2022 Marriage Hall of Fame Inductees
Hiram & Gretta Brown
- Married Since 1943
My parents were married on March 25, 1943 — 79 years ago this coming March 25th. They met at a USO in Walnut Ridge, Arkansas where my mother lived and my father was stationed. Almost immediately after they were married, my dad was shipped off to Paris, where he spent the next year or more as a company clerk.
I was born while he was overseas. He did not see me until I was a year old. While there, he had a little dress made for me out of a parachute and sent it home. Upon his return from the war, my parents moved to Rice Lake, Wisconsin, which is his birthplace.
They are now 98 and 97 years old and are still living in their own home. They had a son, Steven, who was killed in a car accident in 1980 when he was 31. They have five grandchildren, six great grandchildren and one great great grandchild due this coming May.
My father was/is a musician and continues to play the piano for us whenever he can. He wrote a song entitled “Mr. Moon” when he was very young and played and sang it to my mom not all that long ago. My father said that the BIG news when he was in the service was RADAR — and that it was his office that first received this top secret “news” and their company was a part of having it installed on the top of the Eiffel Tower.
Piece of Marriage Advice: Stick it out!