Charles and Helen Williams

<p>Charles and Helen (Allen) Williams celebrated their 70th anniversary with an afternoon open house featuring a 1942 theme. Family and friends were served appetizers that were popular in 1942 as well as a cake in honor of the year they were married.</p><p>They met at a roller skating rink in Modesto where they were introduced by a friend. Because they both enjoyed dancing, their first date was spent gliding across the floor together at a club on the river near Escalon.</p><p>Dancing has been a lifelong activity they've enjoyed from their early days attending the romantic “moonlight” dances, where the lights were turned down low, to their present day membership in the Merry-Go-Rounders dance club. After going together for eight months, they had a garden wedding on Sept. 20, 1942 in Waterford at Helen's parents' home.</p><p>They resided in Ripon, Manteca, Escalon, Modesto, and moved to Sebastopol in 1953, where they still live on the same street.</p><p>Charles and Helen farmed watermelons and sweet potatoes for about five years, after which Charles began working as a labor foreman in the field of construction. After moving to Sebastopol, he worked in the apple industry for Sebastopol Apple Growers Union, Co-op Cannery and Manzana in 1969. He retired in 1991. Helen worked at Furusho's Apple Packing, a health food store and Mode O'Day.</p><p>Family members include: Daughter, Helen Marie “Tweedy” Olson, and her husband, Richard, of Santa Rosa; and son, Charles Robert, and his wife, Julie, also of Santa Rosa. They have eight grandchildren and 11 great-grandchildren.</p><p>Charles enjoys fishing, abalone diving, gardening and woodworking. He has made sets of Adirondack chairs for everyone in the family, which were greatly appreciated. Helen enjoys sewing, cooking, knitting, and gardening with vegetables, berries and flowers.</p><p>They've taken many trips across the U.S., especially to Helen's home state, Minnesota. In addition, they've been to Europe, Australia, New Zealand, Tahiti, Hawaii, and Alaska. They also have spent many summer weeks at Lake Pillsbury.</p><p>Their advice for a long and happy marriage is to be yourself, show love and commitment to each other, be good friends, spend time together, and support each other.</p>