Jasmine Smith spent five weeks studying British literature and philosophy of religion at Oxford University this summer.

The 2010 Franklin High School graduate took frequent trips to London, which was 45 minutes from Oxford. She also traveled to Stonehenge, a prehistoric stone circle monument.

Over spring break, Jasmine did mission work in Haiti and is considering doing mission work next summer.

The daughter of Janet Giles of Franklin and Joseph Lynch of Richmond, Jasmine will be a senior media communications major at Southern Wesleyan University in Central, S.C.

• Mary and Carlton Harrell celebrated their 59th wedding anniversary at Southampton Memorial Hospital’s Skilled Care Unit, where Carlton was a patient.

They shared a dinner from Red Lobster, and Mary brought roses from her garden.

The Gates County, N.C., couple met at Gates Elementary School. The first time Mary saw Carlton she knew she wanted to marry him.

The Harrells married Aug. 8, 1953, and have five children, six grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.

• At 11 months old, Tripp Munford got his first haircut from his great-grandfather, Ralph Ross, 79, of Franklin.

The owner of Ralph’s barbershop on Crescent Drive in Franklin has been cutting hair his entire adult life, including while in the Navy.

Tripp is the son of Junior and Amanda Munford of Hunterdale.

• Courtland authors Clyde and Shirley Vaughan will host a book signing for “You Can Live Without a Pancreas” from noon to 2 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 18, at Boykins Beans & Ice Cream at 32119 S. Main St.

Due to a surgeon’s mistake during routine gallbladder surgery, Clyde lost his pancreas. After weeks in the hospital, struggling to stay alive, he was released with an insulin pump and enzymes to digest his food.

He received little to no information as to how to actually live without a pancreas. Even his doctors couldn’t advise him.

After much research, as well as trial and error, Clyde found a regimen for living a full life.

GWEN ALBERS is managing editor of The Tidewater News. Her email address is gwen.albers@tidewaternews.com.