Stephen and Martha Wille celebrate 50 years of marriage

SPARTA — Residents of Sparta since 1970, Steve and Martha Wille are celebrating their 50th Anniversary this December.
They met at Insurlick Air Base at Adana, Turkey, while Captain Wille was an Air Force pilot stationed there and Martha Phillips was assigned with the American Red Cross.
This was April of 1965; they dated, became engaged in Birmingham, Alabama the following year and were married in December 1966.
Steve attended Hobart College and Martha, the University of Alabama. Steve served as a pilot in the USAF for 7 years and flew for Trans World Airline for 32 years ending his later years as Captain.
They have three children, Catherine, a Health teacher and Coach at Sparta High School for 22 years; Michael, who studied Psychology, and is also a History/Psychology teacher at Sparta High School; and John, who is a Civil Engineer in Charlotte, NC.
They were with Our Lady of the Lake church for 18 years, then helped start the new Blessed Kateri/St. Kateri Church in 1988 with Fr. Danial Murphy as pastor. They are Founding Members of this Church. Both have been very active with their St. Kateri Tekakwitha Parish for the past 28 years.
Steve was on the Sparta Board of Education in the 1980's for two terms and president in his last year. They were both members of the Lake Mohawk Golf Club for more than 20 years with their children.
The Paterson Diocese had a Mass at St. Peter the Apostle on Sunday November 6 for all families celebrating their 50th and 25th years of marriage celebrated by Bishop Arthur Serratelli.
The Wille's used to have a New Years Day party, where they introduced the famous Roast Beef on Kimmelwick, from Buffalo, NY — Kaiser roll with Caraway seeds and rock salt, dipped in au jus with thinly sliced roast beef pilled ¾ of an inch with fresh horseradish. They did this for more than 15 years.
On November 12, their children hosted a cocktail party, sit down dinner, and dancing at the Lake Mohawk Golf Club for 50 of their friends, some coming as far away as Greensboro, NC and West Palm Beach, FL. A renewing of their Wedding vows was officiated by the Rev. John Andrew Connell, a close family friend.