50th wedding anniversary

BYRAM — Deanna (Darress) and Charles Raffay of Byram celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary at a party at the home of their son Russell. Approximately 70 family and friends attended the event, including three members of the original wedding party: Sister Priscilla Darress Wartman, Charlie’s brother Allan Raffay, and Jane Thompson Raynor of Vermont. Mr. and Mrs. Raffay were married on June 24. 1961, at the First Memorial Presbyterian Church in Dover, New Jersey, by the Reverend Hugh Miller. The Raffays have resided in Byram Township since 1964. Deanna was born at home on the Berkshire Valley Road in Jefferson Township and attended a one room school house which is now the education building for the Berkshire Valley Presbyterian Church. Upon graduation from Jefferson Consolidated School, she attended and graduated from Roxbury High School. Charlie was born and raised in Newark and attended schools there until 1952. He and his parents moved to Mount Olive where he attended and graduated from Roxbury High School. Charlie and Deanna met at Roxbury High School and both played the saxophone in the high school band. In fact, they still play in a community band today. Charlie graduated from Lafayette College in Easton, Pennsylvania, and was a teacher in Mine Hill and Roxbury High School and an adjunct instructor at New Jersey Institute of Technology. They both retired in 1999. Since that time they have traveled extensively throughout the United States, Europe, Asia, and Africa. They also took a 32 day cruise for their anniversary. Deanna and Charlie are members of the Berkshire Valley Presbyterian Church where both have served as Elders. Deanna has also served on the Board of Deacons. They both sing in the church choir.