Baby owls in Batavia, Illinois photo credit: Christian Prohaska
ELIGAH and IRENE LEWIS celebrated their 70th wedding anniversary on November 22, 2020. Eligah Lewis and Irene Kennedy were married November 22, 1950, in Pascagoula, Miss. Purchasing their first home in Prichard, Ala., Eligah and Irene attended the Dearborn Church which is now Emmanuel Church in Mobile, Ala.
In 1955, Eligah and Irene Lewis moved to Milwaukee, Wis., where they became members of the Sharon Church. Dedicated members for 36 years, Eligah served as a deacon for many years, while Irene participated in many community outreach programs. While attending Sharon Church, Eligah, Thomas Prescott and others formed the Sharon Travelers, a well-known singing group of the Lake Region Conference. After Eligah retired in 1991, he and his wife moved to Thomasville, Ala., where they now reside and became members of the Thomasville Church. Since 1997, Eligah has held the position of head elder.
Eligah and Irene have two daughters, five grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.
RALPH and BEVERLY (Benjamin) BENEDICT celebrated their 70th wedding anniversary on September 3, 2020. They have been members of the Battle Creek Tabernacle Church in Battle Creek, Beverly all of her life and Ralph since their wedding. Elder Merle Mills was the acting pastor.
Ralph intended to work in the building trade, but his father was killed in an automobile accident while building the Benedict Memorial School in lower Michigan. Ralph worked for his father-in-law in the printing trade for 10 years and Beverly worked for Consumers Power Company and sales before starting their own printing business (1960 until 1991).
Their three children hosted an open house for friends and relatives at their home on Sept. 6, 2020. Denise and Jim Carter moved here from Ohio to help mom and dad; Dr. Dennis and Eddie Benedict from Loudon, Tenn.; and Laurie and Stephen Erickson who are missionaries in Papua, New Guinea. They have six grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.
STAN AND GAIL MATTINGLY celebrated their 51st wedding anniversary on Dec. 15, 2018, with a family dinner, an acknowledgement from the London (Michigan) Church and a special announcement from Channel 4 WDIV-Sunshine Awards at Ypsilanti, Mich. They have been members of the London Church for 29 years.
Stan Mattingly and Gail Gore were married on Dec. 15, 1967, in Ypsilanti, by S.L. Roberson. Stan is a carpenter and Gail a bus driver. The Mattingly family includes Shawn and Krysta Mattingly of Lansing, Mich.; Yaneka Mattingly of Ypsilanti; Josiah Mattingly of Ypsilanti; Jairis Mattingly of Ypsilanti; and two grandchildren.
Raymond Mundt and Sharon Layman were married on April 11, 1953, in the pastor’s parsonage in the town of Corning, Wis. Raymond worked for several different companies and retired from Davey Tree Company about 21 years ago. Sharon worked as a domestic engineer and retired a few years before her husband. The Mundt family includes Candee and Darrell Kuhn. Raymond and Sharon enjoy volunteering at their church camp, Camp Wakonda. They also have a dog, Buddy, who loves it at camp as well.
GLENN AND CAROL HAHN celebrated their 50thwedding anniversary on Aug. 25, 2018, with a family vacation and motorcycling around Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. The Hahns have been members of the Hastings Church for 45 years.
Glenn Hahn and Carol Otto were married in 1968 in Farmington, Mich., by Pastor (name ???) Valentine. Glenn was a dentist and Carol a homemaker. They have two children, Lori and Bradley Randall, and Kevin and Maija Hahn; and five grandchildren.
Richard Spencer and Evelyn Siems were married in 1968 in Edmore, Mich., by Pastor Elwin Drake. Richard was a licensed contractor and Evelyn a homemaker. They have two children, Julie and Roland Fargo of Sierra Madre, Calif., and Jaime and Ryan LaFaive, in Traverse City, Mich.; and four grandchildren.
EDWARD AND GENEVIEVE CLARK celebrated their 62nd wedding anniversary on Oct. 28, 2018. The Werys have been members of the Wilson Church for 61 years.
The Wery family includes their children, Debi and Steve Besson of Escanda, Mich.; Steve and Debbie Wery of Carney, Mich.; Ronald and Teri Wery of Carney, Mich.; and Gary and Maggie Wery of Gladstone, Mich.; also, eight grandchildren; eight great-grandchildren; and one great-great grandchild.
WAYNE AND GENEVIEVE CLARK celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary on July 4, 2018. They have been members of the Oxford (Wis.) church for 19 years.
Wayne Clark and Genevieve Smalley were married July 4, 1958 in Berrien Springs, Mich., by V.E. Garber. Wayne was a treasurer at GNYC, SNEC, NADEI from 1980–1998. Genevieve was an SNEC (1974–1979) secretary, NADEI, retiring in 1998.
The Clark family includes Karren and Clay Blair of Montello, Wis.; Kelly and Brad McClave of Southern California; and 2 grandchildren.
F. NORMAN POTTLE and BEVERLY CAMPBELL celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary on June 15, 2018. They were married in 1958 in Mt. Pleasant, Mich., by Robert Kachenmeister.
They reside in Berrien Springs, Mich., and have two children, Ted and Kim; and three grandchildren, Stephanie, Stephen, and Ashley DeWitt.
BERNARD AND ALVERDA MESSER celebrated their 65th wedding anniversary on March 19, 2018, at their home, with family and friends in Waterford, Mich. They have been member of the Waterford Riverside (Mich.) church for 54 years.
Bernand and Alverda Ericks Messer were married in 1953