Ron and Bea Schmucker, the longest residing residents of Palm Coast, Florida (since 1972), will celebrate their 60th anniversary on Dec. 19. Palm Coast has grown to a city of 85.000 residents.

Bea is the former Bea Little, a 1957 graduate of Boothbay Region High School. Marge Kluck and Mary Nolan, her half sisters, and her niece, Tammy Peters, still reside in the region.

The couple met and were married at Fort Dix, New Jersey, where Ron was an infantry platoon sergeant and Bea was a SP4 in the women’s Army Corps. Ron retired as a major in 1972.

They and their sons, Jon, Kurt and Steve, have over 65 years of active duty military service. They also have a daughter, Beth Smith, six grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren.