Gerald Childress

1917	1920	1974

Childress Open House

Mr. and Mrs. Gerald Childress of Lowell were guests of honor at an open house for their fiftieth wedding anniversary.

The celebration was held Dec. 5, 1974 at the First United Methodist Church in Lowell.

Mrs. Childress wore a rose colored dress and a white orchid corsage as she and Mr. Childress greeted approximately 275 guests.

The guests included their children Mr. and Mrs. Charles (Marjorie) Osburn, Hebron, Mr. and Mrs. Carl (Geraldine) Thompson, South Bend, Mr. and Mrs. Gene (Barbara) Rust, Hebron, and Mr. and Mrs. Lewis Childress, Lowell; 23 grandchildren and six great grandchildren; her twin brother and his wife, Mr. and Mrs. Robert Wietbrock, Columbia, Missouri, other brothers and sisters-in-law, Mr. and Mrs. Herman F. Wietbrock, Mr. and Mrs. Henry F. Wietbrock, Mr. and Mrs. Ernie Wietbrock, and Mrs. August Wietbrock, all of Lowell, her sisters and brothers-in-law, Mr. and Mrs. Henry Novack, Grant Park, Ill., and Mr. and Mrs. Walter Rosenbrock, Momence, Illinois.

Mr. Childress's brother, Archie, of Arkansas, was present and two sisters-in-law, Mrs. Dewey Childress of Lowell, and Mrs. Elmer Childress, Hebron. Unable to attend were his brothers, William of Michigan, Lee of Iowa and Walter of Florida, and his sister, Mrs. Ireta Burns of Chicago.

Also present was one sister-in-law, Mrs. Otto Childress from Hammond.

Gerald and Rose Childress were married on December 14, 1924 at the Methodist Church Parsonage in Lowell, by the Rev. C.A. Brown.

The Childresses were both born in West Creek Township and are lifetime Lowell residents.

Childress is engaged in farming.

The couple are members of the Lowell First Methodist Church and Indian Trail, Grange, and activelyparticipate in work of both the church and Grange. They are also members of the Lake Pamona Grange. Mr. Childress has served as treasurer of the Indian Trail Grange for the past 15 years and two years before that was Master of the Grange.

Refreshments of sandwiches, potato chips, cake, coffee, punch, nuts and mints were served at the open house.

Entertainment was provided in the form of organ music played by Jim Rust of Crown Point.

Hostesses were the couple's granddaughters, Gloria Rust, Barbara Jean Rust, of Hebron; Kathy Thompson, South Bend; Mrs. Michael Klemz and Mrs. Leslie Osburn, Hebron; and Mrs. Gary Osburn, Valparaiso. They served the cake and punch along with the members of the Barbara Mae Bailey Circle of the church.