Together (12/8/08)

Martha and Charles Burt

Martha and Charles P. Burt were married Dec. 8, 1958, at St. Mary's Episcopal Church. They spent their early years living in Anchorage, Louisiana, Alabama and Mississippi before finally settling in Anchorage and raising their family.

Charles served in the Air Force, then in the Alaska Air National Guard before retiring. Martha was a practical nurse at the old Alaska Native Medical Center. They have two sons, Brian and Kevin, and two grandchildren, Shaylyn and Kevina.

DEC. 31, 1983

M. Louise Franklin and J. Biff Franklin

M. Louise Bolton and J. Biff Franklin were married Dec. 31, 1983, in Anchorage, at the home of Louise's parents. They plan to celebrate their 25th wedding anniversary with family and friends at a local restaurant. They are also planning a second celebration: a vow renewal ceremony on Jan. 24 at New Grace Christian Church, followed by a "honeymoon," then a vacation with their children and grandchildren.

Biff has been in Alaska most of his life, and Louise was born and raised here. The Franklins live in South Anchorage, where they are involved in many sport activities with their children, as well as attending and working in their church. They have traveled extensively throughout the Caribbean and return there via a cruise ship whenever possible.

The Franklins met when Louise worked at First National Bank of Anchorage, and Biff worked at Endrust of Alaska. He was 18, and she was 17.

Biff is a salesman at Alaska Rubber and Supply, where he has worked for 25 years. Louise worked until 1993, and at that time retired to be a full-time wife, mother and now grandmother. They, along with three of their children, work nights operating a janitorial business.

Biff and Louise have six children and two grandchildren. Their children are Stephanie Franklin, Jennifer (Richard) Murphy, Julianne, Miranda, Samantha and Michael Franklin. Their two grandchildren are Sophia Murphy and Ella Franklin.

"Biff and Louise have experienced many things in life together; by God's grace, most of them were happy times," Louise wrote. "They can truly say they are best friends and soul mates. There is a song that Biff often sings to Louise that has a line that is fitting to the love they have for each other: 'What we have is much more than they can see.'

"They treasure their large family and all that goes with a busy lifestyle. They feel blessed to have the family that they have been entrusted with, but they also treasure the rare moments when they find that it's only the two of them."

They look forward to planning their 50th wedding anniversary.

DEC. 28, 1968

Leslye and Gary Randall

Leslye and Gary Randall were married Dec. 28, 1968, at Lake Tahoe Presbyterian Church in South Lake Tahoe, Calif. They plan to celebrate their 40th anniversary with their daughter, son-in-law and darling granddaughter and a few friends while on the island of Maui in Hawaii during their annual January trip.

Their wedding and reception were almost canceled due to a large snowstorm the day before the ceremony. After honeymooning in Carmel, Calif., and traveling for a month in Europe, the couple moved to Gary's home state of Alaska, where they still happily make their home. Snow has continued to play a large part in their lives with winter weekends at Alyeska and frequent ski trips to the Lower 48. Gary even skis in the summer at Mount Hood near their vacation home in Hood River, Ore.

The Randalls have two dear daughters and sons-in-law, and one granddaughter: Jessica and Joe Nangle, Monica and Jonathan Severson and their wonderful Chloe. When Gary isn't playing with his granddaughter, windsurfing, skiing or playing tennis, he works as a real estate appraiser in the firm he and his partners started many years ago.

Leslye was a high school teacher and now relaxes by playing with her granddaughter and walking her dog on the coastal trail.

While toasting their anniversary in Maui, the couple will start to plan a fun party for their 50th.

DEC. 2, 1950

Patsy and Allan Ulen

Patsy and Allan Ulen of Soldotna celebrated their 58th wedding anniversary quietly at home. Allan and Patsy were married Dec. 2, 1950, at the Congregational Church in Martinez, Calif.

In July 1959, Allan and Patsy headed to Alaska to homestead. They settled outside of Soldotna on Tote Road, where they have lived for 49 years.

Allan was employed at Swanson Oil Refinery, Stanford Oil Refinery, and Alyeska Pipeline Co., retiring in 1991.

Patsy worked at the Soldotna Library and for the Kenai Peninsula School District in the cafeteria.

The Ulens have five children: Valerie Darnell of Pleasanton, Calif., Charles Ulen of Soldotna, John Ulen of Soldotna, Tina Dabill of Brentwood, Calif., and Jennifer Barkman of Soldotna.

Their family also includes 13 grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.

Allan earned his GED in 2006 at the age of 80. He and Patsy have been active members at Soldotna Baptist Church since 1965. Patsy participates in the Kenai Peninsula chapter of TOPS and is a volunteer for the annual Cancer Walk for Life.

