Sun City couple celebrate 70 years of marriage
Fewer than 0.1% of married couples manage to reach this major milestone in life, but on May 27, 2021, Sue and Dick Schimmel of Sun City in Huntley did just that - 70 years of marriage.
Both born in Chicago in January 1930 just two days apart, Dick Schimmel is the son of an immigrant father from Hungary and a German American mother. Sue Litrenta is one of 6 children born of immigrants from the Calabria region of Italy.
The couple met at Chicago Molded Plastics Factory at 18 years old. Sue, a petite beauty, was already dating another man. But she would pass by Dick in the plastics shop, and he decided then and there that she was the one for him.
"My girlfriend wanted to date his friend," claims Sue, "so we decided to go out as a foursome to the famous Oh Henry Ballroom along Archer Avenue." That night was the beginning of a lifetime of dancing together. Dick would pick up Sue in the old Mercury he owned with his brother. Per Dick, "to stay close," he'd put his arm around her and she would then have to shift the gears, and away they'd go to dance all night.
After dating less than 2 years, Dick proposed to Sue on Nov. 25 at his parents' anniversary party at a Swedish dance hall downtown Chicago. They turned 21 that January and married at beautiful St. Peter Canisius Church on West North Avenue on May 27, 1951.
Though of limited means, the couple was able to pull together enough money for a large reception and a great dance band.
It didn't take long for the couple to start a family. Although Sue was pregnant, unfortunately the U.S. Government had changed their rules on the draft.
Drafted by the Army, Dick was sent to Korea (Army Sergeant Richard "Dick" Schimmel, B Company, Korea) where he fought in the famous battle on Pork Chop Hill. In the meantime, Susie lived with Dick's parents and had their first baby, Greg. Dick came home, and he and Sue had 4 more children in quick succession: Dan, Debbie, John and Jan. With multiple kids in an apartment, Dick borrowed $20 from his mom to put down on a $19,000, three-bedroom home in Des Plaines where they then lived for 40-plus years before moving to Huntley at age 75.
The nuclear and then ever-expanding Schimmel family grew up with summer vacations to Wisconsin (Devil's Lake in Baraboo, Lake Delton in the Dells, and Bear Lake in Minocqua) and then Arkansas and Missouri. After early years of camping, vacations later included the family ski boat, staying in cabins, fishing, hanging out in the water (Sue's favorite), camp fires, big family dinners, s'mores and singalongs.
Now 91, Sue and Dick have lived in Sun City in Huntley for the last 16 years. They have 11 perfect grandchildren and 15 exceptional great-grandchildren including a gorgeous newborn, Aria Rose. Yet another great-grandchild (No. 16) is due to be born in June.
Sue and Dick have always instilled the importance of family and a tradition of togetherness that has now been passed down, with large family gatherings for every event, big and small. Their 25th, 50th, and 60th anniversaries were huge celebrations. The pandemic has proved a bit challenging, but now that all are vaccinated, the family has planned a fun, casual, backyard cookout for their 70th with a few special surprises.
And even though our happy couple has slowed down a bit, you can be sure that any party for them will include music, dancing, and a whole lot of love. Congratulations on being one in a thousand, Sue and Dick Schimmel.