Caption

3rd Portrait

John D. Simmons, Charlotte Observer

02/13/01: Doris and Claude Broome were married on Dec. 10, 1949, that's 51 years ago. The couple holds photos of themselves (a school photo of Doris on left from 1946, the couple at Doris' family home in Union County in 1948 and a school photo of Claudefrom 1948) and a paper Valentine's Day heart that Doris put in claude's coat pocket before he left for work in 1955 or 1956. Doris, now 69 and Claude, 71 said they first saw each other at an ice cream social at Bethlehem United Methodist Church when she was 15 1/2 years old and he was 17 years old. "The only reason my mother let me go out was because I was double dating with my cousin and she thought I'd be safe," said Doris talking about her first date with Claude.