Submitted to the ShowMe Times

August 19, 2012 - Mr. & Mrs. Tom Love of Dexter celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary this past week.  Tom treated his bride to a nice dinner at the Eagle Pass Winery in Wappapello.

Tom Love and the former Carmen Hulehan were married August. 19, 1962, at the First Baptist Church of Sikeston, Missouri.  The couple began dating in college at the University of Missouri-Columbia after being introduced by a mutual friend, Francie Thorn.  The couple enjoyed their college days at MIZZOU and remain life long fans of the Tigers.

The wedding was a true family affair with the bride's uncle Homer Lee Stallings Jr. performing the ceremony.  Brothers, sisters and friends composed the wedding party.

The couple spent their honeymoon at the luxurious resort and spa in beautiful Van Buren, Missouri, with their first meal together as newlyweds at the famous Jolly Cone.

After their marriage, Tom entered the Marine Corp and was stationed in Quantico, Virginia, Pensacola, Florida, Milton, Florida and Beaufort, South Carolina.  Upon the completion of his military service, the couple returned with their young family to Southeast Missouri and Tom began his career as an agricultural lender.  

After their children were of school age, Carmen returned to work as a grade school teacher at Bernie Public Schools.  She retired after 33 years of teaching.  

They are the parents of two daughters, Tommie R. Love of St. Louis, Tracy Love Hedrick of Dexter, and one son-in-law, Alan Hedrick.  They also have four grandchildren, Zach and Morgan Hedrick and Nathan and Matthew Durfee.

In lieu of the traditional 50th Anniversary event, the couple were accompanied by their family members on an Alaskan Cruise.  Leaving from Seattle, the trip consisted of ports of call in Juneau, Ketchikan, Skagway and Victoria, British Columbia.