Dechennes honored on golden date

Dale and Carol Dechenne were honored June 25 with a reception for their 50th wedding anniversary at the United Methodist Church Fellowship Hall in St. John.

They met at the church while attending MYF meetings and later became high school sweethearts.

Both attended Washington State College and prior to their senior year were married Aug. 27, 1961, in the St. John Methodist Church by Pastor Howard Hopkins.

Both were employed as school teachers in Washougal, for two years.

Dale taught high school science, and Carol taught fifth grade.

They moved to Bothel where Carol was employed by the Bothel School District while Dale attended the University of Washington for a year.

They returned to St. John New Year’s Eve Day, 1965.

Dale helped on the farm and taught one year in Ewan and three years in Lamont.

In 1970, he began farming full time with his brother and father.

Dale and Carol have been active in the Methodist Church and the local and state boards of Junior Miss, serving as state chairmen for several years with Butch and Diane Gering of Ritzville. Dale served on the local conservation board and the St. John Supply board. They raised three daughters and farmed until partial retirement in 2006. More than 100 guests attended the reception hosted by their daughters and their spouses, Sue Ellen Dechenne, Sally and Chris Bryan and Cheryl and Ted Sheedy. They have four grandchildren, two step-grandchildren and a step-great-granddaughter.