Anyone who has been in a long-term relationship will tell you that it isn’t easy. It takes an incredible amount of work, tenacity, and so very much love to make a relationship last. It is always heartwarming to see stories about relationships that have stood the test of time, and today, we have one for the record books. A couple in St. Louis celebrated a major feat on January 1, 2024, that will undoubtedly leave you pretty darn impressed.
While attending the University of New Hampshire in 1942, Andrew Kowalczyk, now 103, and Bertha “Bunny” Burnham, 102, were randomly paired up during a dance. Little did they know, but pulling the number 23 from a raffle would turn out to be their own life lottery win. That night ended up leading to a relationship spanning more than eight decades and 80 years of marriage. It is truly an incredible story.
It seems as if fate may have brought the couple together.
Andrew and Bertha’s son, Dave Kowalczyk, tells CafeMom his mom was a freshman and his dad a senior in September 1942 when they met at a dorm dance. The couple began getting to know each other and knew there was something special. Bertha accompanied Andrew to his military ball in the fall of 1942, and she took him home to meet her parents that spring.
“In May of 1943 Bertha brought Andrew to her home in Bristol, New Hampshire, for the weekend. Bertha was impressed at how he played with her sister’s infant. This was a very important test for Bertha because she wanted to have many children,” Dave explained.
They knew they wanted to marry but thought they should wait until World War II ended.
Love couldn’t wait, though. “Bertha wanted to get married on New Year’s Day because she thought this would be a great way to start off the year,” Dave says.
The couple married in a small ceremony in front of 50 close family and friends on a frigid New Year’s Day, with a reception at Bertha’s mother’s home following the wedding. Bertha, majoring in home economics, made her wedding dress and carried white roses. The couple dined on small sandwiches and a tiered fruit cake.
@capealbeon A little smooch for the camera when @FOXTV was here today! #seniorliving #weddinganniversary #80years #capeAlbeon
Together, Andrew and Bertha raised a large family.
According to a biography provided to CafeMom by the family, Andrew and Bertha had six children, followed by 15 grandchildren and 16 great-grandchildren. The couple moved into a five-bedroom home in Philadelphia in 1954 and lived there until September 2018. Dave Kowalczyk says his parents’ marriage has endured because they were always honest with each other and relied on open communication.
He says they believe couple must “always be honest with each other and no deceptions with each other.” And when the going gets tough, everyone has to be able to bend. “Each person needs to give in 75% of the time when there is a disagreement,” they advise, according to Dave.
This couple has seen it all, and they have lived and loved through it together.
Andrew and Bertha are now living their best life together as centenarians. They no longer live in the big home in Philadelphia but are settled at Cape Albeon Lakeside Retirement Living in St. Louis, where they have made quite an impression.
Maggie Mundwiller helped to put together an 80th wedding anniversary celebration for the couple.
“As a director of sales and marketing in senior living, I find inspiration in the remarkable stories of older adults, like the couple celebrating their 80th wedding anniversary at Cape Albeon,” she tells CafeMom. “Guiding families through the journey of senior living, I witness the resilience, joy, and wisdom of those I serve, making each day a special experience.”
Their special bond serves as an inspiration to a lot of people.
A TikTok of the family’s celebration in St. Louis on New Year’s Day shows how incredible the couple’s love for each other is. Images of their wedding day flash on the screen, coupled with a video from the celebration that shows a man and a woman who have lived more years together than many people live. It is incredible to see.
Dave Kowalczyk tells us his parents are proof that you get out of life what you put into it. “It has been a wonderful journey when you work together,” he shared.
