By Alixandria Wells-Good

Contributing writer

MECHANICSBURG – In honor of Valentine’s Day, Roger and Lila Stewart shared their love story of over 75 years.

Mr. and Mrs. Stewart, who live just outside of Mechanicsburg and frequent the village almost daily, will be celebrating 75 years of marriage this fall, both at the age of 94.

Lila and Roger met as teenagers at Monroe High School near Middletown, Ohio. The two did not date right away but recall being around each other frequently, and Lila remembers even going to prom with someone else.

However, it was clear that Roger had feelings for Lila. Another “fella” that also liked Lila asked to take her on a date. Roger heard about the date and promptly removed the front seat from the other man’s car. Lila remembers having to sit on the battery where the seat should’ve been, in her brand new dress that she had just made. When Lila shared that it ruined her dress, Roger piped up to say “I bought her a new one!”

After the two graduated high school, Roger, who had already been working on his family’s farm for some time, decided to also work for Lila’s father who was a veterinarian. The couple described Roger and Lila’s father making frequent trips to farms to care for farm animals rather than pets. Roger would be paid in cash for his work with Lila’s father, and was saving all of that extra money for a very special purchase.

Roger proposed to Lila on Groundhog Day in 1948 with a diamond ring he chose and paid for himself with the extra cash he’d earned working for Lila’s father. Lila said yes, but wanted to wait a year before they tied the knot. When asked how he proposed, Roger said, “very carefully!”

After much planning, the couple was wed in August of 1949 in Middletown, Ohio. Lila picked out her dress with help from her and Roger’s mothers and recalls it cost $25. She personally designed and made her bridesmaids dresses. A newspaper clipping recapping the wedding that the couple have saved in a scrapbook stated “Miss Lila Lynch was one of the season’s prettiest brides when she walked to the altar of St Paul’s Church last night to become bride of Roger Stewart. An exquisite gown of organza set off her fair loveliness to perfection.”

Lila described the moment leading up to the ceremony that day. She laughed as she remembered her father walking her down the aisle after asking her “Do you know what the hell you’re doing?” to which she replied “It’s too late now!” Lila and Roger went on to share that later the night of their wedding, the couple put their arms around each other and said “Let’s make this work.” Seventy-five years together is proof that they’ve done just that.

Not long after they wed, the couple would adopt two children, Danny and Lynne. Danny was adopted as a baby, while Lynne was a toddler at the time of her adoption.

Around 1960, a large part of Roger’s family’s farm in Hamilton/Middletown was used through eminent domain for the construction of Interstate 75. So the family ended up purchasing a much larger farm in Irwin. Roger, Lila and their two children, as well as Roger’s brother Kenny and his family, moved to the Irwin farm with their parents.

The Stewarts have spent their years raising their children, working on the farm and other jobs, and traveling the country and even abroad. Their son Danny went on to give the Stewarts one grandchild, and their daughter Lynne, who passed away in 2010 in a car accident, would go on to give the couple three grandchildren. Now Roger and Lila also have six great-grandchildren, all of whom live nearby and they adore greatly.

When asked what her favorite thing about being married to Roger is, Lila shared how much she enjoyed how friendly and outgoing Roger was when they first met. She went on to share that the couple has also always loved dancing together. In their younger years, the couple would go to square dances frequently.

Granddaughters Amanda and Shannon recalled that within the last 10 years, their UPS delivery person even saw the couple dancing in their living room one afternoon as he came to the porch with a package. Rather than disturb them, he silently put the package on their porch and left the couple to their peaceful moment together.

Roger said that his favorite thing about being married to Lila is “just being happy.”

Roger attributes how close the couple has always been to their years of happiness together. Lila added that her advice for couples would be “You have to give a little, no matter what. That’s the key to getting along.”

Lila shared: “Life seems pretty short when you think about it.”

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