A Wedding Anniversary Celebration Afterall

Good news regarding Chafin and Ethel Elliott!

After hearing on Bed-Stuy Patch of his desire to celebrate his 60th wedding anniversary, the Playground Committee of Pratt Towers pulled together an anniversary cake reception for the beloved couple Monday night.

The reception was held in the community room of the building where the couple resides, so the building’s tenants, who have come to know the Elliotts well over the years, could attend.

Mrs. Ethel Elliott was in great spirits as she smiled and chatted lightly with the guests. Music played, and four different cakes were served, while Chafin Elliott milled about garrulous as ever.

Tenants of all ages who have known the Elliotts since the tenants were small children shared heartwarming stories and funny memories of how the couple has impacted their lives.

“My mom and I, every time we saw them, we were like, ‘Oh, there they go,' because they were so beautiful together,” said Marleen Gooding, 64, who first met the Elliotts when she moved in the building at age 16. “He was super handsome, she was super gorgeous. As a teenager, I thought to myself, ‘Man, when I grow up, I want to find a man lookin’ like that!'”

Leslie Sierra was 8 years old when she moved into the building almost 50 years ago. She remembers the Elliotts as a very loving couple who did everything together: “I remember Chafin as very dedicated and culturally aware. He always had a nice, fun and loving spirit. Now that I’m grown, I really appreciate them.”

“I am in awe of how he has stuck by his lady all of these years… with all that she has gone through, for him to have stayed, no matter what,” said Gooding. “That’s why the respect that I have for Chafin is just beyond, beyond… his strength, his character. They are the best.”