6 THE CHARBONNEAU VILLAGER
February 2020
Charbonneau couple celebrates
50 years of marriage
By CLARA HOWELL
F
or Mike and Sandee Brown,
the anniversary of their first
date is just as meaningful as
their wedding anniversary.
The two lovebirds, who started dat-
ing on Oct. 20, 1966, have had the
honor of celebrating their first-date
anniversary 640 times — on the 20th
of every month.
“She’s the love of my life for sure,”
Mike said. “I’m just so grateful that we
met the way we met and when we met.”
The couple, who moved to Charbon-
neau in 2012, have been married for 50
years. And the secret to their successful
marriage is one they both shared easily.
For Sandee, the secret to a happy mar-
riage is to appreciate, respect and value
your partner, and to treat them the way
you want to be treated.
Mike agreed and said the secret is to
be married to your best friend.
“We were willing to work at it,” Sand-
ee said. “You’re different people so
you’re going to have different thoughts
and ideas. Sometimes the key is to dis-
agree without being disagreeable.”
Sandee and Mike grew up in Southern
California and attended the same high
school in La Mesa.
Though Mike was two years older, the
two knew of each other through mutual
friends and their involvement with high
profile school activities like sports and
student government.
Mike attended California Western
University in Point Loma for two years
on a basketball scholarship before he
suffered a knee injury and ended his bas-
ketball career.
He transferred to San Diego State Uni-
versity and had to repeat a history class
because the credits didn’t transfer. For
him, it was worth it — that’s when he got
to know Sandee.
The two were placed in the same class
and Sandee remembers Mike walking
her to chemistry after class, even though
PMG PHOTO: CLARA HOWELL
Mike and Sandee Brown have been married for 50 years.
she dropped that course three weeks in-
to the semester.
“He kept walking me all semester
long because I didn’t want that to stop,”
Sandee said.
“And I was always late to my class be-
cause it was on the other side of cam-
pus,” Mike added.
When seeking a coffee date with
Sandee proved too hard a task, Mike
asked to study for an upcoming history
test at her house. It worked, and that
was their first date.
The couple dated for three years be-
fore marrying.
Mike went on to have a 38-year career
as a cytogeneticist at Oregon Health and
Sciences University, the last seven years
working in the Knight Cancer Institute.
Sandee worked in the North Clackamas
School District for 23 years where she
did private tutoring, ran the computer
lab and worked with dyslexic children.
Though Mike and Sandee weren’t able
to have children of their own, they made
an impact on youth, especially a neigh-
borhood boy they met when he was 8.
Now they have an “extended family,”
they said, as the boy grew up and started
his own family.
When they lived in Milwaukie, prior to
living in Charbonneau, Mike and Sandee
remembered when two 8-year-old neigh-
borhood kids showed up at their doorstep,
asking if they had children. When the cou-
ple said they didn’t, one of the kids re-
turned later with pieces of wood nailed to-
gether, with yarn that read “the love boat.”
“We emotionally adopted this kid,”
Sandee said.
The two also coached junior bowling
at Kellogg Bowl in Milwaukie for almost
20 years and Mike coached youth basket-
ball.
Now the couple enjoys traveling to-
gether, fishing, golf and reading.
Mike said even when they’re apart do-
ing their own activities, wanting to share
experiences with each other also contrib-
utes to their joyous union.
“One of the greatest things about
Charbonneau is it’s a safe community so
when I go away for a week or so and go
hunting, I feel like she’s really in a good
place to be,” Mike said.
Sandee volunteers with the Boys and
Girls Aid Cypress Branch, helps out at
the Clackamas Community College li-
brary cubby and enjoys antiquing — she
has a dealer space at Red Door Antiques
in Canby.
Mike is also on the Men’s Golf Club
Board and their homeowner association
board but he said as the couple starts
COURTESY PHOTO
Mike and Sandee Brown say the secret to a
happy, long marriage is to appreciate each
other and be best friends.
winding down their work on boards and
such, they will start spending more time
at their trailer at Lake Merwin in Wash-
ington.
When asked about their favorite ac-
tivity to do together, Mike said “be to-
gether,” even if they are doing separate
activities.
“I think you need to bring separate ac-
tivities to keep it interesting,” Sandee
added.
One thing the couple will never do —
or almost never do — is go to bed mad at
each other.
“We always kiss each other good-
night. We never go to bed mad. There’s
been a couple times maybe in 50 years
that it’s been close but we’re best friends
(and) we appreciate each other,” Mike
said. “We both have our strengths and
our weaknesses and we work together.
“It’s a work in progress. We’re not
there yet, she’s still working on me
(and) I’ve got a lot of improving to do
still.”
“He’s still in training,” Sandee added.