COLORADO SPRINGS – In the spirit of Valentine’s Day, we’re highlighting one local couple’s incredible story of commitment.
Benjamin and Rosemary Bellis are celebrating 72 years of marriage. We sat down with them to learn every secret to their success.
It all started with a blind date.
“Here came a gal down the stairs and I said, boy I’d sure like to meet a girl like that,” says Benjamin.
Rosemary was an airline hostess in Albuquerque, while Ben was stationed in the Air Force.
“At the airport they put up a black board of when the hostesses were coming in, so I could check when she’s going to come in,” adds Ben.
From there a year of dating before Ben popped the question.
“I said you’re going to have to talk to my father,” adds Rosemary.
It’s been 70 years, multiple states and countries and 4 kids.
“One is respect,” says Ben. The retired three-star General, giving a peek at what it’s taken to build their lives together.
“The second item is equality,” adds Ben. “We can each have ideas, but when decisions are made neither one of them dictates.”
Even decades later, their pull to be together only growing stronger.
“She wants to be where he is,” adds their caretaker of three years Christine Gillespie. “Is Ben at the table? Is Ben at the chair? That’s where she wants to be.”
