Sometimes the “I Do’s” don’t add up to much but when John and Tommye Johnson made the call in 1958, it really stuck. The Johnsons raised four children and shown are their 15 grandchildren (ages 12-22) gathering at Calloway Gardens for the official 50th anniversary celebration. The couple met at University of West Georgia and several years into their marriage began Nanston Dental Group which has grown steadily through the years with offices in Gwinnett and other counties. This ever growing family remains close through business and family ties. Very telling is their “Going Away” picture where Tommye remains every inch the radiant bride while the groom hams it up for the crowd.
Another couple who met in school is Mandy Allison and Jonathan Quartermaine. They met at the “silent Table” at McConnell Middle School where they were both sequestered for “chewing gum”. Their friendship thrived through the years and they began dating as Juniors at Grayson High School. The bride will be given away this summer by her parents, Mike Allison, South Gwinnett High School Head Girl’s Basketball Coach and Laurie Allison, Principal of Loving Elementary School. Should tissues be pulled out at the ceremony, we assume it will be to wipe away tears not gum.
Saratoga Swim Club in Lawrenceville has families which I have photographed year after year but this year the athletic Munck children caught my attention because of their grace under pressure when17 year old Tanner insisted on including the smiley face balloon in his picture. Tanner is an Assistant Coach and the balloon was a girl from 8 year old team member Lauren. Children of George and Gina Munck of Lawrenceville, Tanner and sister Alyssa, age 15, attend Central Gwinnett High School while 9 year old Bailey attends St. John Neumann.
When we do pageants and need to photograph the baby contestants, the babies remind us(by screaming and crying) that they have their own time schedule and it usually doesn’t coincide with our picture time. When my photographer Meredith Chastain returned from Miss Grayson she was excited about adorable Kylee Martin, not quite a year, who did smile in every frame. Kylee won Best Personality as well as Peoples Choice and already walks, talks and gets into “Everything”. Mom Ashley Collins is 2006 Brookwood High School graduate and Dad Corey Martin is a 2006 Loganville High School Graduate.
Class of 2009 Senior portraits are off and running and it is delightful to find out the range of activities the students excel in. As a horsewoman myself, I brightened up when Brooke Lankford walked in with the accessories that signal accomplished dressage equestrian —top hat, white gloves and double bridle. Brooke has been riding since she was 9 years old and has a breed of horse, “Dutch warmblood”( a 16’2” chestnut named Miroko) which is particularly suited for this type of horse show. As is typical of this level of riding and showing, Brooke rides every day and has traveled around the country to show her horse.
Tyler Mineo is an 8 year student of Tae Kwan Do and will head to Bejiing to watch Coach Stephen Lopez compete in the Olympics. Tyler was also seen as Scrooge in the Mill Creek production of Christmas Carol. So when we do Senior portraits, we’re reminded that life in Gwinnett can involve swim teams and pageants and plays right here or world events across the planet.
