True Valentines

Still, the boy who was five years older than she was didn't leave “a real good first impression.”

Dori said she didn't know Bob personally, but had seen him and knew who he was. A few days after the party, he called to invite her out on a date. She accepted.

The rest is history.

Fast forward to eight children, 32 grandchildren and 24 great-grandchildren later, the two are settling into their 63rd year of marital bliss.

“It wasn't always easy,” Dori said with a laugh.

The first impression that Bob left on his wife is something they are able to laugh about more than 63 years later and plan reminisce it all as the holiday that started their one-of-a-kind love nears.

The relationship progressed quickly and the Pullars were married the same year they met.

“That (first date) was in February, we were engaged in September and married in November,” Dori said. “I realized he wasn't as cocky as I thought he was.”

The pair was united in marriage Nov. 25 at the Zion Lutheran Church. Dori recalls it was a very small ceremony with two attendants on each side present. Afterward, the couple went to Dori's mother's home for a reception to celebrate.

At the time of their marriage, Bob worked in the paper mill and Dori was employed at the local Woolworth store. The newlyweds purchased a small home on 11th Street where they welcomed their first child, a boy born in October 1951.

The couple eventually relocated to a small two-bedroom house with a small farm along Highway 53. There, Dori said they were blessed with four more children.

“We quickly outgrew that house,” she said.

With the help of family and friends, the couple built a bigger home to accommodate their growing family in 1959 and they still live there today.

Dori said she stayed home to raise their children until their youngest daughter was in kindergarten.

Making a marriage last almost 64 years hasn't been a bed of roses, Dori admits. While there are many good memories, there were also challenges.

“There were bad days, but more good,” she said. “There were a lot of hard times, but we overcame them.”

The Pullars were very close and did a lot of fishing and camping with their children, Dori said. “That is about all we could afford to do.”

Still, the simple trips to the great outdoors helped make the Pullar family the close-knit bunch they are, she added.

“We still meet at least once a year,” she said.

The family has scattered beyond International Falls, but always make it a priority to be together when they can. And, like a good grandma, Dori recognizes each and every birthday – with the help of a calendar.

“I don't do (gifts) for Christmas, but I take care of every birthday,” she said. “I have a calendar. And it's full.”

A memory that stands out for Dori is the couple's 50th wedding anniversary at Breezy Point Resort in Brainerd.

“It was really special,” she recalls. “Everybody was there.”

As for advice on making a marriage work, Dori keeps it simple.

“You just don't quit trying,” she said. “You never give in and you never give up. And you never never say never.”

Since Dori served as the spokesperson for the couple, she added her thoughts on why Bob has made such a remarkable husband, father and grandfather.

“He is always very family oriented and a very good provider,” she said. “He is really very caring.”

Dori says she hopes the next 63 years of marriage are healthy and happy and keep on blessing the couple.

“There are a lot of memories, both good and bad, but mostly good.”