Warren and
Margot Coville
April 18, 2948

Charlotte and Iry
Rosenbaum
June 27, 1948

Lorraine and
Elliot Schubiner
July 18, 1948

Rhoda and
Sol Benaderet
March 20, 1948

/-

Four Times Fifty

A surprise party rings in the Jubilee celebrations of four couples.

LONNY GOLDSMITH
Staff Writer

harlotte Rosenbaum will say
she is not a naive person.
However, close to 90 of her
closest friends and her chil-
dren pulled off a major event without
her finding out. Neither did her hus-
band, Irving.
Back in February, Warren Coville
and his daughter Betsy set up a sur-
prise 50th wedding anniversary party
in Sarasota, Fla., for Coville's wife
Margot ; the Rosenbaums, Sc: and
Rhoda Benaderet and Elliot and Lor-
raine Schubiner — all of whom are
celebrating 50 years of marital bliss
this year.

C

"We all gathered at the Covilles'
house in Sarasota because Betsy said
she was going to take us, her parents
and the Benaderets out for our
anniversary," said Charlotte. "When
we walked into the Bird Key Yacht
Club and everyone yelled surprise, I
started to cry. It was unbelievable."
Warren and Betsy started planning
the party in July of 1997, giving the
99 people who attended time to
make their travel plans.
"I was relatively confident that it
could be pulled off," said Betsy. "The
hardest part was limiting the guest
list."
According to Warren, the list was
limited to those who knew at least
two of the four couples. And even

then, they had to leave some people
out.
"Betsy took the bull by the horn's
and did most of the work," Warren
said. "She called and E-mailed the
friends and relatives and set up the
photographer, band and menu."
The Schubiners were the only
honorees informed about the party
beforehand; they live in Florida in
December and January and had to
make arrangements to return in Feb-
ruary
"Only a couple of people slipped
and said something about the party,
not realizing it was for four couples,"
said Lorraine Schubiner. "Only War-
ren, Betsy and our kids knew we were
coming back for it.

"We had the best time because we
were staying in a hotel with our chil-
dren."
Rhoda Benaderet, like Charlotte,
was clueless.
"When Betsy said she wanted to
take us out to dinner, I thought it
was logical for her to want to do
something like that," she said. "My
kids told me that my mouth dropped
open [when I saw everyone]."
Both Rhoda and Lorraine noted
how much all the couples' children
enjoyed the party because, "all the
kids grew up together,and it was nice
for them to get reacquainted," said
Rhoda.
Said Warren, "I haven't enjoyed
planning a party as much as this." ❑

5/8

1998

59