Dennisons Celebrate 50 Years of Marriage

SEELEY LAKE - Last Sunday, June 10, Tim and Dee Dennison renewed their vows and celebrated 50 years of marriage together with their friends and family at the Mission Bible Fellowship in Seeley Lake. They credit their long and successful marriage to the example set by both of their parents, their strong faith in God and the three "rules" they agreed on when they first got married.

The Dennisons' journey getting together was complicated. After participating in many of the same activities in high school, they were good friends who knew each other well, but were dating other people at the time. They finally got together after attending a Christmas dance for college students in Kalispell and got engaged after Tim's sophomore year of college.

"We got cold feet after that," Dee said. "But we took a break and kind of realized that we didn't want anyone else to have the other person and we got married at the end of Tim's junior year."

Tim said that based on the examples their parents set, they each viewed marriage as a lifetime commitment. That made it a little daunting when they first got engaged. Both Tim's parents and Dee's were married for more than 65 years.

Tim credits the couples lasting relationship to their ability to find purpose in their faith.

"Instead of looking for other things that would count as your foundation, you can identify yourself by the strength of your relationships and your faith," he said.

The couple also lives by three rules they agreed upon when first getting married.

"The first is never threaten divorce unless we really mean it," Dee said. "That's like, 'Don't go there.' The second is no affairs, again, don't go there. The third one is never go to bed angry. We've broken that one but not that much."

"We've had more fights than Muhammed Ali and I lost every one of them," Tim joked.

The couple also said that marriage is about the dreams that a couple shares and fulfills together.

"We love having nice things but it's nothing compared to family," Dee said. "We feel so blessed to have such wonderful children and grandchildren."

Troy, the Dennisons' son, has recently decided to pursue becoming a minister and will be attending seminary soon. He officiated the vow renewal and their daughter, Tracie, sang in the ceremony.

The dreams they have yet to fulfill involve traveling around the country in their motorhome and visiting each place on their "RV Bucket List."

In the couple's home several days before the celebration, they seem like contrasting personalities. Tim talks quietly and seriously about his feelings while Dee points out each person in the dozens of photos on their kitchen table. But on the wall behind them hangs a sign that sums up their relationship and sense of humor perfectly.

"We may not have it all together, but together, we have it all."