Audrey and Gerald Ansell of Vancouver will celebrate their 70th wedding anniversary April 4, in Vancouver.
Gerald was born in Rugby, England, and Audrey in Brantford, Canada. When Audrey was 14, her parents returned to England where they were born and Gerry and Audrey met just before the outbreak of WWII. Audrey’s mother was not sure that a man five years older than her daughter was a wise choice, as Audrey was just 16 when they met, but they fell in love and were married in 1942 in England.
The couple’s first son, Keith, was born in England.
After the war ended in 1947, the Ansells immigrated to the U.S. and settled in San Diego, CA, later moving to Santa Barbara. There they had a daughter, Karen, and their second son, Gary. Audrey had a successful career as a legal secretary and probate specialist, and Gerry as an electrical engineer and technical salesman.
The couple moved to the San Francisco Bay area, then to Oregon and eventually settled in Corvallis where they lived for 35 years. Audrey was active for 32 years in the Corvallis chapter of the Assistance League and Gerry volunteered many hours for the American Red Cross and was active in Rotary. They recently moved to Merrill Gardens in Vancouver to be closer to family.
Audrey and Gerry will celebrate their 70th wedding anniversary with their friends, children and spouses, grandchildren and great-grandchildren, to whom they have been an inspiration and a blessing.
