ROYAL CITY – Bob and Ardis Whitaker met at a Moses Lake LDS Church dance in 1961, and their dance has lasted more than 50 years.

“Lots of give and take,” Bob said.

“Lots of laughs and some tears,” Ardis added.

Married on Jan. 12, 1963, in the Idaho Falls Temple, the Whitakers recently celebrated their 50th anniversary. Their four children are planning a family celebration this summer.

The Whitakers are recent additions to the Royal community after residing in Warden for almost 50 years. They moved here to be closer to their daughter Christa Lee, who lives on Adams Road.

The Whitakers are well-known throughout the county, particularly because of Bob's involvements in business and public service. He's been a fire fighter, a fire chief and a port commissioner.

The Whitakers have four children, 17 grandchildren and six great-grandchildren. Their oldest son, Jeff (wife Louetta) has taken over the family business of Tires West in Warden.

Their second son, Brad (wife Tami) is a Podiatrist in Tucson, AZ. Third son Mitch, is general manager of Vans Asia in Hong Kong. Daughter Christa (husband Pat) lives in Royal, where Pat owns a Napa store and farms.

Bobie Lee Whitaker grew up in Dunklin County, Missouri. He joined the Air Force to travel the world and got as far as Moses Lake. He served four years at Larson AFB, two of which were spent at the Royal City Missile Site.

Ardis Zirker, spent her early years in Arcadia, Utah. She and her family moved to Moses Lake, where she finished High School. Ardis went to BYU-Utah for a year and attended a business college in Spokane. She also served as a missionary for the LDS church in the Central States Mission.

One evening in 1961, Ardis attended that LDS Church dance when Larson AFB Airman Bobie Whitaker appeared. They danced and, after two years of dating, were married.

After the wedding, the couple moved onto Ardis's father's farm at Warden. They took over the farm in 1966 as Mr. Zirker went into partial, then full retirement.

The Whitakers farmed sugar beets, potatoes, dry beans, alfalfa and other crops. All four children, including Christa, worked on the farm.

Bob became a Washington State Patrolman in 1969. He gave up that career two years later when the WSP wanted to transfer him to the Seattle Freeway.

Bob didn’t want to take his young children off the farm and move them to Seattle. So he resigned from the WSP.

Bob purchased the Warden Napa store and Texaco Gas Station in the late 70’s. He sold the Napa and converted the Texaco to a tire store called Tires West. The Whitakers stopped farming in the early 80’s and leased out the ground. Bob dedicated himself to Tires West.

Bob was also a volunteer firefighter for 22 years, and he served as full-time chief of Grant County Fire District No. 4 for five years. He gave that up when he was 65.

“I could see I was slowing down, and you need to be sharp,” he said.

Bob was a commissioner of the Warden Port District. Along with the other commissioners and staff, he worked for six years on bringing the Pacific Coast Canola plant to Warden. Bob still works three days a week doing public relations for the plant, which launched canola oil production in January.

The Canola plant will be a boon to the Warden community and the Pacific Northwest. It requires 250,000 acres of canola to be raised annually. Only about 10,000 acres are grown in the state of Washington now.

Ardis worked as a telephone operator and as a secretary for People’s National Bank before getting married. She never had a career outside of the home, saying that raising the four children was “exciting enough.”

The boys participated in football and wrestling, and Christa did volleyball and softball. Bob and Ardis attended almost every single one of their sporting events. There were trips to regional and state wrestling tournaments, where all three sons competed.

“We hauled kids everywhere,” Ardis said.

Christa remembers her mother's dedication to family needs. She said her mother did whatever was needed.

“Dad would call and say we were coming for lunch. Fifteen minutes later, Mom had a 4-course meal waiting,” Christa said.

And Ardis was no fuddy-duddy. When it was time for fun, she was right in the mix.

“If there was a food fight, Mom was right in the middle of it,” Christa said. “Our family liked to play pranks, and Mom was usually the target.”

“Mom and Dad gave us the best childhood anybody could ask for,” Christa said. “We lived next to grandma and grandpa and always had aunts, uncles, and cousins around. Family meant everything.

“They raised us with lots of love and lots of laughter. They taught us how families are forever.”