A couple the Caller-Times reported about 50 years ago to celebrate anniversary Saturday

On June 1, 1974, Charlie and Sandi Whetstone got married on Sunfish Island in the Corpus Christi Bay.

Fifty years later, they are celebrating their marriage with family, friends and former Justice of Peace, who married the two, Mike Westergren.

In a Caller-Times article from June 2, 1974, a reporter covered the Whetstone's wedding at Sunfish Island, a once small isle near the Art Museum of South Texas that washed away over the years.

The couple told the reporter they both loved sailing and the outdoors and knew trading their vows on Sunfish Island was the best place. Charles Whetstone said, at the time, neither were church-oriented and they were getting "ripped off" by local churches.

As of today, he said he is now very much involved in church activities.

"I didn't really care about getting married in a church or not back then because I didn't recognize the value of that," Charles Whetstone said in a phone call. "When we went around to different churches, they all wanted us to join their church, pay for the facilities or go to their classes. It didn't fit with us. The more we tried to have a traditional wedding, we couldn't make it fit or work for us."

The two were high school sweethearts and graduated from Carroll in 1972. After a few years of dating, the two had their eyes set on marriage.

Unsure of where to wed, the two turned to Sandi's father and World War II veteran, Leonard Surratt.

After talks, Surratt and the two decided the best venue would be Sunfish Island. Surratt purchased a used boat, fixed it up and used it as a ferry for guests to get to the island.

Five decades later, the Whetstones will hold their anniversary shindig at the Holiday Inn Marina in downtown Corpus Christi. The two have three daughters and four grandchildren.

"To celebrate 50 years, you can't just talk about 50 years of family, careers, losing loved ones and life," Charlie Whetstone said. "We are going to highlight the years where we met in high school and fell in love almost immediately. I knew when I met her, she was special. I was going to do whatever I had to do to keep her."

Sandi Whetstone said the 50 years went by so fast.

"That just means he's my best friend," Sandi Whetstone said. "My favorite thing about him is he never meets a stranger. He's friendly to everyone. Anywhere we go, he's always talking to new people and making them feel comfortable and loved."

Charlie Whetstone's favorite thing about his wife was a hard question for him to answer.

"Through the years, her steadfast love — her love for me, our marriage, our children and our family," Charlie Whetstone said. "She's the epitome of unconditional love. As strong as that love was when we started, it has gotten stronger every day."

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John Oliva covers entertainment and community news in South Texas. Contact him at [email protected] or X @johnpoliva.

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This article originally appeared on Corpus Christi Caller Times: Corpus Christi couple to celebrate 50th wedding anniversary