Walter and Joan Hobbs celebrated years of friendship, fun and fidelity on their 50th Wedding Anniversary, April 30.

Joan Oxsley grew up an only child in Bay Ridge, the point where the Verrazano Bridge touches down at 78th Street and Fort Hamilton Parkway.

City girl, Joan, did from time to time travel outside the city limits to visit her girlfriend in "the country," also known as Long Island. When there, the girls would do country things, like attending polo games. It is there where Joan first made a new friend from Manhasset by the name of Walter Hobbs.

Social friends they remained until World War II called them both to service in the United States Navy.

After the war, the couple was reunited at a wedding, and mutual navy experience started the conversation rolling, thus beginning the friendship. Marriage followed on April 30, 1949.

They were married in New York City at the Stuyvesant Town Church of the Epiphany. The reception was held at Number One Fifth Avenue. They honeymooned in Virginia at the Tides Inn.

The couple first lived in an apartment in Forest Hills. They moved to Plandome Manor when Joan was expecting their first child. The couple moved into the home of Walter's parents, and the adult foursome would play cards together throughout the night.

At the time Walter was in the city finishing up his degrees and working for the Lilly Tulip Cup Corporation.

In 1960 the married couple moved to Goat Hill in Mineola to raise their four children; Christopher, Ned, Linda and Meredith.

When the couple first moved to Mineola they lived on the east end of the village near the bowling alley and San Su San, one of the most popular nightspots on all of Long Island.

The couple eventually settled into the home in the center of Mineola which they occupy to this day.

The reason for the marriage's success?

"I said yes when she told me what to do," laughed Walter. His answer is more accurate in its tone than in the actual choice of words. The couple agreed that their success has been due in large part to a mutual sense of humor.

"To us, marriage is a game, a bit of a fun game," said Walter.

It was a game in which the entire family was included keeping active with trips and activities that has resulted in a successful marriage and a successful family.

Christopher is currently working on a project to redesign Westbury, Linda is married with three children, and Meredith is the director of continuing education at Kings Point Merchant Marine Academy.

Fifty years of marriage, may not be a laughing matter to some, but it is certainly something to smile about.