Big Flat Couple Celebrates Seventy Years of Marriage

Jim Billmayer and Helen Christiansen, who were married May 18, 1949 at the Lutheran Church in Hogeland, Montana, celebrated their 70th wedding anniversary with family and friends on May 26. For photos taken that day, Helen wore the seventy-year-old wedding dress made by her sister Irene. When asked for advice on how to stay married for so long, Helen replied: "I said 'yes' lots of times when I wanted to say 'no.'" Jim had no comment.

Once Helen had put on her wedding dress, she just as easily slipped into the past to reflect on her early courtship days. Jim and Helen (Christiansen) Billmayer w...