ST. LOUIS COUNTY, Mo. — New Year's Day is special for a lot of people but especially so for a couple celebrating 80 years of marriage together.
Andrew and Bertha Kowalczyk were married in 1944. They had six children together, along with 31 grandchildren and great-grandchildren. The Fenton couple, now aged 103 and 102 respectively, celebrated their 80th wedding anniversary on Monday with friends and family.
Their wedding was during World War II, so Andrew had to pull a few strings to make it back home in time to say his vows.
"They got married in New Hampshire, and it was like minus 20 degrees Fahrenheit that day," their son, David Kowalczyk, said. "My father had to take leave, and he arrived a couple hours before the wedding took place. And he had gotten leave from his officer, and he said he had to be back on Jan. 1. but he said, 'Well, I'm getting married.' And he said, 'Well, we'll make it Jan. 3.'"
The party was held at Cape Albeon Lakeside Retirement Living, where the couple has lived for the past several years.