Warbles to celebrate 50th wedding anniversary

Don and Bev Warble will celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary Aug. 16 at the Palmer Depot.

Don and Bev met at Westover Air Force Base, Chicopee, Massachusetts, where they were both medics. They were married Aug. 29, 1964, in Ionia, Michigan, right after Don completed his service.

Don then spent two years in X-ray class at Elkhart, Indiana. Upon graduation he accepted a job with the Veterans Administration in Fort Wayne, Indiana. He was with the VA for about two years when he was accepted to the Fort Wayne Police Department where he worked for the next 21 years, first as a patrol officer then as a crime scene investigator for 14 years. During this time, both Bev and Don were members of a volunteer fire department serving as firefighters and EMTs. They decided to move to Alaska in 1999, moving to Fairbanks where Don worked at Fairbanks Memorial Hospital until 2007. Bev was not idle during these times as she worked for family physicians for 18 years then worked for a tool and die company until they moved to Alaska.

They were blessed with three children: Sonja Nelson, Todd Warble, and Andrea Connelly. Sonja and her husband Bryan live in Palmer and have four children: Cassandra Sas, Austin Sas, Cody Sas, Brandon Nelson, and grandson Haidyn. Andrea has two sons, Collyn Connelly and Cameron Connelly. She still lives in Fort Wayne. Todd passed away December 2003.

Now that they are totally retired, Don has time to volunteer with the Red Cross, hospital, and local disaster preparedness groups. Bev volunteers at the hospital and church. She also loves to quilt.