NEWELL - Eleanor Milberg of Newell and her "little" brother, Darrell Eickelman, Rapid City, will need a lot of sevens for their birthday cakes today, when she marks age 77 and he marks age 70.

"This is a milestone, because this can never happen again," Eleanor said. "I think it is kind of unique, really."

"It's an easy number to remember," Darrell said.

Many couples selected 7-7-07 as a wedding day in hopes the triple-seven will bring good luck, but Eleanor and Darrell simply turned the page on the calendar.

It's a birthday that has been at least 70 years in the making.

Eleanor was born July 7, 1930, to parents Albert and Margaret Eickelman in Gettysburg. Seven years later - July, 7, 1937 - the Eickelmans had moved to Newell and celebrated the arrival of Darrell. Another lucky number for the Eickelmans: Albert and Margaret had seven children.

Having the same birthday naturally carries unique celebrations for Darrell and Eleanor, but being seven years apart, they were generally at different growth stages to have much in common. Eleanor said she and Darrell got along quite well as children because of the age difference.

"He was always special to me, because he was my little brother," she said.

Both graduates of Newell High School, Eleanor and Darrell are now enjoying full-time retirement.

She started her working life as a teacher in Butte County schools and went into farming with her husband, Keith Milberg. Keith and Eleanor moved to Newell and ran the Newell Recreation facility for a number of years before opening their own insurance agency. They sold the business and retired in 1995.

Eleanor and Keith have cbeen married for 56 years and have two children, four grandchildren and one great-grandchild.

Darrell worked in the trucking and feed business in Newell before moving to Rapid City in 1976. For the next 25 years, he worked in the sales department for a trucking equipment company.

Darrell's wife, Deda Rae, died in 1999. He has four children and five-grandchildren.

Both say retirement is going well, except for a springtime gardening mishap in which Eleanor fell and broke her arm. She is nearly back to 100 percent.

As the brother and sister look back on their lives, they relate the number seven as relatively lucky.

"Between the two of us, we have had pretty good luck over the years," Darrell said. He said he and Eleanor have had healthy children and grandchildren who have gone on to lead productive lives.

As far as birthday party plans go, Eleanor and Darrell will attend a small family gathering in Rapid City.

Eleanor isn't going to try her luck at any casinos on her special day.

"I guess I'm not a gambler," she said. "But I plan on buying my first lottery ticket."

Whether it's a winner or not, the day will be one they remember.