By Staff
On Oct. 18, 1958, R. James Guse and Barbara Ginter Guse were married at St. Matthew's Lutheran Church in Benton Harbor by Pastor Ernst Wendland.
The wedding reception was held at the Coloma Township Hall with the Stardusters Band playing.
They spent their honeymoon in Florida.
They lived on a small fruit farm on Napier Avenue in Benton Harbor and also owned Guse Garage Doors.
They were blessed with five children. Their children are Bob and Susan Guse of Eau Claire, Sheryl and Ellis Butler of Cassopolis, Sandy Olson of Dowagiac, Tim and Linda Bradley of White Pigeon and Lori and Don Day of Iowa City, Iowa.
They also have 10 grandchildren: Sarah Guse Brown, Jake, Rebecca, James and Hannah Guse, Steven Butler, Hollie and Heather Olson, Taylor and Nicholas Bradley and Drake Day.
The Guses also have a great-grandson, Cameron Guse.
They have lived in Cassopolis since 1980 and are still actively engaged in farming.
Jim was a Cass County commissioner for 15 years and also a member of the Cass County Fair Board.
They both volunteer in various areas during fair week.
They are members of St. John's Lutheran Church in Dowagiac, serving in various capacities.
They enjoy attending school activities and sporting events involving their grandchildren.
They travel to Florida during the winter and enjoy fishing and golf.
Polka dancing is a favorite pastime, but it gets more difficult all the time to find places that have polka bands.
They celebrated their 50th anniversary with family and friends at the D.A.N.K. in Benton Harbor on Oct. 11. The Jim Deka Polka Band played.