Ruth and Jim Lavrakas

25th Anniversary, 1997-2022

Ruth and Jim Lavrakas will celebrate their 25th wedding anniversary on May 31, 1997. They met in the hallways of the Anchorage Daily News sometime in 1995. It was springtime and an Alaska summer lay in front of them, fertile ground for a romance to bloom. Jim owned a rustic cabin in Kachemak Bay and a 17-foot open skiff. These two things provided them with so much fun and adventure on the bay near Homer. Jim’s parents, Ann and Babe, lived in Little Tutka Bay. Many happy hours were spent at their cottage. Ruth said she remembers approaching their beach about 6 p.m. and smelling the most delicious smells coming from Ann’s kitchen.

They loved it here. It was not unusual for them to leave Anchorage right after work on Friday and return late Sunday night, both exhausted. They were married two years after meeting on May 31, 1997. The ceremony was officiated by Jim’s father, who received a commission from the state for a day. The happy occasion took place at the Anchorage Senior Center in the Starlight Ballroom where Jim and Ruth had spent many Friday nights laughing and ballroom dancing to a live orchestra.

“Twenty-five years later many of our dreams have come true,” they write. “We’re now retired, living in Homer, and have many wonderful friends to go fishing and hiking and enjoying great meals with. As we approach our 70s we realize we may not make it to our 50th anniversary, but we are making the most of the years, and realize that every day can be a new adventure.”

They will celebrate their anniversary in the Pacific North West traveling in their camper with their two Manx cats, Poppy and Tazz, onboard, and visit many cousins and friends in Washington and Oregon.