Romances bloom, endure

7/17/2003

Romance is for the young, and the young at heart.

PAUL CROY AND JULIE Smith met on a Sunday night in November, 2002, in the home of mutual friends. They saw each other again the next day at a Rotary pancake supper. Their first date was the following Friday at Diva downtown - pickup truck, valet parking, dinner, wine, and all. That date was followed by walks in parks, dining out, attending cooking classes, traveling, and just hanging around - and the rest is history. In March, while on an island vacation, Mr. Croy popped the big question and Ms. Smith said, “I will.” The couple celebrated with an engagement party June 21 in the Sylvania home of Ms. Smith's father, Rolf Scheidel, and his wife, Bonita. Ms. Smith's mother is Bonne Spychalski, who lives in Whitehouse with her husband, Bob. The bridegroom-to-be is the son of Sally and Jim Croy.

A private wedding is slated for Sept. 19 at Otsego Park near Grand Rapids. A reception is to be Sept. 20 for family and friends at Fort Meigs Memorial Park in Perrysburg.

Paul Croy and Julie Smith at their engagement party. The couple plan to wed in September.
Paul Croy and Julie Smith at their engagement party. The couple plan to wed in September.

A WEDDING RECEPTION - five decades after the event - was held in honor of Richard and Jean Cox June 21 at the Wyndham Hotel to celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary. Ladies dressed in gowns and gentlemen were in tuxedos, even the youngest, 13 months old. They came from Florida, Minnesota, Texas, and California to attend the well-orchestrated event. Gold and white decorated the room, harp music was played for cocktails, and a three-piece combo provided music for dinner and dancing. A giant anniversary cake topped with “50” completed the scene, along with the bride's wedding gown displayed next to a suit of armor. Entertainment included original poems by the couple's granddaughters, a serenade by fraternity brothers of yesteryear, a continuous slide show, and “The Prayer” sung by granddaughter Erin Ashland, who was the second lead in a production of Evita in San Francisco in September. Invitations were made by daughter Nancy Honaker, an artist.

THE BLACK SWAMP Benefit Bazaar, held June 20-21 at the Fulton County Fairgrounds in Wauseon, was a booming success that netted $150,000, along with lots of fun. The event, which included homemade food, crafts from around the world, a classic car show, live entertainment, and children's activities, featured the annual auction of quilts, wall-hangings, furniture, and other handcrafted items. Proceeds benefit two Mennonite charities: Sunshine, Inc., which provides residential and related services to persons with developmental disabilities, and the Mennonite Central Committee, which provides humanitarian aid around the world.

STEVE AND DEBBIE Persinger of Whitehouse have been married for half their lives. So their children, Jay and Matt Persinger, honored the couple with a party in celebration of their 50th birthdays and their 25 years of marriage. The couple got extra excitement from the celebration, since it was on July Fourth weekend.

UNITED WAY of Ottawa County launched its campaign in style July 8 aboard the Jet Express. More than 100 guests boarded the cruiser to Put-in-Bay for a two-hour trip on Lake Erie. The cloudy weather with a few sprinkles seemed iffy at first, but it was smooth sailing for the crew and passengers. Perhaps this will be a good omen for the campaign, whose chairman is Ed Markel, assisted by committee members Alison Falls, Jim Stouffer, Slate Kessler, John Schaffner, and Mike Bassett. Fabulous foods were provided by 15 area establishments, including the Catawba Island Club, the Crew's Nest, the Boardwalk, Mon Ami, and Mel's Crow's Nest.

EVERYONE SANG “God Bless America” before enjoying dinner at the sixth annual Independence Day party July 3 in the Sylvania home of Bill and Gloria Carpenter. The Carpenters live in Centennial Farms, and they rely on the city of Sylvania to furnish the fireworks - the show is at Centennial Terrace, which can be seen from the Carpenters' front yard.