More than a millennium of marriage was on display at the Canby Adult Center Thursday afternoon, as local lovebirds gathered for the traditional golden anniversary celebration honoring couples who have been married 50 years or more.
A total of 18 such pairs of lovebirds appeared for the feast and were given seats of honor at a massive central table.
Chef Hurley Baird and his team of staff and volunteers outdid themselves, preparing a delicious menu of beef tenderloin, asparagus, smashed potatoes, scampi and, for desert, chocolate mousse and delectable tres leches cake from Oaxaca Bakery in Canby.
“This is the closest we have ever come to having to turn people away,” Canby Adult Center Director Kathy Robinson said. “We have two open seats. But we were expecting that because of the menu.”
Robinson calculated that the 18 couples had shared a combined 1,075 years of marital bliss, for an average of nearly 60 years.
The “newlyweds” were Ken and Carol Brisky, who are truly celebrating their golden anniversary of 50 years in 2022. The old hands are their Hope Village neighbors, Vern and Dar Hopper, who celebrate their 71st in September.
The center typically picks a day in June for the golden anniversary celebration due to that month’s popularity for weddings. After lunch, the couples lined up for a photo shoot outside to mark the occasion.
“This is a really great thing,” said Carol Hyatt, married to her husband, Don, for 66 years. “I love that they’re doing this.”
Photos by Tyler Francke. Cover photo depicts Harvey and Shirley Simi, married 59 years.
