Bruce and Reveille Barchenger will celebrate 50 happy years of marriage on Friday, Feb. 11, 2011.

The Barchengers were married on that day in 1961 in Idaho after having spent their high school years as sweethearts in Issaquah. When asked what keeps them together, the Barchengers used the word “commitment” to generally describe why their marriage has lasted.

The Freeland couple recently celebrated the banner year with a three-week trip to Europe, where they traveled through France and Spain.