50 years of marriage and still going strong for Riehles

Wallace and Janette Riehle of Palmer celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary Sunday at a reception held in their honor at the Palmer Church of God.

The couple were married in Harrington, Wash., on Dec. 27, 1959. Two years later, Wallace began his career with the U.S. Department of Agriculture. In 1965, along with their three children, Darlene, Vernon and Karen, they returned to the Mat-Su Valley where Janette had been raised. During the next 15 years, the family lived in Palmer, Wrangell, Juneau and Soldotna.

In 1980, Wallace was transferred to the USDA national office in Washington, D.C. Two years later, his career took him to Indiana, where the couple lived for the next 11 years. While there, Janette received two master’s degrees. She then pastored a church in southern Indiana for three years and was an associate pastor in Indianapolis for two years. She was also approved as a member of the American Association of Pastoral Counselor. When Wallace retired from the USDA in 1993, they returned to Alaska and co-pastored a church in Homer until 1997, when they moved to Soldotna.

In 2000, the Riehles returned to Palmer and since then have lived on the old family homestead which her grandparents homesteaded in 1934. Janette continued in private practice counseling until she retired two years ago. They are both active in the Palmer Church of God. In addition, Wallace volunteers at the Palmer Senior Center, teaches adult driving classes, and is past president of the Palmer Kiwanis Club.

All three of their children are married and the Riehles have eight grandchildren. Their two daughters and six of their grandchildren live in Anchorage and the Mat-Su Valley, while their son and his family live in Spokane, Wash.