Roxy and Frances Vendena Celebrate their 70th Wedding Anniversary

Roxy and Frances Vendena, long-time Northwest Denver residents, will celebrate their 70th wedding anniversary on May 1, 2007, at a dinner party with their three children, Francille Hackathal, Judy Speas, and Roxy F. Vendena, and their families, which include the Vendena's six grandchildren and six great grandchildren.

For over 35 years, Roxy, 91, and Frances, 89, owned and operated the Ridge Valley Poultry, a successful specialty poultry shop that was located in Wheat Ridge, Co. Roxy also started and successfully ran Permagreen, a plant food business currently owned and operated by his son and grandson.

Permagreen was the first company in the Denver metro area to package and sell plant fertilizer in retail stores. When he wasn't building new businesses, Roxy, a race car enthusiast, built his own midget race car. His midget race car won many events at Lakeside Speedway in North Denver. Roxy also owned miniature horses and they could frequently be seen in Denver's Memorial Day parades pulling the miniature carriage that he painstakingly designed and built.

Frances gave countless volunteer hours to the community through her work at Lutheran Hospital, where she was a "Pink Lady" for 28 years, and by holding offices in her children's parent-teacher associations. Frances also has a deep appreciation for the arts and is a talented seamstress. She took tap dancing lessons at age 80 and performed until she was 84 years old. She played the organ at St. Mary Magdalene's Catholic Church for 18 years, and she created many sewn treasures for her family over the years.

For the past 34 years, the Vendenas have resided in their Wheat Ridge home, where they continue to enjoy time with their family, their eight year-old cockatoo, Vickini, and a miniature pincer named Dee Dee.