Mickey Starling
reporter3@greenepublishing.com
On Saturday, Aug. 29, Alston and Kay Kelley celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary. The Kelleys began dating during their college years at Florida State University (FSU), although Kay had caught Alston's eye much sooner. "Kay went to FSU to get a degree in finding a husband," said Alston. "She was just having fun with me." Kay is quick to point out that after 50 years of marriage, they are still having fun.
The couple married late into their senior year at FSU. "We had to finish school first because we didn't want to get cut off," said Kay. "If you get married, you are on your own." Alston adds that he wasn't sure he wanted to marry Kay because he didn't know if she owned a pair of shoes. "She was always barefoot," said Alston. "We were always talking on the porch," said Kay. "Who needs shoes for that?" Kay asserts that Alston's true hesitation in advancing the relationship was his shyness. "He came to see me all the time, but it took him over a year to ask me out."
To celebrate this milestone, the pair had long planned to take a cruise on the Mississippi River this past week, but "the reoccurring currents of pancreatic cancer got in the way," said Kay, who just completed chemotherapy and radiation treatments. However, it turns out that the Kelleys would have been cruising right into the path of Hurricane Laura. "God knew we didn't need to take that cruise," said Kay, who has rescheduled the trip for next year. "We're also going to go out for steak when my tastebuds return to normal," said Kay.
When they get the chance, Alston and Kay enjoy spending time with their two children and five grandchildren.