Longtime Sandy Hook residents Emily and US Air Force Captain James E. Smith (Ret) will celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary on September 9.

James Smith of Danbury and Emily Sadler of New London were married on September 9, 1967, at the Congregational Church of New London. The two met while both were students at the University of Connecticut. She graduated in 1966, and he graduated the following year.

Jim was in the United States Air Force and stationed at various places, including Vandenberg Air Force Base in California.

The Smiths moved back to the East Coat in spring 1971, settling in Westborough, Mass. Their first child, Gregory, was born in 1974.

Shortly after that the family moved to Sandy Hook. The couple's daughter, Carey, was born in Danbury Hospital in 1976.

Emily went on to become a teacher at Hawley Elementary, and still teaches second grade at the Church Hill Road school.

One of the couple's favorite memories, according to their daughter, was watching Neil Armstrong take his first steps on the moon.

Throughout the years, their favorite thing to do together has been to eat at Abbotts Lobster in the Rough in Noank, at dusk. The Smiths also love watching UConn women's basketball games.

Mrs Smith likes tending to plants and flowers, and teaching.

Mr Smith used to play a lot of tennis and racquetball. He still enjoys fishing, especially at the local fishing holes. He also enjoys cooking for his wife.

"They aren't having a party, but I'd bet money they end up staying home and he ends up cooking up something with clams," Carey Smith said of her parents' big anniversary.