They say the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach.

That was certainly true in the case of George William (Bill) Van Wagoner.

Back in the 1940s, he met his future bride, Roselyn (Ro) Hettie Francis, at the soda fountain inside Van Wagoner Drug Store (now Patterson Pharmacy) in downtown Oxford.

She worked there and Bill’s grandfather, Elmer, a local well-drilling contractor, told him she “made the best chocolate sodies in Oakland County.”

The two of them used to visit regularly to sip sodas, while Bill tried his best to get Ro’s attention.

“I thought she was the neatest gal around and the smartest one, too,” said Bill, a 1950 graduate of Lake Orion High School.

Ro, a 1950 Oxford High School graduate, did her best to ignore him because he was a Van Wagoner and his uncle, Lee, was her employer.

“But he was persistent,” she said.

That persistence paid off as the Van Wagoners will celebrate their 60th wedding anniversary on Nov. 24.

“He’s the love of my life,” Ro said.

The Van Wagoners began dating in high school and continued to see each other whenever they could during their college years.

When Bill was drafted by the U.S. Army and sent to South Korea, he and Ro kept in touch via letters.

“I guess absence made the heart grow fonder,” Ro said. “When he came home, we became engaged.”

They were married at the Oxford Methodist Church on E. Burdick St. before a gathering of 200 family members and friends.

The Van Wagoners spent the first few years of their marriage living in Big Rapids followed by Kalamazoo.

In 1961, they returned to Oxford and have lived in a house on Pocahontas Trail, near the village limits, ever since.

Bill went to work at the Lake Orion Van Wagoner Drug Store owned by his father, Ray. He stayed there until it closed around 1972 and was then hired by the Oakland County Sheriff’s Department. He worked as a deputy until his retirement in 1992.

Ro spent eight or nine years as a substitute teacher for the Oxford school district. Prior to that, she taught in St. Clair Shores and Big Rapids.

The Van Wagoners raised two children, Neil and Bruce.

Over the years, their family has grown to include daughters-in-law Terry and Linda, four grandchildren (Nelson, Samantha, Jana and Jake) and one great-grandchild (Jace).

So, what’s the secret to staying together for six decades?

To the Van Wagoners, it’s quite simple – “love and respect” each other at all times, especially when troubles arise.

“There will be rough times, but hang in there, it’s worth it,” Ro said.

“You can work it out,” Bill said.

It also helps to share common interests such as the Van Wagoners love of recreation vehicle (RV) camping, which goes back to the 1960s.

“I just love being with him, doing things with him,” Ro said.

Happy anniversary to Bill and Ro Van Wagoner. The Oxford Leader wishes you many more years of happiness.