50th Anniversary of Clifford and Joan Stearns

Clifford Stearns greets guests Page Branson with Rusty Branson and Lauren Delorio. [Supplied]

Clifford and Joan Stearns gathered with 75 friends to celebrate the milestone of their 50th wedding anniversary on Dec. 29th at the Institute for Human and Machine Cognition in downtown Ocala.  

He told those gathered, “During our 50 years of marriage, I have learned three things that I’ll never forget. When your spouse is smarter than you in ways you never knew, then step aside and let her lead! Be willing to compromise … recognize that one person is not always right.” 

When the “Gazette” asked for their secret to success, he said it was important to remember, “It is all about being in love and cherishing it over the years.” 

The Stearns’ gave bottles of custom-labeled wine to attendees to take home as gifts.  

Clifford thanked everyone for their friendship and support through the years. He closed his remarks with an Irish proverb: “There are good ships and wood ships, ships that sail the sea, but the best ships are friendships, may they always be!”

Joe Wallace and Amy Mangan.

Sagi Asokan, Joan Stearns, Carol Smith.

Scott Stearns, Cliff Stearns Jr, Bart and Hillary Piniaz