family which includes seven siblings. While planning the wedding, which took place in 1963, she worried over expenses, so she recycled a dress which had belonged to one of her sisters. When her sister wore the dress ten years earlier, hoops were in style for brides of the times. But when it was Diane’s turn, she swapped out the expansive skirt to reflect the clean-lined styles of the early 1960s. “I wore the dress without a hoop,” she said, explaining that her mother, a skilled seamstress, assisted her with perfecting the headpiece.

John and Diane Walters on their wedding day in 1963.Photo provided

Their wedding was held at St. John’s Episcopal Church in Salisbury with the reception following at the Millerton Gun Club. In keeping with both Diane and John’s penchant for modesty, the reception was not an overly elaborate affair. There was no live band, and the venue was very practically adorned with bows being tied onto the antlers of the deer heads mounted on the wall. “We had soft drinks and sandwiches,” the couple both recalled.

After the wedding, “it was like we became one,” John said.

“We’re very compatible,” said Diane, who remains in sync with her husband after all these years. “Same foods, same personalities.” The couple settled locally, ricocheting between Amenia, Millerton and Sharon before returning to Millerton. John, a natural salesman, served as a factory representative for Amana, KitchenAid and SpeedClean. He takes pride in his past working experience, saying, “I helped pioneer the microwave oven.” Diane went full circle and landed back at Sharon Hospital where she worked as a medical transcriptionist.

In their 61 years together, the couple raised two children born three years apart — daughter, Deborah, now an IT professional employed by Dutchess County, and son, Eric, now a retired respiratory therapist living in Wyoming. Deborah, however, is not far from her parents, and lives a mere two doors down.

The couple credits the longevity of their union to familial influences. Diane’s parents were married 68 years, and one of her brothers was married for 63 years.

They also possess a shared sense of responsibility, both socially and fiscally, having once fallen into the trap of easy purchasing with a Sears credit card, a regret which was rectified in a timely fashion with hard work and commonsense.

“We’ve lived below our means,” said John. “That’s so important.” Diane agreed with her husband once again, saying, “Each contributed to the marriage financially and emotionally.” John also noted avoiding mood-altering pitfalls has been instrumental. “No alcohol, no drugs,” he stated.

One disagreement the couple did have centered around the possibility of relocating to North Carolina. While John supported a move down south about ten years ago, Diane couldn’t get onboard with the idea, saying it was probably one of the biggest differences the couple experienced in their relationship. John has since abandoned the idea, saying, “We’re too old now.”

Regardless of the march of time, the couple remains active. Diane often meets friends for bowling dates and spends time at the library. John enjoys walking, using the computer, and confesses he spends too much time watching TV. They’re also dog parents to their German Shepherd, Kim, whom they both adore.

Despite their similarities and their differences, John is certain of one thing — “I’m proud to be married for over 60 years.”