65 years

"We come from a long line of love"... Tom & I had that song played at our wedding & I've been humming it in my head all day since my mom let me know that today is my Mamaw & Papaw's 65th wedding anniversary. We are so very blessed to come from a long line of healthy & strong marriages - amazing to think that these two precious people have been together for almost their whole lives. My mom told me today that my Papaw's sister (my great Aunt Glynn) introduced the two of them when my Papaw returned from his navy service in WWII. Aunt Glynn hand picked Mamaw for her brother - and I guess she was a good match maker! They were married 4 months later in 1946... Mamaw (LaVern) was 17, Papaw (Richard) was 21.

Four children & many grandchildren & greatgrandchildren later, they have always been there for each of us and we have never doubted how much they love us & each other. My Mamaw has always been a wife with a servant heart & my Papaw adores her. I have so many memories of time with them at their lake house... swimming down at the point, walking up & down the dirt road a million times to the lake & back, trips to Papaw's wood shop & garden, sewing & crochet lessons with Mamaw, the smell of frying fish, trips out on the lake in Papaw's boat, reading old issues of reader's digest on the porch when it rained, playing murder (kind of like the board game Sorry) & Uno, listening to the adults play scrabble, & opening many priceless handmade gifts sewn by Mamaw or crafted by Papaw. A couple of lines that will forever remind me of Mamaw & Papaw... "Well, it's later than it's ever been" & "Vern, how 'bout something cold to drink?" Happy Anniversary Mamaw & Papaw! We love you & are so thankful for your example of a lifelong, loving marriage!

Richard Bragg

LaVern Bragg

on my mom's wedding day, 1972

holding me, 1977