David and Linda (Esser) Gerlits of Silverton, Oregon will celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary on March 23, 2024. They were married on March 23, 1974, at St. Paul’s Catholic Church in Silverton by the bride’s cousin, Father Michael Sprauer. The bridesmaids wore green polyester dresses, and the groomsmen wore their hair long.
Both Dave and Linda are life-long residents of Silverton. Dave worked for many years as a bus driver and short order cook at the Towne House before taking a job with the State, driving a mail shuttle. Linda worked at the local Redman Homes, Inc. before taking a payroll job with Willamette University in Salem. The happy couple are enjoying their retirement years with Pinochle parties, jigsaw puzzles, gardening, delicious naps, and the occasional popcorn dinner.
Dave and Linda have three children, Lisa Gerlits (Michiel Nankman), Kevin Gerlits (Therese Fennimore), and Jolene (Nigel) Shook, all living in Silverton; seven grandchildren, Alexander, Annabel, and Mieke Nankman, Alana and Emmett Gerlits, and Rainier and baby Duncan Shook. They are also about to welcome an eighth grandchild from the Shook family.
