CRESTVIEW — When Robert Hansford and Mildred Whaley met about 50 years ago, it didn't take long for them to realize they were meant for each another.
Mildred was working in a café in Trenton, a town about the size of Baker. Robert was a tree surgeon, and his work group would eat breakfast, lunch and dinner at the café.
He asked her out, and they started dating.
Mildred had an idea how Robert felt about her, as he would pick love songs whenever they would "match quarters" for the café jukebox at the café. That is, they'd flip a coin, call heads or tails, and whoever picked the right side got to choose the next song to be played.
Three weeks after they started dating, Mildred accepted Robert's marriage proposal. "He left and went home back to his parents' (in Alpha) for that Easter," Mildred said, "and (when he came back) he asked me to marry him."
The Hansfords married on May 15, 1965 at her parents' house. They have four children, two boys and two girls; 15 grandchildren; and eight great-grandchildren. A ninth great-grandchild is expected in July.
The couple will celebrate their golden anniversary at 3 p.m. May 16 at Auburn Pentecostal Church, 6144 Highway 85 N., Crestview.
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This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: They married after 3 weeks of dating. That was 50 years ago.