Page 6A The Kings Mountain Herald | www.kmherald.com Wednesday, February 11, 2015
ii
VALENTINE COUPLES
DOR SE
Wesley and Pearl Kiser
celebrated their 75th wed-
ding anniversary Jan. 25
at a party at Summit Place
in Kings Mountain where
Mrs. Kiser is a resident.
Family and friends
helped the Kisers celebrate
with a birthday cake pro-
vided by Linda Martin and
party refreshments.
Pearl Dixon and Wes-
ley Kiser were married
on Jan. 27, 1940. Wesley
was 20 years old and his
bride was 18. They rode to
Gaffney, S. C. in a Model
T Ford to exchange their
wedding vows. Mr. Kiser
remembers there was ice
on the ground. A World
War II veteran, Mr. Kiser
served in France and Ger-
many. He retired from the
textile industry.
Wesley Kiser, 95, and
Pearl Kiser, 93, are par-
ents of two sons, Steve and
wife, Dot, of Rutherfordton
and Keith and wife, Evelyn
of Waco. The family also
includes four grandchil-
dren, eight great-grandchil-
dren and two great-great
grandchildren.
The Kisers are members
of Second Baptist Church.
MR. AND MRS. WESLEY KISER
.. on their wedding day Jan. 27, 1940
WESLEY AND PEARL KISER with their family at a birthday party at Summit Place in Kings
Mountain.
n
50 years — a marriage endures and grows
DAVE BLANTON
dave.kmherald @gmail.com
On Jan. 29, Linda and
Gary Smart looked back on
50 years of marriage that
has its beginning in lunch-
hour dates at Payne’s Store
when the pair were class-
mates at the former Central
School.
Sweethearts during their
school years, the young
couple got married about
as soon as they could — he
at 18 and she just a week
shy of turning 17. And for
the Smarts it’s been a sweet
marriage that’s lasted —
through children, a move or
two, job changes and the ar-
rival of five grandchildren.
When asked what has
helped sustain it through
five decades, Gary demures.
“I believe the big-
gest thing is I got a good
woman,” said the 68-year-
old Smart, who spent a long
career in textiles and is now
a part-time sports photogra-
pher for the Herald. “I don’t
believe anyone would have
put up with me but her.”
The couple had a chance
to reflect on the bond
they’ve formed while cele-
brating their 50th anniver-
sary while dining at Cracker
Barrel in Gastonia, one of
their favorite restaurants,
said Linda, who worked on
and off in the textile indus-
try before retiring about 15
years ago.
“lI guess we started
off good, being friends at
Payne’s,” said Linda, who is
67. “We’d throw our books
Pretty at PROM!
Save 10% with this ad
Chadwick s Pormaliear
806 West Warren Street
Shelby, NC
704-487-0471
Monday, Tuesday,
Thursday, Friday
9:30 am - 5:30 pm
Wednesday and Saturday
9:30 am - noon
The Smarts recently celebrated their 50th wedding
anniversary.
down and take off to eat
lunch. Gary would have a
booth for both of us.”
A few years later, while
the couple was still dating,
Gary would decide to leave
school and see what the
working world held for him.
By the time the two had de-
cided to tie the knot — in
1965 — Linda opted for the
life of a young homemaker
and left school too.
Those early days of mar-
riage, they said last week,
were about getting to know
each other and learning to
live with one other. They
recall encountering few ob-
stacles.
“We had to really get to
know one another,” Linda
said. “We did everything
together. Gary fished a lot.
I went along with him and
read a book or a magazine.”
Through the years, the
two have golfed together
(Gary still hits the greens;
Linda gave up the sport a
few years back) and both
have embraced the Internet,
using Facebook to keep up
with friends and family who
have spread out geographi-
cally. And they both dabble
in collecting. For Gary that
means old cameras and fish-
ing equipment. For Linda,
it’s pocketbooks and china.
They both enjoy their fair
share of bargain hunting,
hitting the local flea markets
and discount malls, where
Linda can scope out deals
on pottery.
Gary remembers hav-
ing a happy young married
life with the only woman
he’d ever dated, but he also
remembers it as a time of
growth.
“I was kind of stupid,”
he said with a laugh. “I
didn’t know how to manage
money. I guessI would say
that getting ‘married is" an
education itself.”
In fact, Gary’s advice to
young people that are today
in the same position he
was 50 years ago is about
schooling,
“My advice to young
i
i
i
couples in love is to finish
school before you do any:
thing,” he said. “You’ve got
plenty of time. They need to
get their schooling and b
patient.” 2!
Eventually, Gary took
!
See 50 YEARS, Page 1
With BA
BAYADA provides:
Home Health Care, Pediatrics,
Hospice, and Habilitation.
“I don’t hav
about Mom anymore.
— Lisa B., Client's daughter
Cale...
e to worry
43
Client Mary W. with her daughter Lisa B
» Nursing and assistive care
Clinical support 24 hours, 7 days
* A variety of payment options
BAYADA specialty practices include
With a broad range of services and a team of professionals
who are committed to keeping people of all ages safe at home,
e Thoroughly screened health care professionals 1
A010] helby 704-669-4000
= ~ v 3 =
) Fr af Mi J, .
Home Health Care :
www.bayada.com