BRIGHTON, Colo. — From ancient adobe walls to a modern house, a sense of home has survived over seven decades for Mitch and Rita Medina since they fell in love in 1953.
“I saw him coming, and I said ‘Oh my gosh, he's really cute,’” Rita Medina said while reminiscing about dating her husband shortly after they first met at a dance in San Luis.
Rita and Mitch, who celebrate 70 years of marriage July 20, sat down with 9NEWS to share what works in their marriage and how their relationship began when the two were just 18 years old.
Mitch said he set up a first date with his wife, but failed to pick her up because he ran out of gas while driving from the town of Garcia to San Luis.
“The next morning, I went to her house to apologize,” he said while laughing.
The couple said constant communication and knowing when to apologize is key to keeping a marriage strong. They expressed sincere feelings for the San Luis Valley, where their families have lived for generations.
“To me, it means home. I love it there. Even though it was hard,” Rita said.
Mitch described growing up in a small adobe home with a large family in the town of Garcia when there was no electricity. Food had to be kept in the "dispensa" (pantry room) portion of the house so it would not rot, he said.
“The beans and potatoes. Lard, because it was cool in there. And obviously, we didn't have a refrigerator,” Mitch said.
After six months of dating, Rita and Mitch wanted to move to Denver, but Rita’s mother would not allow the move unless the two got married. Within 48 hours, a wedding ceremony was held in San Luis.
Hours after the ceremony, the couple hitched a ride to Denver in a family member’s pickup truck. The newlyweds had to share the truck bed space with a 200 pound pig as they rode to the Denver area to begin their life of matrimony.
“You know, when you’re 18 and 19 years old, you’re from a small town, you’re dating a guy you like, you just go with it,” Rita said, laughing with her husband as they recalled the story about the pig.
Mitch earned a master's degree from Adams State University in Alamosa and worked as a teacher and in the insurance industry. Rita worked as a homemaker and at a bank. The two had four children and many grandchildren and great grandchildren.
The Medinas plan to celebrate their 70th anniversary with dozens of friends and family at a recreation center in Brighton this month.
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