Gallery: Couple cross an ocean to renew their vows in the Ipswich church they got married in 50 years ago

Gloria and Larry Lyons who renewed their wedding vows for their Diamond Wedding Anniversary in service taken by Revd Mark Prentice at St John the Baptist Church in Ipswich. Photograph Simon Parker (Image: Archant)

Gloria and Larry Lyons met at RAF Bentwaters near Woodbridge in June 1962 when Larry was serving as an aircraft mechanic in the United States Air Force with the 81st Field Maintenance Squadron.

The then 20-year-olds met at a dance just three days after Larry arrived in England, and haven’t looked back since.

To mark their golden anniversary, Gloria and Larry returned to Ipswich and stayed at The Old Times Guest House in Cauldwell Hall Road where they had a view of the house they first shared together and where Gloria grew up in St John’s Road. Last Saturday, they renewed their vows in front of friends and family.

The couple married on November 28, 1964, at St John the Baptist Church in Cauldwell Hall Road, Ipswich, and in June 1966 Gloria moved with Larry to Idaho, America.

In 1969, they had their son, Anthony, and a year later Larry was sent to war in Vietnam.

Gloria returned to Ipswich with Anthony and eagerly awaited Larry’s return.

“I had this little one-year-old, a very active one at that and I was so worried that my husband wasn’t going to come back from Vietnam”, she said.

“That was a sad time but I had the support of my family and we communicated a lot through the air force post office.”

Larry said he left America with some anticipation of going to war but with apprehension of leaving his family.

When he touched back down in America a year later, he got on the first flight to the UK to pick up his wife and son. They eventually settled in Collinsville near St Louis in Illinois where they still live.