Pictured are Jack and Wanda Southern, residents of Brookdale Lakewood Assisted Living, are celebrating their 74th wedding anniversary today. They married on March 16, 1947, at the Beason United Methodist Church in Beason, Ill. Submitted photo

LAKEWOOD — Jack and Wanda Southern, residents of Brookdale Lakewood Assisted Living, are celebrating their 74th wedding anniversary today.

The couple are former residents of Beason, Ill., Bemus Point and Winter Haven, Fla. They are the parents of Rodney (wife Mary Ann) Southern of Lakewood, Robyn (husband Tony) Krotz of Crystal Lake, Ill., and Kristina (husband Arthur) Watson of Naples, Fla. They have six grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.

Jack and the former Wanda Fox were married on March 16, 1947, at the Beason United Methodist Church in Beason, Ill. Jack was employed as a fuel and farm chemical distributor and school bus driver for more than 30 years in Illinois. Wanda was an assistant post mistress in Beason, Ill. and office manager of the Edward D. Jones office in Lincoln, Ill. Before retirement, Jack was a proud volunteer fireman and they both are members of Bemus Point United Methodist Church.

“What a true inspiration this couple is to those who know and love them,” Brookdale said. “With what the world has gone through in the past seven decades, and especially this past year, they have endured the ‘thick and thin’ of everything that has come their way together by each other’s side. A true celebration of love, life, faith and commitment for these two, and what a celebration it will be at Brookdale Lakewood to honor this precious couple.”