Cornwall’s Mr. & Mrs. Clearwater celebrate rare milestone
Some will argue celebrating a centennial birthday is becoming more common than celebrating a 70th wedding anniversary. That latter is so rare Hallmark doesn’t even list a gift option for the platinum anniversary on its website.
Spending seven decades with the same person may seem like an impossible task, but Doris and Belding Clearwater not only reached that milestone, they surpassed it. On Feb. 26, the couple celebrated their 71st anniversary.
“It doesn’t feel any different than it did before,” Doris said. “It’s just another day. We went home, sat on our chairs and fell asleep. We didn’t do anything special. We’ve never been big on celebrations. When we were first married we went out a few times, but it slowed up when the kids came.”
Doris and Belding first met in 1948 at Belding’s brother’s house. His brother had just married Doris’ sister and the two went to visit the newlyweds. When the two met, the attraction was immediate.
“He was handsome, friendly, and nice,” Doris said.
“She was a cute little blonde,” said Belding.
The two dated for about two years before getting married. One of their favorite activities was to go square dancing once a week.
Having grown up on Jones Farm, Doris learned how to drive a tractor, but never a car. Belding volunteered to teach her and for the most part it went very well, Doris recalls. However, on the day before their wedding, she ended up in tears because the two ended up not getting along during one of those driving lessons. Belding would have Doris drive, in a 1949 Chevy, on the hilly sideroads of Newburgh.
“We ended up in tears the day before we got married,” Doris said. “He was getting frustrated with me because I wasn’t doing it right.”
To cheer up his bride-to-be, Belding took Doris to get ice cream at a local shop.
The following day, on Feb. 26, 1950, the couple exchanged vows at the Canterbury Presbyterian Church. A reception was held at Doris’ parents’ house. An intimate crowd of 25 to 50 relatives were invited. The honeymoon wasn’t anything fancy and only lasted a couple of days. The newlyweds did some hiking in the mountains in Virginia and did a little sightseeing before returning home.
“Love, trust, and concern.
Belding Clearwater
That covers everything.”
Doris and Belding moved into one of the houses on Jones Farm where they still live today.
Belding eventually secured a job as a telephone technician. He served in that capacity for 38 years before returning in 1986. Doris finished school and became a licensed practical nurse.
She worked at Cornwall Hospital for about five years until their first son was born. After that, she worked part-time at the hospital. She and Belding also worked part-time on the farm. He did general farm work and anything mechanical, she anything that needed to be done. The Clearwaters went on to have three boys who grew up and went on to bring six grandchildren and two great-grandchildren into the world.
As the boys were growing up, the Clearwaters spent a lot of time camping and traveling west to visit the national parks.
Long since retired, the Clearwaters still spend their mornings working on the farm. Each day they’re greeted by family and employees. Out of respect for the couple, they’re affectionately known as “Grandma” and “Grandpa.”
So how has a couple been able to survive married to each other for over 70 years?
“Love, trust, and concern,” Belding said. “That covers everything.”
Doris said it also helped to ignore her husband when they were having an argument. She said she would stop talking to Belding for part of a day until both of them had a chance to simmer down. It was important for them to try not to go to bed angry.
As for how newlyweds can spend seven decades together, Belding repeated what guided he and Doris through their relationship – “Love, trust, and concern.”
He added, with respect to young people getting married, the relationship has to be more than just a physical attraction.
