Mexicoans celebrate their 40th wedding anniversary

David and Janet Potts celebrated their 40th wedding anniversary at the home of
Leon and Marilyn Coats in Lamar with family and friends on Father's Day
weekend.

Janet Nichols, daughter of Owen Banks and Elizabeth Frances Johnson Nichols
and David Potts, son of Earl Minnis and Stella Mae Thomas Potts were married
July 16, 1967, at the First Christian Church in Columbia with Glydon Burke
officiating.

They are parents of two sons, Michael Earl Potts, who lives in Rogers, Arkansas,
with his wife, Janelle, and two sons, Ethan, 5, and Tobin, 7 months; and Greg who
lives in Peoria, Illinois, with his wife, Helen and daughter, Renee, 1.

The couple is planning a future trip to the Lake of the Ozarks and Branson.

Also, celebrating anniversaries were Leon and Marilyn Coats, sister and
brother-in-law of Janet Potts celebrated their 60th wedding annivesary, and the
                                                                          Potts' son and daughter-in-law Mike and Janelle Potts celebrated their 10th
                                                                          wedding anniversary.

from the "Mexico Ledger" 2007-06-27

Donald Ray Roberts (Class of ’53), son of Ray M. and Julia Blanche (Edwards) Roberts, and Marilyn H. Hummel (Class of ’54), daughter of Lynn Ellis and Ruth (Ridgway) Hummel, were married at the First Christian Church in Columbia, Missouri, by Dr. C. E. Lemmon on December 28, 1957. Maid of Honor was Marilyn’s sister Anne (Hummel) Cash and Best Man was Curtis Walton Brown.  Bridesmaids were Ellen Henry and Judy Roberts.  Groomsmen were Seth Slaughter and Larry Sutherland, and ushers were Robert Henry and David Taylor. Donald had completed his BA at the University and had finished 6-months of U.S. Army active duty at Fort Carson, Colorado; and Marilyn had performed her senior recital for her BA earlier that month.

Don completed his MA in English Education and Marilyn completed her MA in Music Education, and while Don fronted a dance band and Marilyn taught private piano lessons, the family grew:  David Lynn was born in 1958; Deborra Louise born in 1960; Michael Ray born in 1962; and Mark Hummel born in 1964.  From 1960 to 1967, Don return to Kewpie land and taught English and Journalism at Hickman High School.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Don left Hickman in 1968 and moved the family to northwest Missouri where he was English Consultant, Site Coordinator, and, finally Director of Project Communicate, a federally-funded project.  He returned to MU in 1970 and completed his Doctorate in 1972.  During the period 1967 to 1972, Marilyn continued taking courses, teaching in three elementary schools and teaching piano privately.  Don worked as Assistant NCA Chairman to Dr. Neil Aslin.

In 1972, Don joined the Shawnee Mission School District where he served in several administrative positions:  Director of Language Arts and Foreign Language, Director of the Curriculum Center, and in building administrative positions.  He continued to be active in NCA accreditation activities.  Marilyn continued teaching in elementary schools and privately.

Don retired from Shawnee Mission in 1997 and Marilyn retired from the Blue Valley District in 1998. They have 9 grandchildren and two great grandchildren. They took the family to DisneyWorld November 2007 to celebrate their GOLDEN MOMENTS.
Don and Marilyn live in Overland Park, Kansas.
 
 

Myrtle Taft celebrated her 90th birthday Aug. 8 with her husband, Bill, and their three children. Bill Jr. came from Kansas, Marie Margolin from California and Alice Fisher from Texas.
Courtesy of Bill Taft

Wishing their mother, Myrtle Taft, a happy 90th birthday are her three children, from left, Bill Taft Jr. (Class of 1963), Alice Fisher (Class of 1971) and Marie Margolin (Class of 1960).

Nine bouquets of flowers, donations of meals and other edibles, calls and cards combined to make this a festive occasion. Myrtle’s health problems have prevented her attendance at Missouri United Methodist Church for several years, but she managed to make the Aug. 10 Sunday services. Recognized by pastor Jim Bryan, she received a healthy welcome back to the center of much of her interest and concern since the family moved to Columbia in 1956.

Myrtle and William Taft, now a retired MU journalism professor, were married in early 1941 and have completed more than 65 happy years together. Her husband recently published a book in tribute to their togetherness appropriately titled “Created in Heaven: A Love Story.” The emphasis is on the contrast of their backgrounds, their nearly five World War II years followed by his pursuit of a doctorate and several moves. Also included are recollections and pictures — 125 of them — from family and friends.

One of 14 children, Myrtle was born in Virginia and is the only one to live outside that state and the only one to marry a non-Virginian — sweet-talkin’ Bill. Four of her siblings have died, and the other nine still live in Virginia. The final family reunion the Tafts attended was held in Virginia in 2000.