Saturday, August 23, 2008

Cunninghams honored on 60th anniversary

Belken Homer and Genara Martinez Cunningham will celebrate their 60th wedding anniversary on Aug. 28.

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They met in Chula Vista, Calif., when Homer worked at a gas station and Genara had her bicycle tires filled with air. Her children write that it became a daily ritual for the bike to need air in its tires.

They were married on Aug. 28, 1948, in St. Rose of Lima Church.

Homer worked at Dairy Mart Farms for many years, while Genara was employed as a secretary at the Church of the Most Precious Blood School and St. Charles School.

In 1977, the couple packed up and moved to Genara's home state of New Mexico and settled in Belen. Homer worked at Borden's Dairy in Albuquerque, and Genara worked at St. Mary's School until they retired.

They are members of Our Lady of Belen Catholic Church.

Having time and energy, they started working for the state-sponsored summer lunch program. Genara has been the director of the program since 1990 for the Belen, Alamo and Truth or Consequences area, and Homer does the set-up, delivery and inventory side of the program. This year, they will retire again.

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They have six children, Linda, Stephen, Laura, Teresa, Mary Jo and Michael, plus three grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.

The couple have traveled extensively, including all 50 states and around the world.

They will celebrate their anniversary with some of their children in Seattle, Wash.

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