194 couples celebrate their golden anniversaries

The 55th annual Golden Wedding Anniversary celebration, sponsored by the Office of Marriage and Family Life of the Archdiocese of New Orleans, was held June 10 at St. Philip Neri Church in Metairie.

All couples married during 1968 were invited to attend, and 194 couples accepted the invitation, with clergy, relatives and friends of the jubilarians in attendance. Archbishop Gregory Aymond presided at the prayer service.

During the prayer service, each couple was presented with a scroll signed by the archbishop. 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.

Several of the couples observed anniversaries of more than 50 years. They are Janette B. and Robert Karl, 69 years, New Orleans; Josie and Floyd Landry Sr., 69 years, Violet; Bernice and Charles Hoffman, 65 years, Covington; Marie and Gerard Perret, 65 years, Slidell; Anna and Gilbert Schmidt, 65 years, Metairie.

Grace and John Benfatti, 64 years, Lacombe; Barbara and Ronald Bordelon, 63 years, Covington; Marlene and Hugh Hogan, 63 years, Slidell; Pauline and Melvin Abney, 62 years, Slidell; Mary Noel and Edgar Saunders, 61 years, Metairie; Margaret and Michael C. Arnold, 60 years, Gretna; Carol and Buddy Coste, 60 years, Metairie; Patricia and Ernest Guerra, 60 years, Slidell; Peggy and J. Hugh Martin, 60 years, Harahan; Mary and John Muller, 60 years, Chalmette; Patsy and Ralph Pausina, 60 years, New Orleans; Marlene and Harvey Perry, 60 years, Harvey; Antoinette and Victor Richard, 60 years, Marrero; Dorothy and George Schomaker, 60 years, Metairie; Alceda and Richard Seghers, 60 years, Kenner; Victoria and Roberto Vega, 60 years, Kenner.

Carolyn and Marcel Lanoux Sr., 58 years, Covington; Rosemary and Sterling Simon, 58 years, Reserve; Beverly and Anthony Viloria, 58 years, New Orleans; JoAnn and Edward Conway, 57 years, Covington; Shirley and Lloyd Johnson, 57 years, Covington; Darryl and Ed Scanlan, 56 years, Harvey; Marieanne and David Arata, 55 years, Ama; Evelyne and August Berner Jr., 55 years, Metairie; Marjorie and Rodney Carmadelle, 55 years, Marrero; Caroline and Lance Castellanos, 55 years, Slidell; Charlene and Darryl Champagne, 55 years, New Orleans; Caroline and Belton Constance, 55 years, Chalmette; Edna and Clovis Dugas Jr., 55 years, Gretna; Bonnie and Winston Henderson, 55 years, Franklinton; Joy and Charles Ledet, 55 years, Mandeville.

Linda and Allen Bernard Sr., 53 years, Chalmette; Charlene and Harold Cook, 53 years, Abita Springs; Karen and Frank Benfiglio, 51 years, Chalmette; Cynthia and Alton Coleman, 51 years, New Orleans; Lynda and Herbert Deaton, 51 years, Algiers; June and Aaron Gable, 51 years, New Orleans; Ana and Abdull Martinez, 51 years, Kenner; Sue and Michael Tebbe, 51 years, New Orleans; Mary and Arthur Thayer, 51 years, Gretna. 

Couples observing their golden anniversary were:

NEW ORLEANS (EXCEPT ALGIERS): Aida and Sydney Anderson, Seraphine T. and Alfred J. Boese, Kathy and Mike Boudreaux, Leatrice and Lloyd Coleman Sr., Gloria Frazier and Ronald F. Edgerson, Cindy and Stan Ellington, Cookie and Bill Haensel, Patricia and Verdell Heisser, Nancy and Carlos Hernandez, Barbara and Harvey Jordan, Liliana and Alvaro Lizano, Charlene C. and Louis D. Mauterer, Anne and William McSweeney, Kathleen and Robert Montz, Sandra and Eugene Schaetz, Margaret and Frederick Wellons.

ABITA SPRINGS: Lynnette and Alex Dominach.

ALGIERS: Valerie and Kenneth Sims.

AVONDALE: Diane and Milton Spencer.

BELLE CHASSE: Gail and S.J. Mayeaux.

BOGALUSA: Patricia and John Bergeron. 

COVINGTON: Jean and Raymond Ferro, Clarice and Leroy Hayden, Alleen and Abren Hebert, Jacquelyn and William Hope, JoAnn and Edward Kennedy, Anne and Charles LaRose, Margaret and A.J. Leonardi, Sharalyn and Arthur McDowell, Dorothy and Dennis Oubre, Janet and Edsel Parnell, Margaret and Robert Saux, Debbie and Lou Sepulveda, Melanie and Samuel Smith, Gail and Ken Troncoso.

