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A Seahawk love story dates back to 8th grade

Norm and Bobbe Evans love football and each other.
Norm Evans loves talkin' football. But he'd rather talk about the girl he met 60 years ago.

Norm Evans loves talkin' football. But he'd rather talk about the girl he met 60 years ago.

"Can you see why? Look at her. She looks like a movie star," he says, paging through pictures at his Issaquah home.

Norm played offensive tackle in the NFL for 14 years. He was on the first Seahawks team in 1976. He won a Super Bowl with the Dolphins during their historic, undefeated season in 1972.

But he says his greatest accomplishment is landing the girl of his dreams.

"I couldn't think about anything else with this girl. It's a wonder I could even play football I'm tellin' ya," he says.

They both grew up in Texas, 10 miles from the Mexican border. Norm was in 9th grade, Bobbe in 8th when she strolled around the back of her car.

"I said to my buddy, 'Hey Charlie, that one's for me.' And that was it!"

They married five years later.

"Got married Saturday morning in Mexico in high school."

Family and friends had their doubts. But here they are, about to celebrate their 55th anniversary in February.

"It wasn't pretty all the time. We had to work hard at it. And I think part of it because everybody said you guys will never make it," Bobbe says.

They have two kids and four grandchildren.

"We had a baby before we had a car or a television," says Bobbe.

They say the two keys to their marriage are communication and consideration. For the past 40 years, they've passed on their knowledge, leading family counseling seminars for pro athletes.

Norm was the team captain for every team for which he played. But this team?

"Yeah, I get to be captain occasionally. Sunday between 2 and 4."

Bobbe and Norm recommend the book "The Five Love Languages" by Gary Chapman and Stronger Families in Bellevue and Standing Stone in California.

Evening celebrates the Northwest. Watch weeknights at 7:30 on KING 5 & streaming live on KING5.comContact: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Email.

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