Merle M. Buck and E. Jean Buck are proud to announce their 70th wedding anniversary on Dec. 22, 2016. They were married on Dec. 22, 1946, after spending their entire childhood and early education together, including high school in State Center and Coe College in Cedar Rapids. Their life has been a journey throughout the United States.

Merle served two years in the army in World War II from 1944 to 1946. He has been employed with the Columbia Service Bureau and Contel Telephone, later to become Verizon. Jean has enjoyed her music education with private piano instruction, hand-bell choir direction and accompanying church services at their various residences.

They have three children: Craig, Brad and Rod; four grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. A family reunion is planned in celebration of their anniversary at the Lake of the Ozarks, the first week of January.

In their 70 years together, they have lived in Des Moines, Omaha, Neb.; Gallatin, Mo.; Columbia, Mo.; Reston, Va.; Bakersfield, Calf.; St. Louis, Mo.; Seymour, Ind.; Hilton Head, S.C. and finally back to Columbia, Mo. They have traveled the world extensively during vacations and retirement. They are members of Trinity Presbyterian Church in Columbia, Mo.