Anniversary: Severna Park Couple Celebrates 70 Years Together and Still Counting

Editor's note: This article was submitted to Severna Park Patch by Becky Chamberlain, the Hurlbert's proud daughter.

Dwight and Mignonette Hurlbert of Severna Park celebrated the 70th anniversary of their marriage on Sept. 16 with open house festivities hosted by their daughter, Rebecca "Becky" Chamberlain, and her daughter, Chara.

Both originally from Nebraska, Dwight and Mignonette (affectionately known as "Min") were born in the towns of Ong and Strang. They were married in York, NE, on Sept. 16, 1941.

Dwight made a career in the Army while Min made a career as a loyal military wife and a devoted mother to their three children. During Dwight’s extended military service, he and his family spent nine years on assignments to the Philippine Islands, Ecuador and Columbia in South America and Japan. Dwight’s last assignment overseas was an unaccompanied tour in Saudi Arabia.

Dwight retired from the Army in 1967 as a lieutenant colonel while assigned to duty at Fort Meade. The couple have lived in Severna Park for more than 51 years, since August 1960.  

Following Dwight's retirement, the couple toured Bermuda, Bahamas, Puerto Rico, and Ontario, Quebec, Prince Edward Island and Nova Scotia.

Both ardent golfers and bowlers, the couple spent many years socializing with their golfing and bowling friends. They also enjoyed traveling from coast to coast and from border to border in their recreational vehicle with friends. For the past 30-plus years, Dwight has immersed himself in tracing his family roots. Min, an artist for the past 50 years, creates oil paintings.

In addition to their daughter, Rebecca, Min and Dwight are the parents of two sons, Rodney  and Jack, who live in Arizona and Tennessee (respectively) with their extended families.

At 92 and 95 years of age, this beautiful couple has kept the spark of love ignited in their relationship since the first day they met, and they have no trouble reminding each other of that on a daily basis. Multiple times a day you can hear “I love you” from one, while the other responds, “I love you too.”

Maybe it’s their love that’s kept them going for this many years, or possibly God has something to do with it, but no matter how it has come about … it was and is meant to be true love forever for these two wonderful people!