Suzanne Annette Thompson, daughter of Karin and Douglas Thompson of Grand Junction, Colo., and Jonathan David Schwartz, son of Karen and Mordechai Schwartz of Clayton, Mo., have announced their engagement.

She is the granddaughter of the late George and the late Harriet Thompson of Denver, Col., and the late Dr. Julius and the late Virginia Schultz of Dearborn, Mich.

He is the grandson of Malka and the late Yakov Schwartz, Givat Shmuel, Israel and the late Martha Weingart Feinstein and the late Bernard D. Feinstein of St. Louis.

The bride-to-be is a graduate of Grand Junction High School and the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center where she earned B.S. and R.N. degrees in nursing. She is currently a pediatric intensive care nurse in Henderson, Nev.

Her fiance is a graduate of Clayton High School and the University of Denver where he earned a B.S. degree with honors in the biological sciences. He will receive his MSPH degree from the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center and is currently a first year medical student at Touro University College of Medicine in Nevada.

A July, 2007 wedding is planned.

GROSS-HARMON

Katherine Leah Gross, daughter of Jerry Padawer and Patty Padawer and Cathy Fry and Michael Gross of St. Louis, Mo., and Ryan Harmon, son of Sharon and Neil Harmon of Santa Ynez, Cal., have announced their engagement.

She is the grandson of the late Mary and the late Louis Wildbaum and Francis and the late Benjamin Harmon. The bride-to-be is a graduate of Whitfield School and Boston University where she earned a bachelor’s degree in communications. She is currently practicing public relations and heads up Story Dept.

Her fiance is a graduate of Chatsworth High School and California State University, Northridge where he earned a bachelor’s degree in radio/television/film. He is currently a creative director in the “branding experience” industry.

A June wedding is planned.

TOCKMANS CELEBRATE 50 YEARS

Marcene and Steve Tockman of Creve Coeur will celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary on Saturday, Mar. 31, 2007 at Meadow Brook Country Club. They were married on the same day and date in 1957 at the Coronado Hotel.

Together, they have raised three sons, have many diverse groups of friends and have been actively involved in the Jewish community, both serving as presidents of B’nai B’rith and B’nai B’rith Women, (now Jewish Women International), and the B’nai B’rith Youth Organization. Currently, Marcene is the vice-president/secretary of the St. Louis Strutters and Steve is their emcee. In 1999, Marcene was crowned queen of the Miss Missouri Senior America Pageant and they are both involved in the National Senior America Pageant. Marcene is president of the Missouri Cameo Club.

Their most special and favorite times are sharing their lives with their children Dr. Craig and Mindy, Rob and Joyce, and Gary and Laura — all Tockmans and their 5 and 1/2 grandchildren, Sydelle, Selia, Andy, Devin, Mallory and soon-to-be Julian.

Steve is recently retired and spends his mornings as a greeter for Lou Fusz Toyota while Marcene teaches tap dancing at the Jewish Community Center. They feel blessed to have reached this milestone and to celebrate with family and friends.

Celebrations of life

“Celebrations of Life” announcements are paid submissions and do not reflect any endorsement of the newspaper or its board or the St. Louis Jewish community at large.