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Couples celebrate decades together

By BETSY BOLGER-PAULET
Published August 29, 2006

Leona and Lee Detre of Clearwater celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary at a party hosted by Leona's sisters, Dorothy Baker, Lillian Wright, Jean Merola and June Duncan, and the couple's son, Arron "Skip" Detre, at the home of the couple's niece, Pam Castle, in Homosassa.

Music was provided by their great-nephew, Steve Cotten. The couple's relatives, including Heather Findlay and her children from Beaufort, S.C., attended along with many longtime friends. The Detres were married July 21, 1946, in Warren, Ohio, and came here in 1948 from that city.

Lee owned Lee's Auto Salvage and Lee's Construction, and worked for many years as foreman for Kenyon Dodge Body Shop, all in Clearwater. Leona retired from the Pinellas County school system.

Along with their son, the Detres have a daughter, Nancy McCall; three grandchildren; and seven great-grandchildren.

They are members of First Christian Church of Clearwater and are active in Top of the World Golf Club and other golf clubs. The Detres enjoyed traveling throughout the years and have visited more than 25 countries. They have visited almost every state in the continental United States in their motor home.

Mary Lou and Art Kudelko of Largo celebrated their 55th wedding anniversary with a 10-day cruise on the Danube after a three-day visit to Prague. When they returned, they celebrated again with a special dinner at a local restaurant.

They both were born and raised in Philadelphia and were married Aug. 4, 1951, in Camden, N.J. They then lived in Glenside and York, Pa., Ohio, Michigan and then back in Ohio before coming here in 1985 from Ohio.

Art earned a degree in mechanical engineering from Drexel University in Philadelphia and worked many years in the metals industry. Then the couple worked together as managers of a national chain motel.

They have two daughters, Linda and Carol; six grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren.

They are active volunteers for the Largo Police Department, where they do fingerprinting of children at special programs.

They are members of Prince of Peace Lutheran Church in Largo. Art is the current treasurer of their Bay Ranch Mobile Home Park Homeowners Association.

They consider their passion in life to be cruising and traveling.

Jean and John Wilson of Safety Harbor celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary with a weekend at the Don CeSar Beach Resort and Spa followed by a family dinner at Six Tables in Dunedin.

They were married Aug. 4, 1956, in Toronto, Canada.

They came here from Toronto after both retired. John was an educator and Jean a telegrapher.

They have three sons, John, Behn, and Bart; a daughter, Laura; and 11 grandchildren.

They are active in Briar Creek Social Club, Countryside Rotary and the Retired Teachers Association.

They enjoy playing bridge and traveling to visit their family in Boca Raton, Chicago, and Victoria and British Columbia in their native Canada.

Myra and Robert Smalley of Clearwater celebrated their 65th wedding anniversary with a dinner party for family and friends at the St. Petersburg Yacht Club. They were married Aug. 2, 1941, in Fraser, Mich.

The Smalleys were winter visitors for many years to Hallandale and moved to Clearwater in 1971.

Robert retired as president of Champion Industries, an automotive parts manufacturer with plants in Michigan and Arkansas. Locally, he was the executive deputy director of Pinellas County Housing Authority for 10 years.

The couple spent several years cruising the islands of the Caribbean, South America and Mexico and have visited all the lower 48 states.

They have a daughter, Roberta Kidd of Belleair Beach; a son, Charles of Clearwater; a granddaughter, Richele Collins; and a great-granddaughter, Reagan Collins. They are active members of Bethel Lutheran Church of Clearwater.

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For information or an anniversary form, call (727) 445-4109. To submit an item, write to Betsy Bolger-Paulet, 710 Court St., Clearwater, FL 33756.

[Last modified August 29, 2006, 07:01:31]