"Through every changing season of their life together, they have remained committed to each other with a love that spans almost six decades," their daughter, Jennifer, wrote.

SEPT. 27, 2008

Anna Warren Crittenden and Charles Lamy

Anna Warren Crittenden and Charles Lamy were married Sept. 27 in Paris. The Rev. Catherine Fulton of Calgary, Alberta, Canada (a lifelong friend of Anna's mother) married the couple. The evening ceremony and dinner reception took place on a boat cruising through Paris on the River Seine.

Co-maids of honor were Anna's sisters, Karen, of Cleveland and Emily, who recently moved back to Anchorage from Bozeman, Mont. The bridesmaid and bride's best man were Manon Paré of Paris and Andrew Saxon of Manhattan; Andrew grew up with Anna in Anchorage. Co-best men were Charles's lifelong friend, Renaud Fortin of Montreal and longtime friend, Daniel Laporte of Manhattan. Charles' son, Pierre-Alexandre, of Québec City, also participated.

Guests included Anna and Charles's immediate family along with friends from Anchorage, Detroit, Manhattan, Montreal, Rotterdam and Paris. Anna's sister Karen's fiance, George Nijem of Detroit, filmed the festivities for Anna's father, who had to have emergency surgery a week before the wedding and could not attend.

The couple will continue living in Paris while working on their current project, then plan to return to live in Manhattan.

Anna is the daughter of Robin and John Crittenden of Anchorage. She graduated from West High School in 1993 and earned an architecture degree from the University of Oregon in 1998. Anna lived and worked in Manhattan for eight years before moving with Charles last year to Paris to work on a project for an American architecture firm.

Charles is the son of Yvette Le Moignan and the late Jean Lamy of Gaspe, Quebec. He earned an architecture degree from Montreal University in Quebec and worked there and in Istanbul, Turkey, before moving to New York nine years ago.

The couple met in 2000 while working at the same firm in Manhattan.

SEPT. 28, 2008

Vanesa and Brett Olds

Vanesa Alonso and Brett Olds were married Sept. 27 in Wilsonville, Ore.

Kim Harding was maid of honor, and Jessica Barnes and Trixie Bigby (the bridegroom's sister) were bridesmaids. Corey Fribley, a longtime friend, served as best man, and Chad Fribley and Jason Bigby (the bridegroom's brother-in-law) were groomsmen. Chhay Kidrick (the bridegroom's cousin) was ring bearer, and Lily Bigby (the bridegroom's niece) was flower girl. Jimmie Hawkins, another longtime friend, officiated. Beautiful flower arrangements and bouquets were designed by Kim Keenan, daughter of Dick Stevens. Maria Vasquez, mother of the bride, created a wonderful menu of Argentine/American cuisine. Special guests included Killian Kidrick (the bridegroom's aunt), the Keenan family, Jim and Sande Maciariello (the bridegroom's uncle and aunt) and many other family and friends.

The couple enjoyed a brief honeymoon at the Kahneeta Lodge and Casino in Oregon with plans for a longer trip in the future.

Eight years ago, Vanesa' parents, Maria Vasquez and Tomas Diaz, and her younger brother, Tomas, moved from Argentina to California. Vanesa graduated from high school in California and is employed at Frye's Electronics, where she met her husband-to-be. Her family lives in nearby Sherwood. She enjoys video games and spending time with family and friends.

Brett is the son of Sandy and Dick Stevens of Sterling and Roger and Cathy Olds of Wrangell. He was born in Anchorage and graduated from Cany High School in Oregon. He served time in the Marine Corps before returning to Oregon, where he is also employed at Frye's Electronics. Brett enjoys golfing, video games and watching his beloved '49ers.

DEC. 19, 2008

Christina Neuenswander and Bruce Williams

Christina Neuenswander and Bruce Williams will marry Dec. 19 in the Columbus, Ohio, Temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Christina is the daughter of Dean and Marjorie Sue Neuenswander of Columbus.

She was born and raised near Columbus. She is nearing completion of her baccalaureate degree in financial economics from Brigham Young University in Idaho.

She loves musicals, playing team frisbee, golfing, basketball, economics and can quote any Disney movie. She is a lifelong Buckeye fan.

She has nine brothers and sisters.

Bruce is the son of Bruce and Alice Williams of Anchorage. He graduated from Service High School in 2004 and served a two-year mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Las Vegas, Nev. Bruce loves mountain climbing, old movies, making jewelry and architecture.

When Christina receives her degree from BYU-Idaho, Bruce plans to follow in his father's footsteps by completing a degree in architecture at the University of Utah.

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How to submit a Together announcement

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