Billy and Sylvia Brown of Mount Airy celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary on Oct. 24 with a dinner at the Holly Springs Ruritan Building.

Hosting the occasion were their children, Anthony and wife, Debbie; Mark and wife, Bethann; Angelia Smith and husband, Kerry; and their grandchildren, Asia, Christopher and Mary Elizabeth Brown, and Jesse, Cory and Ryan Smith.

The Browns were married in a ceremony at the bride’s home in Bannertown on Oct. 23, 1959, by Bishop V. Talmage Hiatt.

The couple worked together on the farm since the beginning of their marriage and operated Holly Springs Grocery for 32 years. Billy is the son of the late R.L. “Bob” and Pauline Brown. Sylvia is the daughter of Clyde and Ella Gammons.