Blytheville couple celebrates 60 years

A well-known Blytheville couple, Idell and Bernice Jenkins, will celebrate their 60th wedding anniversary on Feb. 5.

Their journey, right from the start, could be called a family affair. Idell’s father moved his family from Gould to DeWitt to work in the rice mills. Idell enrolled in the first grade and became a classmate to Bernice’s older sister, Louise. During high school, Idell became teammates on the basketball team with Bernice’s younger brother, Thurman. Later, when the two became sweethearts, Bernice’s youngest sister, Donna, looked forward to his visits to see Bernice so she could ride his bicycle during his visits.

The couple was four years apart in school. Idell was a senior at AM&N College in Pine Bluff while Bernice was a senior in high school. As an education major, majoring in math, Idell had the huge responsibility of selecting a campus to do his practice teaching. It may have been a huge decision but it was not a difficult one. He asked if he could return home for the eight week assignment. That allowed him to ride the school bus to and from the campus because he did not own his own transportation.

Permission was granted. Idell was excited. It was a perfect place to do his practice teaching with an added bonus. He would have the opportunity to see Bernice every single day. On the flip side, Bernice was concerned because she was enrolled in not one, but two math classes that Idell would be teaching. This arrangement caused some stress because Bernice swore she would never call him ‘Mr. Jenkins.’ He did not want the other students to think he was showing partiality toward her, so she recalls that he sent her to the blackboard every day and refused to help her with her homework during his nightly visits. The couple worked everything out before the semester ended and he was her date for her senior prom.

In 1965 the State of Arkansas required a blood test before a couple could marry. When Idell and Bernice went to have their blood tests, they decided to marry on Valentine’s Day. Bernice said when the results of the test came back, Idell was so excited he decided he did not want to wait until Valentine’s Day and they married on Feb. 5. Bernice recalls it was a cold Friday afternoon on the Court Square in DeWitt, Ark.

The couple has two sons, Kenneth (Kimblery) of Waldroff, Md., and Brett (Paulette) of Walls, Miss. They are the proud grandparents of eight grandchildren and six great-grands.

They enjoy traveling, serving and working in their church and spending time at the Senior Citizen Center.

A celebration with family and friends is planned for a later date this year.

The couple moved to Blytheville in 1966 when Idell accepted a teaching job at East Junior High School. Blytheville became their home and Idell retired in 2003 with 39 years in education, 37 in the Blytheville District. He later became middle school principal in the district. Bernice served as a bookkeeper for the Blytheville School District retiring from the district with 31 years of service.

The couple agree they have been blessed with an incredible journey taking them over six decades. They have enjoyed the past but also look forward to what adventures are ahead.