Dream Come True Still Saying "I Do"
After 64 years of marriage, Ardis and Bill Baries discovered that love does not fade with time—it deepens. And on their anniversary, surrounded by family and friends at Cedarhurst of West Plains, they chose to say “I do” all over again.
The Proposal
The Beginning
It began, of all places, during a game of bingo.
Their love story started long before bingo. Bill’s brother-in-law believed they would make a wonderful match and introduced them. Before they ever stood face-to-face, they got to know each other through handwritten letters.
Ardis and Bill Baries were talking about their upcoming 64th wedding anniversary when Ardis looked at her husband and asked a simple question: Would you marry me again?
It did not take long for Bill to know.
Bill didn’t hesitate. “If she wanted it, I wanted it too,” he said with a smile.
“After her first letter,” he said, “I knew she was the one for me.”
And just like that, a Dream Come TRUE SM was set in motion at Cedarhurst of West Plains.
They were married in a simple ceremony 64 years ago. Ardis remembers one detail above all others: Bill did not have friends who could attend, but his father was there. That moment has stayed with her ever since.
Over the decades, their foundation remained steady.
“Kiss each other every night before bed and tell each other you love each other,” Ardis said. “Never go to bed mad.” Bill treasures the way Ardis still talks softly to him and hugs him. Ardis admires Bill for his deep love
6 CEDARHURST SENIOR LIVING | SPRING FLOURISH 2026
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