Anchorage Daily News

DEC. 20, 1958

Beatriz and Ricardo Quiroz

Beatriz A. Martinez Quiroz and Ricardo T. Quiroz will celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary Dec. 20. They were married Dec. 20, 1958, in Menlo Park, Calif., and their marriage was later solemnized in the Manti Temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. They met in San Jose, Calif., at which time Ricardo told her about his "dream" of coming to Alaska.

That dream was realized upon graduating from school as a civil engineer. Ricardo applied for a job with the State of Alaska, Department of Highways (now the Department of Transportation and Public Facilities). His first assignment was in Ketchikan and then he was transferred to Juneau, Nome and Valdez, where he worked for 10 years. In 1981, the family was moved to Anchorage, where he worked in the Buildings and Harbors Section. He retired in 2000. While in Juneau, Beatriz worked for the Forest Service and prior to that had worked as a secretary/teller in San Jose while Ricardo was in school.

Beatriz and Ricardo have five children: Janai (William) Comer, Kecia De Traglia, Jamino (Janell) Quiroz, Kalic (Debbie) Quiroz and Kelio (deceased); seven grandchildren including Jessa Comer, Jaron DeTraglia, Jaime Comer, Billie Comer, Rheya DeTraglia, Bristyl Comer and Ty Quiroz; and a great-grandson, William. Both are enjoying retirement and are involved with the Spanish Branch of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day-Saints in Anchorage.

DEC. 20, 1958

Kaye and Harvey Smith

High school sweethearts Kaye and Harvey Smith of Wasilla were married Dec. 20, 1958, in Helena, Mont. They plan to celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary with family and friends

In the 60’s, the couple owned a 1,200-acre dry-land farm just outside of East Helena, Mont. Along with wheat, they also raised cows, chickens and pigs. In the 70’s, they moved to Missoula, Mont., to attend the University of Montana. Later, they purchased and operated a Kampgrounds of America Campground located 20 miles north of Whitefish, Mont. They moved to Beaverton, Ore., in the 80’s, but after several years, seized the opportunity to move "North to the Future," and along with their descendants, made the "great state of Alaska" their home.

Harvey retired from the Chugiak post office, and Kaye vested out of Anchorage Telephone Utility, then retired from Matanuska Telephone Association. Since retirement, both have traveled all over the United States, "enjoying this great country with family and friends."

Their loving children, grandchilden and great-grandchildren congratulate them. They have three children, Steven Smith, Kent Smith and Therese Gochanour; four grandchildren, Billy and Kaylin Gochanour, Sean Smith and Kylia Smith; and two great-grandchildren, Taelor Gochanour and Austyn Smith.

DEC. 19, 2008

Marita "Tiny" Biddle and Roy Vanderpool

Marita "Tiny" Biddle and Roy Vanderpool will marry at 5:30 p.m. Dec. 19 at Anchorage City Church. The couple requests no gifts. A potluck will follow the ceremony. Bring your favorite dish to help celebrate. Family, friends and close associates of the couple are invited.

DEC. 31, 2008

Claire Barker and Joseph Ewing

Claire Barker and Joseph Ewing will marry Dec. 31 in the Denver temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Both attend Brigham Young University and will graduate in April; Joe in international relations and Claire in actuarial science. Joe will begin law school in September. Both served missions for the LDS Church: Joe in South Africa Capetown and Claire in the Brazil Sao Paulo North mission.

Claire is the daughter of Paul and Sue Barker of Centennial, Colo. She graduated from Cherry Creek High School.

Joe is the son of Al Ewing and Lucy Hannigan-Ewing, formerly of Anchorage. He graduated from Service High School. He is the founder of "National Say Hi to Joe Day." (www.sayhitojoe.com)

They wrote the following poem:

"January 2008 was cold and the world full of snow

When Joe first met Claire and Claire first met Joe.

They bantered together, told jokes during choir;

And each saw in the other a friend to admire.

Months quickly passed by and the leaves turned to gold

When Joe got on one knee — so the story is told.

For better, for worse, through good and bad weather

Joe and Claire will be happy forever and ever."

