Katherine Landry and Robert Geckle were married on July 22, 1967, by the Right Reverend Robert Kickham in Our Lady of Mercy Church, in Belmont, Mass. A reception followed at The Algonquin Club in Boston.

The longtime Newtown couple recently renewed their vows. Monsignor Robert Weiss, pastor of St Rose of Lima Roman Catholic Church, officiated the July 16 event.

The Geckles then celebrated a second honeymoon, taking a trip to the island of Anguilla.

At the time of their wedding, the bride and groom were both graduates of Middlebury College. The young couple moved after they were married to Philadelphia, where Mr Geckle pursued his MBA at Wharton.

Bob Geckle had grown up in Newtown; he and his wife moved back to town in 1972.

Bob worked for SmithKline/Branson for most of his adult years, later transitioning to consultant work. Kathy worked as an interior designer for Ethan Allen and remained a wonderful homemaker for her children throughout their childhood.

Their first home on Laurel Road was one street away from Bob's childhood home. They moved from Laurel Road to Taunton Lake Road, then to a home on Poverty Hollow Road. Then Geckles placed the high bid at an April 2002 auction to acquire and renovate Bob's childhood home, a former Fairfield Hills Hospital property at 35 Queen Street. Now known as Patience Farm, the name of the Geckles' home is in honor and memory of the patients of the former state hospital as well as the patience needed to complete the project on the formerly rundown property.

The Geckle family includes Sarah (Geckle) and Bernard Findley, and their children Camryn, Madison, and Sawyer, all of Newtown; and Robert and Emily Geckle, and their children Alan and Annabelle, of Toulouse, France.

Much time is spent on their children and grandchildren, and almost as much time is spent keeping their house and gardens worthy of awards. The Geckles make time to attend sporting and other events for all of their grandchildren, and would not trade a second of their time for them.

Bob and Kathy have also adored and loved a series of animals both great and small, most recently a naughty dog named Seamus.