John and Bethel Brown Bays of Oldtown recently celebrated their 69th wedding anniversary with family members at home.
They were married on Nov. 13, 1939, in Oldtown by the late William Oakes, minister.
He is the son of the late John “Jack” and Nova Miller Bays. He is a farmer, carpenter, elder, Sunday school teacher, hunter, school bus driver and baseball coach. He worked for 15 years at the old King Powder Company that was in Wurtland. He also worked for the Kinner Lumber Company and is retired from the C&O; Railroad.
She is the daughter of the late Harrison and Minnie Stapleton Brown. She was a teacher, housewife, cook, farmer, seamstress, crafter and member of the Warnock Homemakers Club. She is involved in the Darcus Circle in the church and had worked at Zachems Restaurant in Greenup.
They raised a garden for 69 years and this year is no different. They canned and made jelly and applebutter.
They are members of the Oldtown Christian Church.
They are the parents of six children, Nora Bays (Don) Grubb; Flo Bays (Jim) Meadows; Barbara Bays (Steve) VanGorden; John Paul (Nancy) Bays; Carolyn Bays (Ray) Worley; and Mike (Gina) Bays and they have 14 grandchildren, Diana Grubb (Jerry) Spencer; Glen (Dianna) Grubb, Allen (Melissa) Grubb, Carla Meadows Hughes, James (Kristy) Meadows; Timothy (Shelia) Meadows; John (Delena) Meadows; Thomas (Shelley) Meadows; Jeff Bays, Scott (Bobbie) Bays; Julie Ashworth Wilkes (Tracy); Jerry (Becky Ashworth; Donia Ashworth (Keith) Williams; and Justin Bays; they also have 30 great-grandchildren, including step and foster children; three great-great-grandchildren and three step great-great grandchildren.
