John and Helen Kuntz: Susque-View’s Valentine’s Day ‘King and Queen’
It must be LOVE
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LOCK HAVEN -- Mr. and Mrs. John D. Kuntz have spent a lifetime together.
They married more than 50 years ago and still spend every day with each other as residents at Susque-View Home.
It must be love that keeps a couple enjoying each other's company for so many years.
As they spend another Valentine's Day together as sweethearts, they are happy to talk about their family and what has kept them together as husband and wife, often dropping a bit of humor into their stories.
John and his wife, the former Helen Quiggle, were both born and raised in Lock Haven.
They fell in love and married on Nov. 12, 1966 and started their family a year later.
The couple says they were "blessed" with three children -- daughter Ann Brickley, daughter Gayle Hummel and son John W. Kuntz.
As a family, the couple said they enjoyed camping.
John, or Jack as he likes to be called, worked until retirement as a laborer installing flood coverings and insulation.
Helen was a stay-at-home mother and homemaker who took on odds and ends of jobs while raising the family. She said she really enjoyed working for the SPCA for a spell.
What's led to this long and happy marriage?
"He worked a lot and wasn't home," Helen said with a grin.
Jack said, "We just stayed together."
"You just don't give up," Helen added.
Helen said Jack was one of 13 children and half of his siblings were women, so that allowed him to have a good understanding of the female gender. Jack laughed at that notion.
When asked about favorite Valentine's Day memories, Helen laughed as she told the story of Jack bringing home a very large box of chocolates one time.
She explained that one of their daughters would always poke her finger in the chocolates to see what was inside before choosing her piece. So, Jack decided to hide this particular box of chocolates from the kids without telling anyone.
The unfortunate part, Helen said, was Jack didn't tell her either. When Helen turned on the oven to make dinner that night, the secret hiding place was discovered. "We ended up with a big old box of melted chocolates," Helen said. She and Jack both enjoyed a laugh over that story.
When the couple began facing some health issues in recent years, they were able to join the Susque-View family.
They credit their children with making that happen.
"All of our needs are taken care of and we were able to stay together. Things just worked out," Helen said.
Jack shook his head in agreement as the couple looked at each other and smiled.
Oh, yes, you can see it in their eyes.
This truly must be LOVE.