Smith 50th Anniversary

John Henry Smith Jr. and Vernie Creola Heaggans Smith of Cleveland celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary Jan. 14, 2012. Their celebration included a dinner with their children and grandchildren at the Angus Barn in Raleigh. They were married Jan. 14, 1962, in Salisbury by the late Rev. Chal Lee Cowan.
John retired from Kosa, formerly Hoechst Celanese in Salisbury, after 31 years as a drawframe operator. Vernie is a seamstress with the J.C. Penney custom decorating department in Statesville. They attend Word of Life Family Worship Center in Salisbury.
The Smiths’ children are Ivan Leon Smith (Kimberly) of San Antonio, Tex.; Merv Emery Smith (Angela) of Salisbury; Valerie Smith Turner (James) of Charlotte; and Nicole Smith Jones (Ira) of Raleigh. They have seven grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.
In the spring, the couple will continue their celebration with a family vacation hosted by their children at the Outer Banks.