Joanne and Ed Rife celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary
with a reception in Morgan Hill at historic Villa Mira Monte on
July 18.
Joanne and Ed Rife celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary with a reception in Morgan Hill at historic Villa Mira Monte on July 18.
The couple, residents of Morgan Hill for 25 years, greeted 75 guests from the Bay Area and Southern California, where they were married in Glendale on July 24, 1954. Among those present were the matron of honor, Bonnie Zillgitt of Corona del Mar; and two groomsmen, Jerry Teasley, the bride’s brother of Hemet and Tom Brashears, the groom’s brother-in-law, of Santa Barbara. Special guest was Joanne’s mother, Luella Teasley of Solvang. Also present were friends and family of long standing, including elementary school, high school and college friends and friends from their life in the Santa Ynez Valley, where they raised their children.
The reception was hosted by their three children, two daughters-in-law and one son-in-law: Susan Rife and Steve Kreidler of Sarasota, Fla., Chris and Dorinda Rife of Tucson, Ariz., and Dan and Robin Rife of Bend, Ore. Adding to the celebration were their six grandchildren, Sarah and Christina Cox, Alexis and Erica Rife, and Aaron and Ethan Rife.
Following the reception the family headed for Yosemite, where a concluding celebration dinner was held on July 24 at the Ahwahnee Hotel, one of the grand lodges of the National Parks and a favorite place of the Rifes.
Joanne was the editor of the Santa Ynez Valley News and Delano Record, and writer and editor in the University Relations office at San Jose State University. Ed Rife was a longtime facilities engineer with Lockheed Missiles and Space and with United Technologies. Both retired in 1992 to bicycle across the country together, from the Pacific Ocean to the Atlantic.
