Suzanne and John Plourde

John and Suzanne (Bailey) Plourde of Auburn recently celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary. The couple were married at Pride’s Corner Church in Westbrook on July 10, 1971.

John grew up in Van Buren and graduated from the University of Maine in Orono in 1968 with a degree in electrical engineering. Upon graduation, he was employed as an engineer by Raytheon Corporation in Lawrence, Massachusetts.

Suzanne, daughter of the late Burton and Faith Bailey of Westbrook, graduated from Westbrook High School and Mercy Hospital School of Nursing in Portland in 1969 and worked there as a registered nurse.

Shortly thereafter, the couple were introduced by John’s sister, Sue, who was also a nurse and Mercy Hospital School of Nursing graduate, and her future husband Richard, who worked with John at Raytheon.

After their wedding, they re-located to Nashua, New Hampshire, where John continued at Raytheon and Suzanne worked as a nurse. A few years later, the couple decided to relocate back to Maine, where John worked for Radio Shack Corp. and later opened a successful lighting business in Auburn, while Suzanne worked as a nurse at Saint Mary’s Hospital in Lewiston. They raised their two sons in Auburn and have called Auburn home ever since.

In their free time, John and Suzanne love to spend time on their sailboat “Summertime” in Portland as well as spend time with their sons and their spouses and their 4 grandchildren, who range in ages from 8 to 12.