DEH CHO - A 60 year commitment is a long time to stick to anything, but that's the number of years that George and Adele Hardisty have been married.

All of George and Adele Hardisty's eight children gathered together to help them celebrate their 60th wedding anniversary. The family includes, from left, back row: Troy Hardisty, Nellie Jane Hardisty, Walter Hardisty, Gabe Hardisty, Henry Hardisty, Ethel Liske; front row: Shirley Hardisty-Desjarlais, George Hardisty, Adele Hardisty and Violet Mawsdley. - Roxanna Thompson/NNSL photo

On July 12, friends and family of George and Adele gathered to celebrate the wedding anniversary of the couple from Wrigley. More than 50 people met at Melissa and Rick Beaverho's house in Fort Simpson for a celebratory barbecue.

"I really feel fortunate and happy that they've stayed this long with us," said Nellie Jane Hardisty, one of their daughters, about the privilege of celebrating 60 years.

"We're just fortunate, 60 years is a long time."

George and Adele were married on July 11, 1947 in old Fort Wrigley. At the time Adele was 22 and George was 28. Today they are 82 and 88.

Both were born in the bush near Wrigley, said Gabe Hardisty, their oldest child.

George earned his livelihood as a trapper and Adele also trapped with her dad Jean Baptiste Hensdetti until she got married. Together the couple continued to spend most of their early years together in the bush.

During the fall and winter George and Adele lived on Fish Lake, which is also known as Lost Lake, Gabe said. In the springtime, the family would travel back to town. Often the trip was difficult because of water on the trails.

"I remember my mom dragged me through the water to get to dry land," he said.

In 1959 a school was built in old town so many people moved to the settlement permanently, including the Hardisty family. In 1964 George started work as janitor at the school for the government. When the community was moved in the 1960s the family moved too.

George continued to work as a janitor until he retired in 1980.

Living on the land is one factor that has kept the couple alive and together this long, said Hardisty. Both of his parents ate lots of country food including wild meat and fish and did lots of walking.

"They're tough. Lots of exercise kept them going," he said.

The couple also persevered.

"Through the rough times, the good times, they stayed together," said Hardisty.

Together George and Adele have eight children, 21 grandchildren, seven great-grandchildren and one great-great grandchild.

When she first got married, Adele said she didn't think ahead or imagine that 60 years from then she'd still be married to George.

"It's a long time," she said.

Adele said her only secret for a long marriage is to be thankful to God.