FAMILY

Family celebrates 50 years of vacationing in Ocean City with a wedding

Jeff Neiburg
The Daily Times

(Correction: This article has been updated to correct the name of Wayne and Carol Wolfsheimer's oldest son, John Wolfsheimer. The original article called him Mark.)

Wayne and Carol Wolfsheimer still remember the sand dunes that used to be more present and visible in Ocean City.

Carol and Wayne Wolfsheimer have been coming to Ocean City for the last 50 years to vacation. Monday, July 24, 2017.

These days, it’s hard to envision a time when Ocean City looked any different than it does now, with towering condominiums and hotels, restaurants and bars on every block, and thousands traversing Coastal Highway in cars and on foot.

But when you’ve been coming to Maryland’s largest and most popular summer getaway for as long as the Wolfsheimers have, you’ve probably seen it all.

This marks the 50th summer Wayne and Carol Wolfsheimer, 77 and 75, respectively, have spent their vacation in Ocean City and the 35th they've spent at the High Point South Condominiums on Coastal Highway near 112th Street.

And to honor that 50th year they celebrated with a wedding.

The Wolfsheimers' younger son, Terry, 48, married his now-wife Lori on July 24 on the beach outside High Point South.

The Wolfsheimers, who now reside in Carroll County after living in Baltimore County, said it was a fun wedding with music and dancing, catered by Micky Fins of Ocean City.

Terry and Lori Wolfsheimer got married on the beach in Ocean City on Monday, July 24, 2017. Terry's grandparents Carol and Wayne Wofsheimer have been coming to Ocean City for the last 50 years to vacation.

“Not in a million years,” Wayne Wolfsheimer said when asked if he imagined spending 50 summers here and celebrating a wedding back when he and Carol, with just one child at the time, started coming to Ocean City with Carol’s parents.

He remembered taking their oldest child, John, now 52, over to see the horse races at Ocean Downs before it added a casino.

Their restaurant favorites have gone from Hooper's to Phillip's and now Ropewalk.

In the early days, the couple spent time at Sea Terrace and also the Beachmark Motel, eventually growing their family to five with the addition of Terry and daughter Danielle.

“It’s been a pleasure,” Carol said. “We’re now our parents and our kids are now us.”

No one has ever suggested taking the family vacation elsewhere, Wayne Wolfsheimer said. Both Wayne and Carol said they keep coming back because they enjoy the family atmosphere Ocean City offers, as well as its proximity to Salisbury and Berlin, and the ease of driving north to Ocean View to eat the Sunday breakfast at the VFW.

Wayne served in the United States Army for 30 years and is a member of the 29th Infantry Division. Carol had all three of their children while Wayne was away serving.

An image from the August 23, 1985 Beachcomber features members of the Wolfsheimer family as well as some friends.

A photo in a Beachcomber newspaper from Aug.23, 1985, features a picture of Terry and Danielle Wolfsheimer, as well as other family members and friends.

“We went from the Fab Five to the Fab 15, just added the 15th yesterday,” Wayne Wolfsheimer said.

And with their oldest grandchild being 18, it probably won’t be long until that number grows as a family tradition continues in Ocean City.

Been coming to Ocean City or the Delaware Beaches for a long time? Share your story with us by emailing rmarshall@delmarvanow.com.