Sprenger - 75 years

Paul and Lucy Sprenger of O'Fallon, Missouri, will celebrate their 75th wedding anniversary on May 16.

They met on May 18, 1941. Paul had finished business school and was working in Cape Girardeau when he saw a picture of his sister's friend -- Lucy Nelson. They began to correspond by letters soon after. Lucy lived in Benton, Missouri, and when they first met in person, Paul asked her to hold his class ring while he played baseball -- Lucy happily agreed. Paul would drive the 45 miles between Cape Girardeau and Benton many times over the next year to date Lucy.

They both moved to St. Louis for jobs in 1942 and continued to date. Paul proposed on Dec. 12, 1942, as he knelt in the snow at a bus stop near Skinker Avenue. Lucy bought her satin wedding dress for $22.95 in St. Louis soon after. They were married two days short of two years from the day they first met at Eisleben Lutheran Church in Illmo and celebrated with a reception at Lucy's parents' home in Charleston, Missouri. They then honeymooned in Jefferson City, Missouri, when high water at the Lake of the Ozarks prevented them from going there as originally planned.

Their long-time home in the Riverview Gardens area of St. Louis was built by them, and they lived there for almost 63 years until moving to O'Fallon in 2006. They have always been very active in their church, and they were also involved for many years in the Riverview Gardens School District, Gideon Bible Society, National Association of Accountants and Lutheran Women's Missionary League while raising their five children. Paul worked as an accountant for many years while Lucy was a very busy homemaker. They have always been avid gardeners and were also part owners of a nursery business as well.

Their children are Sharon Shields, Ruth Folkerts, Ken Sprenger, Edith Craig and Lynn Holman -- all of Missouri. They also have 20 grandchildren and 26 great-grandchildren. They would say that their faith in God, their love for one another, their family and their many friends have been their greatest blessings.