Martha Mae was a typical teenager born and raised in Hannibal Wisconsin; she met a guy and knew she was in love.
It was 1949 and Martha Mae Olds was working the late night shift at the Blossom Inn. She had recently moved to Walworth Wisconsin and was waitressing while she lived in a house with two old maids and a dog. She had her regulars that would come into the restaurant, most importantly a group of 3 to 4 guys.
Laverne Cunningham was a farmer, who grew up in Walworth. He came from a large family. Laverne would come to the Blossom in with his friends. It didn’t take him long to notice a pretty, petite waitress and take a special interest in her. Laverne would say to his friends “That girl who works at the Blossom; I’m gonna marry her.”
Some time passed and when Laverne failed to take action in asking Martha Mae out, his friend Harold did. Martha agreed, even though she didn’t know him and they went out on a date. They had a good time but no other dates followed. While she was out one night she met a girl named Betty. They soon became friends and Betty wanted to introduce Martha Mae to a “nice guy” that she knew. So at a bar beneath a hotel, Betty introduced Martha Mae to Laverne. Not long into the evening Laverne asked Martha to go out with him the next Sunday; because he was such a gentleman with dashing good looks Martha, of course, agreed. In the meantime she got a call from her old boyfriend. He had family living in Walworth and wanted her to come see him at his brother’s house. Not wanting to be rude, Martha went. While she was there she told him that they were through and that she was seeing someone else who she really liked. This happened on Sunday and by the time this outing was over, Martha Mae was running late for her night out with Laverne. She knew she was late as she rushed in to house. Out of breath, she asked the two old ladies “was there a tall, good looking man here for me?”, they explained that there had been, but he had already left. So Martha ran down to the movie theater, where they were supposed to see a movie, and went in to the Showesque which was a small restaurant next door. It was one of the hottest days of the summer and Martha Mae was hot and sweaty by the time she got there. She walked in, trying to be calm and collected. When she saw Laverne sitting at a table she went up to him and said casually “oh there you are!” Laverne wasn’t very impressed. Martha thought to herself “great, I break up with one boyfriend thinking I’m gonna have another and now I won’t have any”. Nonetheless Laverne took her to the show, they went to the restaurant, and then he took Martha home.
After a couple weeks went by, and Martha hadn’t heard from him, she decided to go see a show. Afterwards she walked over to the Showesque for something to eat. When she walked in Laverne was sitting there. They started to talk and he asked her if she would like to see the show. She said she would love to (even though she had just watched it minutes before). It was after this date that Laverne decided to go steady with her. Walworth was a small town and everyone knew the Cunninghams, so it wasn’t long until everyone knew about the couple.
Martha Mae and Laverne went together for six months. Laverne asked Martha to marry him again and again. Then one day Martha said yes. Being somewhat caught off guard Laverne told her that he needed “to ask his dad and see what he says”. So Laverne went and found his father who was out cultivating corn and finally worked up the nerve to ask him. His dad answered “she seems to be a nice gal, but once you get married… you’re a long time married”.
Laverne and Martha Mae were married July 3, 1950. Martha wore a perfect white suit with a corsage of yellow roses, and Laverne wore a crisp gray suit. They were married at the Baptist Parsonage and went back to the farm for the reception. It was small, only family and a few friends.
In 1952, Laverne and Martha moved back up to northern Wisconsin. They lived on a farm in Jump River where they happily raised their six children. Through all the challenges and adversities, they have stayed true to themselves, built a loving family and have lived truly fulfilled lives.
Laverne and Martha Cunningham are my grandparents and last weekend they celebrated their 60th Wedding Anniversary. That is commitment.
Here’s to love stories…long-lasting marriages… and building strong families.
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