Clinton518web

“Find someone with
similar beliefs, values
and goals and then
compromise on all
the rest! And, keep
your sense of humor!”
The biggest difference now would
be three children and six grandchildren.
Much bigger gatherings and
lots more to love,” said Marijane.
“We were baby boomers so our
marriage has been a marriage of
equality–or as Whitfield says,
‘what’s hers is hers and what’s mine
is hers and mine!’” We both worked
and we both raised kids. I actually
stayed home for a ten-year period
because all of our children were
born within three years,” said
Marijane.
Robin was born in 1974, Piper
was born in 1975, and Brian was
born in 1976. “The postman once
asked if I kept kids and I said,
‘Only because they are mine!’ We
are very proud of the people they
have become. Robin lives in
Grenada and is an artist and is
presently in the process of saving a
wetland area there known as
Chakchiuma Swamp. Piper lives in
Houston. She is married, has two
sons and owns a company that does
mobile swallow studies. Brian lives
in Jackson. He is married with four
children and has his own company
laying floors,” she continued.
The Whitfields both enjoy
many facets of life in Clinton. “I
love the small-town atmosphere
and the good neighbors we have.
The schools were one of the biggest
reasons I appreciated living here
and rearing our children. I have also
always appreciated the accessibility
of our city leaders from the mayor
to the maintenance employees.
Nowadays, I enjoy trying to keep
litter under control by walking my
little dog Maggie, as I pick up trash
and find coins on the street,” said
Whitfield.
Marijane decorated a bicycle for
the Downtown Clinton project and
she says the name of it sums it up
well: My Sweet Life in Clinton,
MS! “I have been very blessed with
my family, many wonderful friends,
and a job I loved. Our church,
Northside Baptist, had been another
extremely important part of our
lives here. We never saw a reason
we would want to leave,” she said.
The Whitfields enjoy volunteering
once a month at the Clinton
Visitor’s Center. They also love
antique stores, second- hand shops,
garage sales and collecting
memorabilia. They also have a
family band–The (mostly)
Drifting Minds, with some of their
grandchildren and their son, Brian.
Occasionally their daughter Robin
will play the guitar. Marijane plays
the keyboard with another band–
Slightly Tarnished. They have
played at the Friday night music
nights at the Clinton Visitor Center,
Milepost 89, and the first Barbeque
on the Boulevard event.
Marijane also enjoys still picking
up her paintbrush. “I’m still
influenced by Dr. Sam Gore and
Professor Bob Dunaway, the
wonderful teachers I had at
Mississippi College,” she said.
She teaches a painting class once a
month at the Clinton Community
Nature Center.
They have enjoyed traveling to
Washington and Canada, which
was a trip gifted to them from their
daughter, Piper. For their 50th
anniversary in the summer of 2017,
their whole family went to Cabo
San Lucas. They have also enjoyed
some fun trips to New Orleans
with friends.
If they were to give some advice
to newlyweds they would say, “Find
someone with similar beliefs, values
and goals and then COMPROMISE,
COMPROMISE, COMPROMISE
on all the rest! And, keep your sense
of humor!”
The Whitfield’s attribute the
success of their marriage to their
shared belief that God is Love, and
their parents who modelled that.
Also, their church and the mentors
and friends who helped them grow
spiritually and to understand and
experience more of God’s love.
They are charter members of
Northside Baptist Church.
The Whitfields’ love for each
other has stayed strong through the
decades, and it shows no sign of
slowing down yet. They have a
twinkle in their eyes as they share
stories about their past and present.
They can’t think of anywhere else
they’d rather be than together,
here in Clinton. l
Hometown Clinton • 7