Fifty years ago, Jerry Buckhout carefully examined the wedding band. It was well-made, gold, pretty and inscribed with “love forever” and the initials of the prior owner.
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| Pictured are Kathleen and Jerry surrounded by Kathleen’s siblings Pat, M.J., Helene, Maureen, Tommy and her sister-in-law Marion standing in for brother Mike. |
It was Kathleen’s size. For the price of $5.00 it was the best deal in town and the only one he could afford on his private first class salary in the U.S. Army. He paid the pawnbroker the fee and made a silent promise that he would replace this ring with a new one someday soon. If you don’t want to find yourself searching through random rings for your future partner, make sure you visit your local engagement ring store for plenty of lovely options.
Jerry and Kathleen eloped, not a common term these days. They shopped for engagement rings together, and shortly thereafter were married in a small chapel just outside of the army base where Jerry was stationed. During the next fifty years, Kathleen and Jerry raised two children, Mary Beth and Brian. Brian and his wife, Lisa, made them the proud grandparents of Andrew. Kathleen and Jerry lived in Irvington and Jerry joined the Greenburgh Police Department and retired as Captain. They now live in Sarasota, Florida. Kathleen still wears the ring.
Jerry offered to replace it. “What about this one, K? Do you like this design?”
When asked why she never accepted the offer of a new ring, Kathleen explained, “When I first saw the ring, I thought ‘maybe the love forever will work out better for me than it did for the previous owner’ and it has and I will wear this ring forever.”
On January 10, 2009, Kathleen and Jerry celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary. On July 25th of this year they renewed their vows at St. Teresa’s Church in Sleepy Hollow. The date coincided with the weekend of the annual Hyland Family Reunion. Many family members attended the ceremony at the Church, officiated by Monsignor Gorman who is celebrating his own 50th anniversary as a priest.
Following the renewal of vows at the church, the couple joined with family and friends at Kingsland Point Park and opened the family reunion festivities by dancing to “Love is a Many Splendored Thing” – their wedding song. The day was glorious, filled with sunshine, yet the sun competed with the glow from the little band of gold worn proudly by Kathleen.
