Prime Time

POSTED: Sunday, Nov. 09, 2008

PROFILE: Jim and Teri Johnson reach their golden age together

Names: Jim and Teri Johnson

Residence: Orchard Park Assisted Living , Bellingham

Ages: Jim, 84; Teri, 82.

Married: Three years.

Children: Teri has three children and Jim has five children, all from previous marriages. They have seven grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.

Origins: Jim grew up on a farm outside of Donnybrook, N.D. Teri was born in Douglas, Ariz.

Claim to fame: Teri graduated from modeling school in Beverly Hills at the same time as Marilyn Monroe. "Norma Jean, that's the way I remember her," says Teri. ""We were best friends. We would get to the class early and sit together and get to talking. She had a very bad beginning so we kind of bonded." Teri went on to sing in theater productions, while Monroe moved into movie acting.

First impressions: "I never intended to remarry," Teri recalls. She was living independently in Blaine going to lunch often at the nearby seniors center when she met Jim.

Popping the question: The third time he walked her home from lunch, he asked her to marry him.

"I didn't even have to think twice about it. I said 'yes,'" Jean recalls. He was sought by other women," she adds. "But I remember he was tall and very handsome, polite and wonderful."

A real sweetheart: "Someone told me she was very kind to Marilyn Monroe," Jim says. "They were both models and she (Teri) was with her (Marilyn) when times were really trying. I was looking for someone like that."

Three's not a crowd: Teri is good friends with Ida, Jim's previous wife of 50 years. In fact, Teri met Ida and then Jim while all three were living separately in housing complexes near each other in Blaine. Now, "the three of us hang out and go shopping" Teri says.

Working world: Years ago, Teri worked for Oster, the appliance company, traveling and introducing products. Jim says he's had at least 10 occupations. He was a U.S. Navy pilot, built churches, and has worked in the farm machinery industry. "A fellow knew of oil fields so we drove the Alaska Highway to Fort St. John, B.C., and we got to painting a hospital," he says.

Golden years: "We both have calmed down and we're living a wonderful life here (at Orchard Park)," Teri says. "We're active with everything that goes on." Teri enjoys reading romance novels, especially by Danielle Steel, cq and Jim is a sports fan, who follows national baseball, basketball and football games. "He also likes to talk about the days when he was flying in the war," Teri adds.

Getting along: "He is a fantastic old-fashioned lover," Teri says. "He's thoughtful and has a real nice disposition. When we argue, he lets me win," she laughs.

Family ties: "It's a weird family," "I don't think you'll find any family like ours," Jim says. "We don't disagree. It's a big family; we always stick up for other person."

Preserving memories: They signed up for a creative writing class to keep track of their family histories, but "we both forgot to go," Jim says. Teri says, "You have to giggle because it's a memory class, but you learn a lot about yourself." After putting it on the calendar, they finally made it to the class.

"It just seems the wise thing to do to help the family keep aware of what we did in life," Jim adds.

Advice for couples: Teri says the key to romance is to put the other person first. "Place yourself as the listener," she says, "and it will work out. Soon he will be doing the same thing with you."

On reflection: "I think this period in our life has been the most important to me because we can look back and see how we did things and corrected them."

Golden time: Teri and Jim share their stories of highs and lows with their kids and grandkids. "I have had the "down" part and I have had the "up" part," Teri says. "Right now, I'm in an "up" part. It's fun to grow old."

Jennifer Karchmer is a Bellingham freelance writer.