In the Tuesday, Jan. 2, edition of the Butler Eagle, we learned about a very special anniversary.

Janet and Jerry Campbell celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary on Sunday, and thanks to their family, they got to spend the day with family and friends — more than 200 people in all.

The couple founded Campbell Bus Lines, a Slippery Rock-based bus charter service, more than 50 years ago. They were wed on Dec. 31, 1963. Over the subsequent decades, they raised three children and are now the grandparents of eight and the great-grandparents of four.

Sunday’s party was a surprise and was the idea of Kyle Campbell, one of their grandchildren. It was important to him that their family be part of the celebration.

“You are never going to meet any two people that love their families more than them,” Kyle said.

And Janet echoed that sentiment. While she said it’s fairly rare for their family to all be together, the large gathering was a way to commemorate Jerry and Janet’s role in building that family.

“I guess all these people are sort of a reflection on our being together,” she said. “Everybody helps each other through the good and the bad.”

Whenever a couple reaches any major milestone anniversary, people want to know the secret to their success in marriage. With 60 years together, the Campbells were no exception.

But just like many other couples who have been married for decades, they both maintain there isn’t a secret.

Jerry said the two almost never fight, even when they disagreed.

“Believe this or not, we’ve had one argument in our marriage,” he said. “Todd was a baby and we said we aren’t ever going to do this again. We didn’t always agree, but we always chatted about it.”

Janet put it even more succinctly.

“You just have to work at it,” she said. “It’s a constant thing, but a pleasant constant thing.”

Those are words any couple can take to heart.

— JK