Matters of the Heart

Paul and Connie Risner: Romance of 50+ years spans Dairy Queen, wedding cake, and Burger King

by Connie Risner (as told to Mary Jo David)

Paul Risner and Connie Howard both grew up in Stockbridge and graduated from Stockbridge schools.

The couple first met at the Dairy Queen in Stockbridge, where Connie had an after-school job. Paul asked Connie for a date, and they went out the following Saturday. Readers can assume they must have hit it off because they were married about a year later.

They had a small wedding in Munith on January 13, 1973, and a reception at the American Legion.

“My mom was appalled at only having about six months to prepare for a wedding,” Connie Howard-Risner recalls.

Neither she nor Paul recall too many specifics about that special day, although Connie does recall Paul demonstrating his love for her by smearing a bit of cake on her face!

Following their wedding, they lived in Fitchburg for several years but have always lived in the Stockbridge area.

Their daughter, Lisa, and son-in-law, Nick Bolton, have two children—Hannah and Micah. The Risners’ favorite memories, hands down, were when their daughter and grandchildren were born, followed by the times they’ve spent helping with the grandchildren. They also enjoy vacationing in the summer and attending the Risner-Brown family reunions, which were always a lot of fun, not to mention, very unpredictable.

Connie describes Paul as the more outgoing one, while she thinks of herself as a bit shy and very much a homebody.

The couple considered themselves fortunate to be able to celebrate their 50th anniversary together, especially when looking back on a very difficult time in their lives, when Paul was in a terrible accident—hit by a car while at work.

Says Connie, “It was a very difficult time, but we made it with our faith, family and friends.”

Having just celebrated their 50th anniversary in January 2023, Connie recalls that Paul suggested they go to dinner. “Jokingly, he mentioned he had gift cards for Burger King,” she said. Connie knows her husband well and knows that he does really like Burger King. She added, “And that pretty much sums up our simple married life together!”

Overall, if the Risners can point to the one thing that has made their marriage successful, it would be that “We have always supported each other in any endeavor we pursued?”

NOTE: A special thank you to Connie for the work she does in advertising outreach, behind the scenes, every month for Stockbridge Community News.

Photos provided by Paul and Connie Risner

A year after their first date, Paul Risner and Connie Howard became husband and wife. In January 2023, they celebrated their 50th anniversary.

The Risners’ secret to marriage longevity: “We have always supported each other in any endeavor we pursued.”