GREENVILLE – Deloris Rush of Miami County and Norman Miller of Darke County met while singing on the radio station WTPW Country Jamboree in Piqua over six decades ago. Today, they are married and celebrating their 65th wedding anniversary. Yes, they wed on June 13, 1959.
The musicians now have three children, Jeff, Randy and Diane Holdeman; six grandchildren; and nine great-grandchildren.
“They gave up their ‘dreams’ to marry and have three children,” said daughter Diane.
Deloris, a graduate of Troy High School, first met Norman, a graduate of Gettysburg High School, after a man who knew Norman at his job at the elevator in Greenville told him he would like him to meet Deloris.
Subsequently, the two met and sang together along with Norman’s two sisters, who are now deceased, who made up the Miller Trio.
“I met them and it was really good and I kind of liked the looks of him too,” Deloris said.
She was already performing in the area and had people over to her home for practices for these performances. She even invited the Millers.
“That was in 1958 and we hit it right off,” Deloris reported. “In December that year, he gave me an engagement ring.”
When they got married, Norman was working at Stover Feed and Grain in Greenville and she worked for Hobart Bros. in Troy.
He later worked for Inland Steel Container on Markwith in Greenville, which later changed its name to Van Leer Container. He retired on April 1, 1998.
Deloris, after their move to Greenville, worked for General Athletic until she had her first child, Jeff, in 1961. Then, she began her Avon career.
“I am in my 51st year this year,” said Deloris, who still sells the product to her many customers.
The Millers have lived on White Springs Drive off of State Route 571 west of Greenville since their marriage.
Husband Norman does the yard work and has a garden. She helps when she can.
“He raised potatoes and sold them and had apple trees,” she said.
Her hobbies included the dog club.
“At one time, I had four dogs, all shelties, on the drill team,” she said.
Today, they only have one dog, Holly, also a sheltie.
At age 13, Deloris participated in 4-H in Troy.
“A friend, Kate, and I entered one of the 4-H talent shows and we won. She sang and I played guitar,” she said.
Deloris did a lot of singing and playing guitar growing up. Many included performances at county fairs.
Norman and Deloris have sung duets together over the years, but have slowed down on that.
“I was playing my guitar at home, but now it sits in the corner,” said Deloris, who still has her original guitar.
All of their children are living in the Greenville area. Son Jeff, married to Vickie, has a government job. Son Randy, born in 1963, is married to the former Kim Slade, and works at GTI. Diane, born in 1967, is married to Mike Holdeman, and she is a certified medical assistant.
Deloris is the daughter of the late Howard and Naomi (Hunt) Rush, and he is the son of Ezra and Betty (Martin) Miller.
“I don’t know where the years went,” Deloris said. “You know when you’re supposed to put a slice of the wedding cake in the freezer.”
She is referring to a long-time tradition concerning wedding cakes that dates back to the 18th century in Great Britain, where, according to one source, “Many newlyweds opt to save the top tier of their wedding cake by stashing it in the freezer. On the one-year anniversary of their wedding, couples will defrost the cake and eat it together.”
“Ours is still in the freezer, but I’m not eating it,” Deloris stated.
What has held their marriage together?
“We’ve kept our marriage together in loving each other. We get along really well,” said Deloris, who indicated that Norman’s response was their working together as the reason for a successful marriage.
They must be doing things right because they’re still happy being together.
