Mike and Brenda Ellis, of Suffolk, celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary last week. They met in the church singles group at Norview Baptist Church in Norfolk and married on Jan. 6, 1966.

Mr. Ellis is a graduate of William and Mary and began his career in the education field in the public sector. He later served as principal of Suffolk Christian and Alliance Christian schools, as well as administrator of Hampton Christian Schools. He retired from the Chesapeake Public School system with more than 40 years in the education field.

Mrs. Ellis had worked for Tidewater Wholesale in Suffolk in the 1980s and as a homemaker.

They have three children, Mike Ellis Jr., Grace Shearer and Chris Ellis. They have 12 grandchildren — Mitchell and Nicholas Ellis, Kaitlyn, Emma and Benjamin Shearer, Quincy, Joelly and Owen Burke, Rachel, Kristen and Vanessa Ellis, with another grandson on the way in May.