web1_TTL102415semfaculty.jpg

Wyoming Seminary welcomes new faculty

Local rape crisis center remaining afloat as state budget stalemate continues

<p>DALLAS &#8212; Because they exchanged wedding vows in their 50s, Florence and Adam Belenski of Kingston candidly admit they didn&#8217;t expect they&#8217;d both be around for a silver wedding anniversary.</p><p>Nevertheless, to their great joy, the couple &#8212; high school sweethearts who lost each other but found each other again &#8212; celebrated 25 years of marriage Oct. 20 at The Apple Tree Terrace in Dallas, with dozens of friends, a buffet dinner, tiered cake and plenty of dancing to the live music of John Stanky and Eddie Derwin.</p><p>The Times Leader recently caught up with the couple, now ages 80 and 83, to ask them a few questions:</p><p><strong>You two were really dancing up a storm with waltzes and jitterbugs at your party. Would you say it keeps you young?</strong></p><p>Florence: It keeps us going. We belong to the Big Band Society and go to their dances on the first Friday of the month. Back in the 1980s I would take the train from Connecticut to New York City and Adam would take the bus from Wilkes-Barre to the Port Authority. We went dancing at Rosie O&#8217;Grady&#8217;s and some people thought we were the featured entertainment. Another time we danced for eight hours straight at the Roseland Ballroom. That was after we found each other again.</p><p><strong>How did you find each other the first time?</strong></p><p>Florence: We were high school sweethearts at Kingston High School. I was 13 and he was 16 when we met, and the chemistry was there. Everybody knew. But my mother didn&#8217;t approve of him and everywhere we went, somebody would call my mother and tell her. We had to sneak around; we were like the Bonnie and Clyde of the &#8217;50s.</p><p><strong>How do you feel about that now?</strong></p><p>Florence: I&#8217;d like to recommend to parents today, if your children find their love, let them find it. Don&#8217;t interrupt or butt in. We lost a lot of years.</p><p>Adam: Yes, it should be our 60th anniversary, not our 25th.</p><p><strong>So you broke up as teenagers and married other people who, in retrospect, you feel weren&#8217;t right for you. How did you find each other again?</strong></p><p>Florence: In the early 1980s I was living in Connecticut and what happened was, I dreamed about him for a solid week straight. Then I got down on my hands and knees and asked God, if there was anything to these dreams, to take me to Adam. It was the week before Christmas and I came home to visit my mother. I went up to the mall and into Pomeroy&#8217;s (department store) and got onto the escalator and Adam was at the top of the escalator.</p><p>One thing led to another and we got married Oct. 20, 1990. My brother, Robert Sprau gave the toast at the wedding and said, &#8216;You certainly waited long enough.&#8217; He died in 2012 and we miss him very much.</p><p><strong>Would you say it&#8217;s never too late to follow your heart?</strong></p><p>Florence: That&#8217;s right. It&#8217;s never too late. God was good and gave us 25 years. So far.</p><style>
.neFileBlock {
	margin-bottom: 20px;
}
.neFileBlock p {
	margin: 0px 0px 0px 0px;
}
.neFileBlock .neFile {
	border-bottom: 1px dotted #aaa;
	padding-bottom: 5px;
	padding-top: 10px;
}
.neFileBlock .neCaption {
	font-size: 85%;
}
</style>
<div class='neFileBlock'>
<div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/web1_halloween.kids-0041.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Florence and Adam Belenski enjoyed a lot of ballroom dancing at their 25th anniversary party. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo0>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/web1_halloween.kids-0041.jpg</photo0><caption0>Florence and Adam Belenski enjoyed a lot of ballroom dancing at their 25th anniversary party. </caption0><photoCredit0></photoCredit0></div></div>
<div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta><p><strong>By Mary Therese Biebel</strong></p><p>mbiebel@www.timesleader.com</p></bylineMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><shirttailMeta><p>Reach Mary Therese Biebel at 570-991-6109 or on Twitter @BiebelMT</p></shirttailMeta></div>

Florence and Adam Belenski of Kingston lost each other once, found each other again, recently celebrated 25 years of marriage