Meet Hazel and Norman Bollinger, a loving duo from Minnesota, poised to celebrate an incredible 75 years of marriage this June. They have generously shared insights they’ve gathered over the decades about maintaining a strong and loving partnership.
Hazel and Norman first crossed paths in 1945, and ever since, they have built a life together rooted in admiration, respect, and a shared faith. According to Norman, some essential ingredients for a lasting marriage include being a good listener, acknowledging one’s mistakes, and openly expressing emotions. He highlights the importance of showing appreciation, laughing together, forming meaningful friendships, and forgiving one another. Moreover, Norman emphasizes a strong faith, saying that God plays a crucial daily role in their union: ‘We thank God for our marriage every day. Stay close to God, and He will stay close to us. With faith, all you need to do is ask, and it’ll be granted.’
The inspiring couple, now both 100 years old, first met when they were just 21. Their meeting was quite serendipitous. Norman, hailing from a farm in North Dakota, had taken a break from his work to attend his cousin’s wedding in Minneapolis. After the wedding, he happened to be dropped off at a camp meeting at Buffalo Lake Pavilion. Meanwhile, Hazel was set to embark on a trip to California but decided to heed an inner voice urging her to stay. The following day, she was asked by her minister’s wife to assist as a camp guide at Buffalo Lake Pavilion, the very location where Norman was.
Norman recalls the moment he first laid eyes on Hazel, describing her as ‘the most beautiful young woman in a white blouse and blue skirt.’ Seizing the moment, Norman invited Hazel for a walk by the lake, which marked the beginning of their long-distance romance. For four and a half years, Norman, a pilot, would fly to Minneapolis to visit Hazel. Their love story culminated in a beautiful wedding on June 10, 1949, at the Christian Missionary Alliance Church in South Minneapolis. It was a double celebration, as Hazel’s sister Phyllis and her husband Ken were also married that day.
