George and Sonjia Gilbert, North Lung Lane, Syracuse, will celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary Jan. 20, 2012.
George and the former Sonjia Camesasca were married Jan. 20, 1962, at First United Methodist Church, Bloomington, by Pastor Donald Mercer.
George graduated from Bedford High School in 1955 and enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps where he was selected for the Marine Corps Honor Guard. Sonjia graduated from Dunkirk High School, Jay County, in 1959. They met and married while pursuing degrees at Indiana University, Bloomington. George earned degrees in education, completing his Ed.S at Ball State University in 1972. Sonjia earned degrees in English and library science and finished her master’s degree in education at Ball State University.
George taught and coached in the Warsaw School Corporation, served as business manager for the Wawasee School Corporation and as superintendent for the Jay County School Corporation, Portland. Sonjia served as director of the instructional materials center for the Warsaw School Corporation and as head of the library for South Adams High School, Berne.
They have kept busy in their retirement, with George serving on the Wawasee School Board and the K21 Foundation of Kosciusko County. Sonjia volunteers for Meals on Wheels and the Syracuse Food Pantry. Both remain active in First United Methodist Church, Warsaw.
The couple have two children, Darci (and spouse William) Myers, Greensburg, and Troy Gilbert (and John Wright), Alameda, Calif.; and five grandchildren.
