News Photo by Darby Hinkley Local artist June Perry painted these two portraits of Keith and Ginny Titus— the top is of them 40 years ago, and the bottom is a recent one of the couple, both with shaved heads. The couple will perform together at 2 p.m. Sunday at First Congregational United Church of Christ.

ALPENA — Keith and Ginny Titus have done a lot for this community, and they continue to do more, despite major health setbacks.

The pair will host a live performance at 2 p.m. Sunday of “Spoon River Anthology,” written by Edgar Lee Masters in 1915. The collection of short free-form poems narrates the epitaphs of the residents of the fictional small town of Spoon River (named after the real Spoon River that ran near Masters’ hometown.)

The program will be in the fellowship hall of First Congregational United Church of Christ at 201 S. 2nd Ave. in Alpena.

“This is a reader’s theater production,” said Ginny Titus. “We portray at least 100 characters, with some singing in the midst of it.”

She explained the idea behind an epitaph.

“It’s what people want other people to know about their life that they don’t think they know,” she said. “Each piece is an epitaph of a person speaking on their own behalf.”

The aim of the poems is to demystify the rural, small town American life. The poems were originally published in the magazine Reedy’s Mirror.

“It’s funny, it’s tragic, it’s just a wonderful piece of work,” Ginny Titus added.

The Tituses are not letting illness keep them confined to their home. Ginny Titus was diagnosed with terminal cancer and has been undergoing chemotherapy for eight months now. Despite being exhausted, she is actively getting things done in the precious time she has left.

On Thursday afternoon she was sitting on the living room couch in her nightgown, TV on, her hands smudged with black paint as she coated another of the many wooden dowels propped up in front of her. She was painting them to be used as canes in an upcoming children’s program. And of course, she had a smile on her face, speaking kindly and focusing on the good in life.

She and her husband Keith, together for 40 years and married for 38, have been active with theater programs throughout their life. Keith Titus started Thunder Bay Theatre in 1967, and Ginny Titus taught dance there for more than 30 years.

On Thursday, Keith Titus was away at a doctor’s appointment, as he is recovering slowly from breaking his leg. Ginny Titus said his foot was turned backwards, but he didn’t even feel it because of his neuropathy.

“He just looked down and said, ‘Well, that doesn’t look right,'” Ginny Titus said of her husband. “He’s always so calm.”

When his beloved wife started chemotherapy, Keith Titus shaved his head in solidarity. Local artist June Perry painted two portraits of the couple — one from a photo of them 40 years ago, and another from a recent photo of them, both with shaved heads. They are in this together, and Sunday’s performance will give them a chance to once again share their talents with the community.

Sunday’s program is open to the public, and the Tituses hope to see a lot of people there for a dramatic reading from a moving collection.

“We love it,” Ginny Titus said of “Spoon River Anthology.” “I’ve read it and reread it over and over again. It’s really beautiful.”