AUBURN – Robert Burns and Louann Coutts Burns of Auburn were honored at a surprise 50th wedding anniversary party on Jan. 19 at the home of Sandy and Gard Leavitt in Auburn. The party was planned by family and friends of the couple, daughter Laurie Burns (Plourde) Doucette, sisters Sandy Leavitt and Joyce Capen, friends Carolyn Ritchie and Dolly Eastman, and sons Robby Burns and Tiger Burns, with girlfriend, Juanelle Benson.

The couple was married at the home of the bride’s parents Jan. 18, 1958, and their attendants, Joyce (Burns) Capen and Robert “Bucky” Coutts, were at the party honoring the couple. All three of the couple’s children and five of their seven grandchildren were in attendance, including Brooke (Plourde) Dupuy and husband, Yann Dupuy, Robyn Plourde, Ryan Benson, Tamara Benson and Grady Burns. Grandchildren from out of state unable to attend were Jayme Burns of Urbana, Mo., and Christopher Lowe of Hampton, N.H. Many family members and a few longtime friends attended the party.

The couple received some personalized gifts and mostly gifts of money, which the couple plans to use toward their travels this summer.

The couple enjoyed an earlier anniversary celebration in the summer of 2007 by traveling on an eight-day cruise to Alaska (through the inside passage) with Mr. Burns’ two sisters and brother-in-law, Joyce Capen and Sandy and Gard Leavitt.