Dave and Vonda ~ 50 Years of Love: A Stitch In Time

Happy 50th Anniversary!

Dear Mom and Dad,

We've spent many hours going through boxes, drawers, albums, envelopes, and files full of 50 years of photos, and have thoroughly enjoyed seeing these captured moments of your life together. Some we hadn't seen before, some made us laugh, some made us tear up, and some took our breath away. We hope you will enjoy experiencing them again in this way too. And, we hope you don't mind that we've shared these few glimpses of your amazing life with your closest friends and family so they can help you celebrate how blessed you truly are to have the privilege of 50 years of marriage.

You have been such a wonderful example of marriage. We've seen you live out "for better--for worse, for richer--for poorer, in sickness and in health.” We’ve watched you love and cherish each other while raising us, running a company, making your house a home, both battling and beating cancer, changing careers, caring for loved ones, retiring, grandparenting, and creating a life-list longer than we can type out or include in this space. We know that marriage is not all fairy tales, and we are grateful that you have worked hard at it and kept your pledge of faith to each other. You’ve done it beautifully, with the help of the Lord.

We are celebrating with you! Congratulations!!! 50 years of marriage is a badge of honor you deserve, and it comes with more blessings than can be counted. We love you.

- Taryn and Travis

Vonda has an incredible talent for sewing, and has blessed her family with her gift for decades. When she and Dave were first married, she made a lot of her own clothes, and she continued to make items for the kids when they came along. Taryn and Travis remember hearing the sewing machine running after they'd been tucked in bed at night as small children. They recall favorite items she made for them, including winter coats, thick corduroy book bags, Care Bears and Cabbage Patch Kids, Easter and Christmas outfits, pillow cases, quilts, and more.

Vonda worked for Draperies Etcetera/Incorporated for more than 13 years, making custom draperies. She has made filled her home, Taryn's home, and Travis' home with beautiful draperies in more recent years.

Perhaps the items she most enjoys making have been matching outfits for her grandchildren? She did teach Taryn to sew through her 4-H years, and though Taryn is more comfortable with a crochet hook in her hand, Vonda now shares her love of sewing with her middle granddaughter, Sylvia.

Taryn getting "creative" with Vonda's sewing scraps

Taryn loved this dress and vest Vonda made very much, and begged to wear it for school picture day. She tore it on an exposed screw on the back of a school desk and was so distraught. Aunt Wanda ordered more fabric so Vonda could remake the torn part of the dress.