Golden wedding anniversaries a cause for celebration

The 57th annual Golden Wedding Anniversary celebration, sponsored by the Office of Marriage and Family Life of the Archdiocese of New Orleans, was held Dec. 6 as a drive-up event at St. Philip Neri Church in Metairie due to COVID-19 restrictions.

All couples married during 1970 were invited to attend, and 135 couples accepted the invitation to meet with Archbishop Gregory Aymond.

Each couple was presented with a scroll signed by the archbishop, and a special papal blessing also was delivered for the occasion. A photo of each couple with the archbishop was taken and will be mailed to the jubilarians. The commemorative scroll will be mailed to those couples who could not attend.

Several of the couples observed anniversaries of more than 50 years. They are Marie and Pheris Boyer, 70 years, New Orleans; Alberta and Kenneth Wenn, 68 years, Metairie; Dominica Grace and John Benfatti, 66 years, Lacombe; Joan and Richard Bernard, 65 years, Metairie; Barbara and Ronald Bordelon, 65 years, Metairie; Yvonne and Preston Pond, 65 years, Kenner; Dolores and Lemm Bauer, 63 years, Gretna; Elaine and Salvador Rando, 63 years, Metairie;

Beverly and Billy North, 62 years, New Orleans; Audrey and Martin Collette, 61 years, New Orleans; Judy and Dominick Bonura, 60 years, Metairie; Pat and Ed DiGiovanni, 60 years, Mandeville; Catherine Ann and John Malcolm Gonzales, 60 years, Metairie; Lynne and Alfred Guillot, 60 years, Covington; Ann and Al Hassenboehler, 60 years, Metairie; Mary and William Hebert, 60 years, Algiers;

Janet and Anthony Manzella, 60 years, Metairie; Carolyn and Donald Schneider, 60 years, Metairie; Marion and Philip Seeber, 60 years, Metairie; Gerda and James C. Vicknair, 60 years, Reserve; Beverly Zito and Anthony Charles Viloria, 60 years, Metairie; Kathleen and Norman Regouffre, 59 years, Metairie; Jan and Philip Pisciotta, 58 years, Metairie; Carolyn and Belton Constance, 57 years, Chalmette; Marvelle and Robert Dauterive, 57 years, Metairie;

Veronica and Jesse Vedros, 56 years, Abita Springs; Linda and Allen Bernard Sr., 55 years, Chalmette; Melodia and Joseph Milioto, 54 years, LaPlace; Lillian and Lawrence Smith, 54 years, New Orleans; Joan and James Giron, 52 years, New Orleans; Antoinette and Charles Green, 52 years, Algiers; Judith and Louis Johnson, 52 years, Algiers; Dianne and Ernest Fleming, 51 years, New Orleans;

Darlene and Robert McDonald, 51 years, LaPlace; Julia and Jaime San Andres, 51 years, New Orleans; Maria and Marshall Snowden, 51 years, Kenner; and Frances and Robert McElmoyle, 51 years, Slidell.        Couples observing their golden anniversary were:

New Orleans (not including Algiers): Ruth and Nelson Jean, Patty and Chris Berthaut, Carlette and Frederick Boyd, Gilda and Kenneth Boyd, Theresa and Easton Brown, Nancy and Bruce Cortez, Suzanne and Ted Daly, Saraphine and Anthony DeCuir, Sandra and John Guillory, Mary and Acosta Kittles, Bernadette and Randolph McElveen, Rose and William Paradelas, Veronica and Glynn Quillens, Gwendolyn and Gerald Williams, Anita and Carl Bonura, Linda and Rudy King, Tamara and Richard Valadie.

Abita Springs: Denise Rizan and John Michael Wagner III.

Algiers: Janice and James Buhler, Charlene Gordon and James Kelly Jr., Gennice and James King, Rosalind and Leo Leach.

Belle Chasse: Marleen and Kenneth Ballay, Wendy and Emmet “E.L.” Scobel.

Chalmette: Mary and Jack Badinger, Susan and Jack Quates, Madeline and Ruben Saavedra.

Covington: Judith and Richard Abadie, Diana and Benjamin Minden, Donna and William Spatz, Catherine and Brent Wall.

Folsom: Barbara and Dennis Ackerson, Tiny and Joe Calder, Evelyn and Roy “R.J.” Matherne.

Gretna: Diane and Frank Crawford, Judith and Luka Cvitanovic, Trudy and Robert Morvant, Judy and Stan Salathe.

Hahnville: Loretta and Kenneth Edwards.

Harvey: Opal and George Boudreaux, Judy and James Daigle, Mary and Thomas Floyd, Jane and William “Bill” Loup, Gwen and Michael Orgeron, Ramona and Matthew Skidmore.

Jefferson: Joy and Elvin J. Modica Sr., Ann and Anthony J. Stoltz.

Kenner: Pamela and Frank Compagno, Linda and Herbert Petit, Veronica and Wayne Thomas, Sandra and Gary Woods.

LaPlace: Irene and Oscar Barclay, Kathy and Octave Mabile, Annette and Charles Ross.

Luling: Charlotte and Michael Fabre, Ann and Herbert Folse.

Madisonville: Joan and Michael McNeil, Leona and William Shifter.

Mandeville: Letha and Tom Berner, Mary Ellen and David Denning, Maria and Edgar des Bordes, Joann and Nick Lonergan, Maria and Michael Mire, Mary and Gerard Thomas, Nancy and Charles Webre.

Metairie: Katherine and Bernard Baudin, Randy and Raymond Bertin, Cheryl and Larry Booksh, Brenda and Louis Frey, Penny and Riley Gautreaux, Rosalind and Lester Guarino Jr., Andrea and Charles Haddad, Marilyn and Charles Krone, Leona and Louis Lester Jr., Teresa and James Meeuwenberg, Bertha and Francisco Merchan, Susan and John Morris, Sandra and David Norman, Phyllis Cassagne and Rober Lee Pierpoint Jr., Barbara Meyer and Leonard Edwin Schopp Jr., Gayle Palermo and Gordon Arnold Shaw, Eileen and John Sullivan, Sandra and Leni Sumich, Linda and Marcel Gelpi.     Reserve: Shelia and George Louper Sr.

River Ridge: Diane and Harold Baur, Margaret and David Penick, Diane and Harold Ryan, Betty and Allan Vicknair.

Slidell: Diane and P.J. Calico, Anita and Ken Deshotel, Francine and Alton Grand, Janet and Harold Hebert, Veronica and Gerald Mueller, Judy and David Murphy, Susan and Walter Williams.

Violet: Donna and Norman Landry.