Gessele 50th

GESSELE 50th

Glen Gessele and Marybeth Watkins were married on Aug. 12, 1968. It all started at Union College in Lincoln, Neb., where they met the fall of 1966. Glen was from North Dakota and Marybeth from Louisiana. They were married in Jonesboro, La., a couple of months after both graduated from Union College.

They were part of the Kansas Conference as a pastoral couple until 1979, when they moved from Enterprise Academy in Kansas and joined the Oregon Conference.

Marybeth was a stay-at-home mom while their sons were home and then worked as an in-home hospice caregiver until retiring in 2017.

After 23 years in pastoral ministry, Glen transitioned to the Oregon Conference planned giving and trust services department, where he continues working on a part-time basis. They have lived in the Laurelwood area near Gaston, Ore., since 1979.

The Gessele family includes Todd and Gioni Gessele of Oregon City, Ore.; Chad Gessele of Portland, Ore.; 3 grandchildren and a great-grandchild.