EAST ORANGE, NJ — East Orange residents Thomas Langston and Mary Yvette (nee Crenshaw) Puryear will celebrate 50 years of marriage today, April 10. The couple has three children: Corey, who is deceased; Kelli; and Dayna. Mary and Tom Puryear were married at the Elmwood United Presbyterian Church in East Orange on a windy Saturday by Rev. E. Wellington Butts.
When asked if there were any regrets, Tom Puryear said, “In those days personal videos were a novel idea; our pastor actually delivered a sermon on marriage. Although the memory of the ceremony still remains, to have a visual would be great.”
Mary Puryear’s response: “You don’t live with someone for this length of time without there being hills and valleys. I am still married because the highs have outweighed the lows. Our vows did not include that the wife had to obey the spouse. In addition, our vows stated, ‘until love’ do us part.”
Tom Puryear reminding his wife that, instead of a traditional wedding gown, she wore culottes — an indication that they both wear the pants in their marriage. Their wedding song was “Something,” by George Harrison. Their sustaining vows are, “Come, my love, grow old with me; the best is still yet to be.”
The current pandemic has presented problems on how and where to share their 50th anniversary. They will plan a short getaway in April and then make plans to visit Spain, Ghana and Benin — their ancestral roots according to DNA testing — in the fall.
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