A.V. COUPLE KEEPS BUSY TO FULLY ENJOY MARRIED LIFE.

Byline: Bettie Rencoret Senior Columnist

The first half of their lives was so full that neither Bill nor Annabelle Pond had time to think about settling down or seeking serious romantic liaisons.

Since they met in 1962 and married in 1963, it's been a new ball game for both of them who were used to doing pretty much as they pleased.

``This last half of life, has truly been the one for which the first was made,'' said Annabelle. ``We have enjoyed being busy together. We like the same things and we don't really feel all that old.''

Born and raised in Massachusetts, Bill spent World War II as a Navy weatherman. After the war he became an accountant. After working for Pullman Standard in Massachusetts, the General Accounting Office in Washington, D.C., and Pratt and Whitney in Connecticut, he picked up stakes and moved to San Francisco. In February 1962 he moved to Palmdale to work for Lockheed.

Annabelle, who grew up in the East and South, came to Redondo Beach with her mother, a teacher, after the war ended. She transferred her University of Maryland credits to the University of Southern California.

She received her bachelor of arts degree in French in 1947 and in 1950 was granted her general secondary teaching credential from the same school.

When her mother took a sabbatical to go to Paris, she took Annabelle with her.

``I profited more from her sabbatical than she did,'' said Annabelle. ``I enrolled at the Sorbonne and did a graduate year in French.''

When she returned to the United States, she went back to USC to study for her master's degree. She was still writing her thesis in 1961 when she was hired to teach French and Latin at Palmdale High School.

In 1962 she received her master's degree in French and met Bill.

Though they had lived in apartments across from each other, they had never met until the day she was moving to another part of town. She was having difficulty trying to move some heavy boxes when he walked out of his place.

``I saw a pretty girl in shorts so I asked her if she needed help,'' he said, laughing. ``You have to know that Annabelle never turned down help in her life.

``He asked me who was going to unload it for me and I said I guessed I'd have to get a neighbor to do it,'' Annabelle said, smiling.

Bill offered to do it, and followed her to her new house.

When it was all done he asked her if she had anything in the house to eat. She said no, so he drove all the way back to his place, and returned with two steaks from his freezer and a six pack of beer.

After a year's courtship they were married July 20, 1963, in Redondo Beach.

Still striving for greater practical knowledge, Annabelle took a sabbatical from 1969 to 1970 and went to Guadalajara, Mexico, to perfect her Spanish.

A short time after her return, she was transferred to Antelope Valley High School where she stayed until she retired in 1981.

Bill graduated from CSUN with a BA degree in history.

A member of Sacred Heart Church, he taught briefly in the church school and for a number of years sang in the choir.

In 1968 he became a social worker for the Los Angeles County Department of Social Services. He retired from that position in March 1980.

Throughout their 34 years of marriage they have devoted much time to community, social, cultural and academic activities.

Bill is a member of the board of Lancaster Chapter 549, American Association of Retired Persons (AARP) and served two terms as the organization's treasurer. For several years he was the coordinator for the 55 Alive seniors driving program.

He is a member of the Salvation Army Advisory Board and until recently was a holiday bell ringer. He also assisted with the holiday baskets and the federal surplus cheese programs.

For a time he served as vice chairman for the Antelope Valley Health Planning Council and is a board member of the Antelope Valley Community Concerts Association. Until he became incapacitated with back problems, he also volunteered as an usher for the concerts.

He is a legionnaire in the Palmdale Loyal Order of the Moose lodge and a member of the Lancaster Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks Lodge 1625.

Annabelle has for several years served the local AARP as its legislative chairman.

She is past president of the Alliance Francaise international French cultural organization, is a member of the Antelope Valley California Retired Teachers Association, the American Association of University Women, Daughters of the American Revolution, the Lancaster Emblem Club and the Modern Language Association.

Both of the Ponds have recently become members of the Antelope Valley Genealogical Society.

LANCASTER - Menus for the week at the senior life nutrition sites in Lancaster, Palmdale and Pearblossom have been announced. All congregate meals at $2 donation include bread, margarine and coffee, tea or milk.

Monday: Hot turkey sandwich, mashed potatoes, parslied carrots, tossed salad, pineapple.

Tuesday: Lemon herbed fish, rice pilaf, marinated vegetables, three-bean salad, Apple Brown Betty.

Wednesday: Sloppy Joes, macaroni salad, peas and carrots, tossed salad, orange.

Thursday: Pinto beans with ham, cornbread, beets, tossed salad, pudding.

Friday: Baked chicken, au gratin potatoes, squash, fiesta coleslaw, apple.

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PHOTO Bill and Annabelle met in 1962, and have enjoyed being busy together since.

Bettie Rencoret/Special to the Daily News