Chet and Connie Martin.

by Barbara Huff

Chet and Connie Martin celebrated their 70th wedding anniversary at Port Charlotte, Fla., Church at a surprise reception.

The Martins were born and raised in South Dakota. Connie recalls attending a one-room school and hurrying home to help with the farm chores. They met in Vienna, S.D., and eventually found a Methodist minister to marry them when they eloped.

Meanwhile, Chet’s Adventist mother was praying for her son to recommit to Christ. The couple ended up at Madison College and Hospital in Tenn., and they were baptized soon after.

They spent the next 20 years at Oak Park Academy in Nevada, Iowa, where Chet managed the broom shop and then began running the presses. After serving as food service director, Connie took a medical records librarian course and worked in that field.

The next 20 years were spent in the Washington, D.C. area with Chet working for Review and Herald Publishing Association and Connie scheduling work for five pathologists and secretaries at Washington Adventist Hospital.

After retirement, the Martins joined Port Charlotte Church in 1984. Both were busy in Pathfinders. Chet was a deacon and helped in the sound booth, and Connie was an elder and chaired the church finance committee.

The Martins raised two daughters: Sharon, who lives in Sarasota, Fla., is a registered nurse. Kay, now deceased, was a dentist. They also have three grandchildren and six great grandchildren.