When 14-year-old John first met Eloise, 12, in school, she was “just a kid.”

Through their involvement in band club – he played the clarinet and saxophone, she played the piano – and a shared love for music, the two fell in love. Recently, the Leightys celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary in McHenry, where they’ve lived since 1962.

After John earned his master’s degree in music from the University of Illinois in Champaign, the couple moved to McHenry, where he taught band at McHenry High School. Eloise, who has a master’s degree in education, taught fifth grade and music at Edgebrook and Landmark elementary schools. Both retired from teaching in 1986. They have two daughters, three grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.