SIDNEY — Joe and Jocele Fahnestock, of Sidney, will celebrate 50 years of marriage on Saturday, April 3.
Joe and the former Jocele Swisher were married at the United Methodist Church in Zanesfield at 2:30 in the afternoon on April 3, 1971. The bride’s parents were married in the same church on July 19, 1942. The Rev. Brian Wood officiated the ceremony; this was the first ceremony Wood officiated in the first church assigned to him since his arrival to the United States from England. Joe and Jocele consider it an honor to be the first couple he married. Witnesses to the wedding were maid of honor Lois Cartwright, bridesmaids Rebecca Egbert, Karen Weaver, best man George Fahnestock, groomsmen John Fahnestock, Tom Coon, flower girl Cheryl Weaver, and ringbearer Tom Cartwright. The reception following the wedding was held at the curch.
The couple were introduced by friends George and Norma Farno and Pauline Warren after putting up much resistance to the idea of blind dates. They honeymooned in the Great Smoky Mountains in Tennessee.
Joe and Jocele are the parents of Cara and Rob Hinkle and Christy and Michael Brewster, both of Bowling Green. They have one step-grandson, Steve Hinkle of Celina.
Jocele is the daughter of the late Joe and Lois Swisher of Zanesfield. She is the sister of Lois and Lee Cartwright, of St. Marys.
Joe is the son of the late Raymond and Garland Fahnestock, of Sidney. He is the brother of Mary Fahnestock, of Dayton, Joyce Gibbs and Janice James, of Dayton, George and Wanda Fahnestock, of Sidney, John and Penny Fahnestock, of Sidney, Rebecca and Harry Egbert, of Anna, and Janet and Jim Stephens, of Sidney.
Joe is retired from Baumfolder and Jocele is retired from the city of Sidney where she worked as city clerk.
