VonEmma and Rueben Wagner in 1960

Wagners celebrate 50th anniversary

Rueben and VonEmma Wagner celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary on March 6, 2010, in Kauai, Hawaii.Rueben and VonEmma met in Scottsbluff, Neb., while still in high school. VonEmma was born and raised in Scottsbluff, while Reuben was raised in Gering, Neb., just a short distance away.

On March 6, 1960, shortly after graduating from high school, they were married and made their home in Scottsbluff.

In 1963, they started their family when daughter Shelly Dawn was born. Two years later, they had son Jason Richard.After visiting family in the Seattle area and seeing the opportunity for employment, along with several other reasons, they decided to make the move to the Northwest. In 1970, they left Scottsbluff for the small town of Issaquah.

Rueben and VonEmma Wagner in 2010

Rueben and VonEmma both enjoyed long working careers — Rueben spent 30 years with the Totem Foods Co. while VonEmma spent 25 years with The Boeing Co. Both have been retired for several years and they enjoy trips to Arizona every winter.

When home in Issaquah, they enjoy gardening and spending time with their family, which now includes three grandchildren.

Lorna and John Bonner in 1959

John and Lorna Bonner, of Sammamish, are celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary with a Panama Canal cruise aboard the Zuiderdam, in the company of Lorna’s sister Janet and brother-in-law Henry Arens.

John, of Pittsburgh, and Lorna, of Vernon, B.C., Canada, were married Nov. 21, 1959, in Sacramento, Calif., where Lorna was a nurse and John was in navigator training with the United States Air Force. Immediately following the wedding, John was assigned to Naha, Okinawa, Japan, with Lorna following a few months later.

The couple also lived in Grand Forks, N.D.; Albuquerque, N.M.; Pittsburgh; and Ogden, Utah, during John’s 20-year Air Force career. Upon retirement, the Bonner family moved to Issaquah. John then undertook a second career with The Boeing Co., while Lorna went to work as the charge nurse of oncology at Overlake Hospital.

John and Lorna have five children — Barb, of Juneau, Alaska; Dan, of Redmond; Susan and husband Joe Bennett, of Seattle; John and wife Melinda, of Snohomish; and Maureen and husband Gerald Petz, of Sammamish. Grandchildren include Nick and Tony Larson; Molly Petz; Ellie, Jack and Katherine Bonner; and Connor and John Bennett.

The Bonners consider themselves fortunate to have enjoyed good physical and mental health in their retirement, which has allowed them to stay busy with the activities they love. These include gardening, golf and many church activities at the parish of Mary, Queen of Peace.

Additionally, John spends time volunteering with the Society of St. Vincent de Paul while Lorna donates many of her afternoons at Eastside Baby Corner.

John and Lorna Bonner in 2009

Above all, the Bonners are grateful that all but one of their children, and all eight of their grandchildren, live in the Seattle area. This has allowed them to remain devoted to family and be able to spend much time cheering on the grandchildren in football, soccer, basketball, track, ballet and other activities.