Friday, June 26th is a milestone for Cecil and Bea Jones of Skowhegan. They are celebrating their 70th anniversary.

Cecil Jones tells says it was 1937, when he was standing outside the Strand Theater in Skowhegan, and he spotted a young lady in line.

"I said 'I'm gonna take that girl home tonight', and I've been taking her home ever since."

It was Bea, the woman he would marry two years later.

"So was it love at first sight? It was love at first sight. Was it for you too. I wasn't ready."

But soon she was ready to start a life with Cecil. They lived in Norridgewock and had three sons, and a daughter. Bea stayed home to care for them, and also babysat hundreds of children over the years. Cecil became a pastor at a church in Norridgewock in the 1960's.

They say their marriage wasn't always perfect, but they stuck together for 70 years. According to Cecil, he had a couple very important words in his vocabulary.

"Yes dear."
"I don't quite agree with that."
"I agree with dad, that it's 'Yes Dear', but it's Mom that said 'Yes Dear'"

The truth is, they say it was just a matter of sticking by one another.

"To do things for each other, keep that up."
"It's inspiring and we need to take a look around and realize no matter how hard the times, if you want to give a little it's gonna be successful."
"It's caring for each other and watching out for each other."

Decades later that's what Cecil and Bea continue to do, and you'll notice over the years, pictures of them holding hands. They still do that today.

"One of the greatest things that made us stay together is one little word. L-O-V-E, love. And there aren't many days that go by and what we say to one another, "I love you"

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