It began with a chance meeting at the Hartford office of Dr. Morris Mancoll, where Henrietta Gitlin’s sister was a nurse.  Some two years later – on Oct. 22, 1942 — Joseph Gitlin married Henny in Hartford, while on a weekend pass from Fort Dix.
He gave her a ring and pneumonia and returned to base.
Seventy years later – on Oct. 22, 2012 — Joe and Henny Gitlin marked their milestone with an anniversary celebration attended by their two daughters and sons-in-law, Ronna and Dana Woodward, and Dr. Karen Gitlin-Weiner and Dr. Richard Weiner.
Lifelong residents of the Hartford/Springfield area, the Gitlins moved to West Hartford in 1954 where Joe co-founded the CPA firm, Gitlin Campise LLC. The couple has always been active members of the community. They were long-time members of Congregation Beth Israel, co-founders of the now defunct Temple Anshe Shalom in West Hartford, and later became members of The Emanuel Synagogue in West Hartford. Henny taught Sunday school at Congregation Beth Israel and has been a member of Hadassah and a volunteer at a number of organizations.
For close to 30 years, the Gitlins have also been active in the West Hartford Senior Center.