The kids who met at the car wash celebrate 50-years of marriage

LAFOLLETTE, TN (WLAF) – Patsy Henegar and Vernon Wilhoit attended La Follette High School in the 1960s but never really knew one another. “I knew he played football for the Owls, but that was about it,” said Patsy.

Early spring of Patsy’s senior year, she was washing her car at the car wash that used to be behind the Peer gas station next to LHS(now La Follette Middle School). “He pulled up on his motorcycle, and we started talking,” Patsy said. The couple went to prom together that May. Vernon grew up off Camp Ridge Road while Patsy lived on Knoxville Hollow Road.

Patsy graduated La Follette High and Vernon stayed on another year to play football. With Patsy away at college, their relationship broke off. A couple of years later, they reunited and married (September 4, 1971) while Vernon was working in Ohio. Then it was on to North Carolina where Vernon worked on the constructing of I-40 under his foreman, father-in-law Walt Henegar. The Carolina gig ran nearly four years.

Son Casey was born in Asheville during the couple’s days on the I-40 project. Daughter Keysa was born in Knoxville after the Wilhoits moved back to La Follette. They moved back here to work on the new road up the valley with Walt and never left. It’s the same road that nearly 50-years later is being widened.

Given the pandemic, it’ll be a quiet celebration at home this weekend. Patsy hopes that later on they’ll be able to take a trip to celebrate.

“I feel so blessed that God put Vernon in my life. We’ve been truly blessed for 50-years, and that includes two children and two grandchildren,” said Patsy.

Today, on September 4, 2021, we wish Patsy and Vernon a Happy 50th Wedding Anniversary. (WLAF NEWS PUBLISHED – 09/04/2021-6AM)