YOUR BEAUTIFUL HOME

If you want to give a memorable party, you need a special place to have it. George and Helen Duey celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary in a large gazebo in their Rice, Wash., back yard.

After shopping for gazebo kits, George Duey decided he’d rather do it himself. “Some of the kits looked a little flimsy,” Duey said. “I was retired and had the time, so we jumped in.”

With the help of his son, Duey built the 18-foot octagonal structure. “We did get a carpenter to do the roof,” he said. “The whole thing was pretty intricate.”

Duey, an engineer who builds and flies experimental aircraft, was pleased with the result. “You know, I thought it would only take three or four months,” he said. “But it took over a year.”

The carpenter helped design and install the cupola, and the Dueys found the perfect weathervane at Ruby Street Antiques in Spokane.

The gazebo was finished in time to be the centerpiece of the anniversary party that was organized by the couple’s daughter. More than 100 well-wishers enjoyed two bluegrass bands and a concert by members of Spokane Opera.

“We had little twinkling lights all around it,” Helen Duey said. “It was just wonderful.”

The Dueys’ home sits on a hilltop that overlooks the Columbia River. A view they can appreciate from the gazebo.

“It’s a nice place to be,” Helen Duey said. “Any time of the year.”