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70 years of matrimonial bliss

Here is a sterling example of the “Six Degrees of Separation” theory. In case you are not familiar with it, basically it goes something like this — I know somebody who knows somebody who knows somebody%u2026 who knows somebody that knows Marilyn Monroe or Frank Sinatra or whatever celebrity past and present you know. My claim to fame is I have a cousin whose mother-in-law is a Daughter of the American Revolution.So do you get the picture?

In the Weinbergs’ case, they have mishpocha related to VP Biden and one going back to Danielle Boone.As you might have guessed from the mishpocha term, the Weinbergs are Jewish and their family connections go way back to Boone and presently to Joe Biden.This tidbit of information arose when I was interviewing my neighbor Sam, who just made 91, and his childhood sweetheart bride, Hilda, who will be hitting 90 this December. On October 7, they will be married 70 unbelievable years. I joked with them, saying, “For crying out loud%u2026you sure got your money’s worth when you got your two-dollar marriage license 70 years ago!”

Wow, 70 years married to the same beautiful woman. Lucky Sam!Their son, Joel, and Arlene gave them two grandchildren, Dana and Mathew. Their late departed son Joel would have been 57.Their son David, 51, and wife Sandy live in California. Hilda’s mother, who lived to be 100, had 12 grandchildren, and they in turn added 13 great grandchildren. Hilda was stumped trying to remember how many great, great grand nieces and nephews they have.It must be a lot, because Hilda is an accomplished bookkeeper who still works one day a week, having worked for Flatbush Food Corporation for the past 20 years.

Sam, a veteran of World War II, was honorably discharged as a sergeant, serving three years in the Army Air Corps in the Pacific Theater.An electrician by trade, installing sewing machine plants in the garment industry, he became active with the union acting as a union delegate for United Mechanics Local 150 AFL-CIO.

Sam and Hilda were both from Brownsville, she graduating from Thomas Jefferson High School and he from East NY Vocational High School. They were married on October 7, 1939 at a catering hall long since demolished. I met them when they moved with their two sons to Harway Terrace. Sam served on the Harway Terrace Board of Directors with me and still represents Harway Terrace on the Mitchell-Lama Council’s Board of Directors. Sam is active with the United Progressive Democratic Club and despite being 91 and using a walker, he gets around better than I do.

Harway Terrace is celebrating the platinum couple’s anniversary on Wednesday afternoon, October 7, and their Harway Co-op neighbors are invited for a piece of platinum anniversary cake and coffee to celebrate their milestone anniversary.Elected officials were invited to join the celebration. L’Chaim and Zie gezhundt and, as we say in Italian, “per cent anni.”

Screech at you next week!