ESCANABA — Deacon Terry and Hildie (Montroy) Saunders celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary on December 22.

The couple were married at the St Joseph’s St Patrick’s Catholic Church in Hancock, on Dec. 22, 1973.

Terry was a Michigan State Police detective, retiring in 2005. Hildie retired from U.P. State Credit Union in 2018.

Terry is a deacon at St. Anne’s Catholic Church in Escanaba, where Hildie is also a member. The couple celebrated their marriage with Mass at St. Anne’s on Dec. 22. They also celebrated the birth of Christ on Christmas Day with all their children, grandchildren and friends.

The couple’s children are Craig of Petoskey, Mich., Sarah (Brian Hughes) of Escanaba, and Terry (Ellysha) from Caledonia, Mich. They have 12 grandchildren.