FOLSOM: Sandy and Mike Bryant, Judy and Eugene Vizzini.

FRANKLINTON: Mary Ann and Patrick Altentaler, Helen and Leonard Morel.

GRETNA: Lauralyn and Edward Miller, Shirleen and Nelson Sylve.

HAHNVILLE: Sheila and Morris Hymel.

HARAHAN: Frances and Kelly Bourg, Dottie and David Haydel, Judy and Ron Hof. 

HARVEY: Lou Grace and Nelson Cantrelle, Glenda and Joseph M. Falcone, Virginia and Peter Simoneaux.

JEFFERSON: Lido and Piero Caserta, Alice and Eric Cialona, Luming and Joey Degracia, Brenda and Curtis Portinari. 

KENNER: Jane and Wilbert Adams, Linda Ann Cancienne and Glenn Joseph Barberot Sr., Ann and Louis Crosby, Meldie and Eugene Dauzat Jr., Rosario and Salvador Hernandez, Carolyn and Oliver Kluna, Karen and Sidney Lambert, Mary and Sidney LeBlanc, Ilona and Kenneth Matar, Judy and Thomas Mendoza, JoAnn and Albert Pumila, Diana and Leonard Uli, Marie and Elven Woods. 

LACOMBE: Linda and Joseph Allen, Marylou and Glenn Decoteau, Laura and Evren Dumas, Janice and Robert Nick, Brenda and Gerald Ziegler. 

LAPLACE: Margaret and Deacon David Farinelli, Karen and Herman Deslatte, Joan and Bill Grieggs, Thelma and John Roane.

LULING: Toni and Bobby Benoit. 

MANDEVILLE: Paula and Robert O’Bryan, Dianne and Adolfo Ramirez, Laureen and James Sinyai.

MARRERO: Charlene and James Summerville. 

METAIRIE: Emily and Ronald Bertucci, Barbara and Kent Bairnsfather, Ann and Jim Blanchard, Gayle Vulevich and Gary Jean Bordes, June Jansing and Henry Daniel Bovie, Linda Gerding and Raymond E. Breun, Darby and Edward Buckel, Jen and Fred Cervantes, Linda and Melvin Chaix Jr., Gwendolyn “Gwen” and David Michael Crimmins, Carolyn and Jerome Crowell, Priscilla and Thomas Daly, Carolyn Rose Cuccia and Michael Edwin D’Antonio Sr., Peggy and Jerome Dauterive, Linda and Daniel Deichmann, Marilyn and Daniel Dembinski, Fay Breaux and Edmond Charles Drouet, Joan and Ernest Dugas, Barbara and Rome Evans, Pamela Breaux and Charles Joseph Fontana Jr., Phyliss and Reynold Giroir, Catherine and Chaulin Groetsch.

Catherine and Kenneth Hassinger, Kathleen Winkle and Alan Philip Hoyt, Lynda and Robert Leaber Jr., Shirley and John LeDoux, Roseln and Russell Marchand, Jerlyn and Gerald Maus, Charlene and Patrick McCabe, Beverly and Denis Mire, Patricia and Allen Mocklin, Carol and Donald Pickney, June and Ronald Plauche, Linda and Quentin Quinette, Cecilia and Edwin Sbisa, Cheryl and Stephen Sciambra, Sue Elliott and Donald Paul Silva, Elayne and Ronnie Solis, Linda and Bruce Switzer, Natia Cascio and Joseph Samuel Trapani, Patricia and William Trepagnier, Judy and Ed Vollenweider.

PARADIS: Myrna and Wayne Rome.

PEARL RIVER: Margarita and James McInerney.

RESERVE: Joyce and Leroy Houston.

RIVER RIDGE: Betty and David Cambre.

SLIDELL: Kathleen S. and Rodney L. Battistella III, Fran and Dennis Bourgeois Jr., Mary and Frederick Braquet, Eileen and Martin Bruno, Dee and Raymond Canada, Sandra L. and Dennis S. Cousin, Ann and Robert Dunbar, Mary and Richard Fritsch, Jeannette and Richard Fulgo, Linda and Manie Garcia, Dawnetta and Thomas Gustafson, Susan and Allen Kaufmann, Judith and Jessie Keen, Marylyn and Philip Lala, Sandra and Dale Larson, Linda and Larry LeBlanc, Sandy and Barry McMullan, Kathleen and Fred Modenbach, Joanne and Elroy Noel, Jacqlin and Denis Schaff III, Margaret and Rodne Stiebing, Lilliankay and Alfred Westergard Jr.

WAGGAMAN: Paulette and Paul Salassi, Mathilda and Harold Whitney Jr.