Carol and Gordon Venner celebrate 50th anniversary

Carol A. and Gordon L. Venner of Prosperity recently celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary. They were married Dec. 17, 1966, at Reformed Church in Highland Park, New Jersey, with a Christmas candlelight service.

Their children are Doug Venner and Beth Sawickie of Browns Mill, New Jersey, and Jeffrey Venner and Angela Venner of Chapin.

Their grandchildren are Emelia Venner and Caitlyn Venner.

In June, the couple had a celebration for family and friends at Spinners Resort on Lake Murray, with an anniversary dinner on the Spirit of Lake Murray cruise.

Carol and Gordon moved to the lake in 1996 and opened two UPS Stores in Columbia and Chapin. After retiring from the businesses, they continued to work for Lexington/Richland School District 5, Gordon as an activity bus driver and Carol as a substitute teacher.

They enjoy volunteering as ambassadors at the Newberry Opera House and The Heritage at Lowman. They are also avid RVers and enjoy traveling in their motor home.

In their own words

Q: How did you meet?

A: Gordon was a freshman at Rutgers University, the state university in New Jersey, and asked a dorm friend to find him a date for the freshman dance at the end of freshman orientation. The blind date was Carol. Gordon is a graduate of Rutgers and after commissioning from the Rutgers Army ROTC, he served in the field artillery at Fort Sill, Oklahoma.

Q: What was your favorite part of your wedding day?

A: Having our friends and relatives join us in the very meaningful wedding and reception afterward.

Q: Tell us about a favorite moment in your marriage.

A: The births of our two children.

This story was originally published December 18, 2016 at 12:01 AM.