Love Story: Anne and David Webster

Anne and David Webster of North Andover will celebrate their 18th wedding anniversary in June.

"So far it's been a wonderful journey.," Anne Webster said. "Not always easy, but nevertheless worth every minute!"

The Websters have traveled the world together. They met at Cadet Summer Boot Camp at Ft. Bragg in North Carolina, while they were both in ROTC there. David was a student at the Citadel, and Anne was a cadet at SUNY in Cortland, N.Y.

"I like to tell everyone we met in a foxhole but it wasn't quite that simple," Anne said. "It wasn't love at first sight since we were both highly competitive soldiers competing for the best scoresand  evaluations at boot camp, but our struggle to out-do each other brought us face to face!"

The two stayed in touch after the summer in which they met, and they began dating long distance afterward. And then they were both stationed in Korea for their first duty assignment with the Army. They then served another seven years in the Army, moving from bases in California to Kentucky and then separate in Virginia and Texas, until finally being reunited serving together at Ft. Benning, Ga.

"After 7 years, we decided to leave the Army and return to David's home state of Massachusetts to be closer to family, his in Massachusetts and mine in New York," Anne said. "Upon arriving in the northeast, we found North Andover to be our town of choice. We bought a home and have been so happy here for the last 13 years raising two children, Colton and Cathryn."

Anne works with her mother-in-law at ERA Home & Family Real Estate in Andover, and David is a vice president of global marketing for Neurologica out of Danvers. They're both involved in the communtiy through work, church and their kids' schools.

Anne believes that community involvement helps strengthen their marriage, as well as maintaining humor and respect.

"We still laugh at each other's jokes, respect each other's different parenting styles which brings balance to our family and push each other to be our best every day," she said. "It's been a great life so far, including all the ups and downs, and I pray that it will continue!"