By DIANA CARR, Special to The Press

He would do it all over again. And so would she. There is no hesitation whatsoever in their voices. 71 years together, and no regrets. This is a love story you won’t want to miss.

It all began on a winter’s eve in 1938 when Clayton Mantie, now 93, met Burnice (who prefers to be called B), now 87, at Crystal Lake (located in Middletown). They were part of a group of hale and hearty New Englanders who had gathered for a few hours of ice skating. Nothing much developed that night, but the next night proved to be the start of their lives together.

There was a square dance, and Clayton, being new in town, was thrilled to spot Burnice sitting by the band. "Ah, somebody I know," he thought as he raced across the floor to ask her to dance. "He startled me when he ran across the floor like that," recalls B. "But the more we danced, the better it got."

Six months later, they knew they were in love. "We were getting along very pleasantly," says Clayton. "I enjoyed our outings." He would pick her up after work and they would drive to Meriden for square dances. She would watch him train and race trotting horses (They’re the ones that pull the carts.) Four years later, on Jan. 31, 1942, they were married.

The wedding was very simple, Clayton says. They were married in B’s Middletown home, with about 12 people attending. "We needed to do it cheaply. Times were tough; I was making only $16 a week. So having a dozen people there was pretty good."

Their union has produced four children, five grandchildren, and five great-grandchildren. Five years ago, they moved to Heritage Commons, a rental retirement community located in Middletown, and yes, they’re still as much in love as ever. "We just need each other," says B.

"With all the problems we’ve had, we’re not fighting, scratching, clawing," Clayton says. "We still get along very well. We look after each other." Their problems, they will both say — problems like nearly losing two sons to meningitis (they made full recoveries) — only served to bring them closer.

Their advice for newlyweds? "Just keep loving," says the missus. Clayton feels it’s important to listen to each other. "If you have differences, don’t let them fester. Bring it out in the open and get it over with."

Clayton says he’s seen a change in the institution of marriage. "A lot of couples don’t consider what marriage means. They jump into it. They live in the spirit of the moment. Then they see that they have too many differences, and they get a divorce. Everything today is disposable, including marriage."

Son Jay speaks with pride about his parents, and the marriage that has endured. "My dad sings and my mother plays the organ, often together. He is a World War II vet, and a lifelong member of the Westfield Fire Department.

"They are simple, humble people, well-respected, who have always been about family and others. We didn’t grow up in a very lavish lifestyle, but we wanted for nothing. It was just the simple life, with a focus on the important things that really mattered over time, and old-fashioned family values.

"As far as their marriage goes, I think a strong point is the way they consider the other, almost like on autopilot — not thinking about it, just doing it with a devotion and respect for each other. It just worked. They focused on us, they focused on each other, and they focused on other people.

"A former pastor of theirs, in a letter to them on their 57th anniversary, noted, ‘During those years the world has changed immensely, and the demands of life have been unceasing. However, you have accepted and handled the sorrows and challenges with strength, and the joys with laughter. Your devotion to one another, and the love so obviously present, is a worthy model for all of us.’

"On this same anniversary, my parents went to church as usual, and my father stood before the congregation and shared a little about their wedding night, and then sang her a song. My mother said it was the nicest thing he could have done for her, and it’s a day she will never forget."

Their epic love story shines in the small details of their lives. Like the first person to get up in the morning setting the table, and waiting for the other to join him or her for breakfast.