DEC. 12, 1958

Elenore and Bobby McMullen

Elenore and Bob McMullen celebrated 50 years of marriage with family and friends on Dec. 12 in Port Graham. They were joined together through God by the Russian Orthodox Rev. Father Michael Oskolkoff at the Byzantine Catholic Church with the permission of Bishop Ambrosias of Sitka and all of Alaska. They had to get special permission for a marriage ceremony due to the fact that Dec. 12 lands on the Nativity Fast for all Orthodox Christians. The best man was an Air Force serviceman, who was a friend of Bobby McMullen, and the bridesmaid was Edna Brown of Kake.

At the time of their marriage in the Orthodox faith, Bobby McMullen was a serviceman in the Air Force, and Elenore Norman was a nurse at Alaska Native Medical Center.

After the happy couple married, they spent about 12 years in Oskaloosa, Iowa, and lived the rest of the years contently in Port Graham.

"What a way to celebrate a 50th wedding anniversary during our Alaska State 50th Anniversary celebration!" their daughter, Lydia McMullen, wrote.

They have five children; 12 grandchildren; and seven great-grandsons.

"Bob and Elenore poured their lives into us their children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren," Lydia wrote. "They also put a lot of energy into the community of Port Graham."

Bobby was in the Air Force and worked as a commercial fisherman, a farmer in Iowa, on the trans-Alaska pipeline, as a cannery foreman, owned an ongoing grocery store and maintained the local airstrip for the state of Alaska.

Elenore had a career as a nurse. She graduated as an licensed practical nurse from Mount Edgecumbe College and continued with nursing until her recent retirement. In Port Graham, she was offered a health aide position, which she took to the highest level and beyond. Elenore was instrumental in bringing needed social services to the community. She was the village chief in Port Graham from 1990 to 2002 and was always concerned with raising the standard of living.

"Bobby and Elenore McMullen are very self-sacrificing people and have always helped anyone in need," Lydia also wrote. "We are grateful for the love and time and awesome example they have given us these many years as a married couple. May God grant Bobby and Eleanor McMullen many more years."

AUG. 29, 1958

Dawnia and Ray Clements

Dawnia and Ray Clements celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary at a beautiful event held at O’Malleys on the Green. Many friends and family gathered to cheer this milestone. Their three children, Debby Denis of Prescott, Ariz., Ken Clements of San Diego, and Cathie Clements and her husband, Jay Hermanson of Anchorage, arranged the celebration. This included a fun-filled slide show of the family history complete with music from the 50’s and 60’s. The room was decorated with display boards filled with historical pictures. Out-of-town guests included Dawnia’s sister from Atchison, Kan., and Dawnia’s best friend of 56 years from Boston.

The couple met in graduate school in Denver. Their campus romance resulted in a candlelight wedding on Aug. 29, 1958. Ray was ordained a Methodist minister in 1959, and they moved to a small, historic church at Sag Harbor, N.Y.

Ray pursued further graduate education at American University in Washington, D.C. He became the international student advisor at George Washington University while working on his doctorate in international studies. Ray earned a Ph.D. and became an Academic Dean at National Graduate University.

Dawnia stayed home raising children until the youngest started school. She then worked at an embassy, followed by a period as director of an emergency care facility for wards of the District of Columbia.

In 1979, they moved to Anchorage, where Ray became the Dean of Students at Alaska Pacific University. His career also has involved work with several nonprofit organizations. Ray is executive director of Older Persons Action Group and an adjunct human services professor at the University of Alaska.

Dawnia was employed as director of the Foster Grandparent Program. It was a small Anchorage program with 29 seniors enrolled.

When she retired 24 years later, it was a statewide program that included the Senior Companion Program and the Retired and Senior Volunteer Programs with 536 seniors serving in 56 communities throughout Alaska. Dawnia now spends her time doting over grandsons Eli and Isaak in Anchorage and Austin in Prescott. She also serves as chair of the Municipal Senior Citizens Advisory Commission and the Alzheimer’s Resource Agency. Dawnia is on the board of directors for Abused Women’s Aid in Crises and the University of Alaska Anchorage Geriatric Education Center.

The couple plans a cruise through the Panama Canal to further celebrate their 50 years together.

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