Bill and Sarah Geddings celebrate 60th anniversary

William Roy “Bill” Geddings Jr. and Sarah Harley Geddings recently celebrated 60 years of marriage. They were secretly married Sept. 8, 1957, in Gray Court.

Bill first saw Sarah at her seventh-grade graduation ceremony and commented to his friend that she was “the prettiest girl on that stage.” He later moved to the Washington, D.C., area when his father, an Air Force officer, was assigned to the Pentagon.

He moved back to West Columbia in 10th grade and noticed that beautiful girl again. He mustered up the courage to ask for a date – and she said no – but Bill didn’t give up. A little later his persistence finally paid off, and eventually they married.

Bill retired as director of the Estate and Income Tax Division at the South Carolina Department of Revenue and went into full-time ministry.

Sarah later retired early from Southern Bell and become the most important person in Bill’s ministry, serving faithfully alongside him until his retirement from ministry.

“God has blessed (us) with two wonderful daughters, two great son-in-laws, and four amazing grandchildren, all whom are serving God in different ways,” Bill writes. “(We) are grateful for God’s blessing and provision during these past 60 years.”

Their children are Anne G. Daniels and husband Wes and Allison G. Swygert and husband Terry. Their grandchildren are Kalli Daniels Nelson, Will Daniels, Noah Swygert, and Rebekah Swygert.

In his own words

Q: How did you meet?

A: At school in seventh grade.

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

A: The drive-in movie after we were secretly wed in Gray Court.

Q: What do you wish you'd known your first year of marriage?

A: How lucky I was.

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

A: Many falls sitting on the porch of a rented beach house in Holden Beach, North Carolina, with Sarah.

This story was originally published September 10, 2017 at 12:01 AM with the headline "Bill and Sarah Geddings celebrate 60th anniversary."