Carlson 50th

CARLSON 50th

Dennis N. and Annalee Carlson celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary on Aug. 10, 2018, in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada, with a family dinner celebration.

Dennis met Ann Whieldon at Columbia Union College (now Washington Adventist University) in Takoma Park, Md. They were married in the Worthington (Ohio) Church on Aug. 10, 1968, soon after they graduated — Ann with a Bachelor of Science in nursing and Dennis with a Bachelor of Arts in theology.

Their life of service in both professions began in Ohio, after Dennis earned the Master of Divinity degree from the Adventist seminary at Andrews University in Berrien Springs, Mich. They were the pastoral couple in Dayton, Cleveland and Mansfield during the 1970s.

Ann was a nursing instructor at the Kettering College of Medical Arts. A call in 1980 to be the pastoral couple for the Puyallup Church in Washington state took them west.

Later Dennis began working in conference leadership, as secretary of the Washington and Upper Columbia conferences, and then as president of the Minnesota Conference, where Ann served as women's ministries and pastoral spouse ministries, in addition to full-time home care nursing with the University of Minnesota transplant team.

After Dennis served as North American Division assistant to the president for administration, they moved to Lincoln, Neb., in 2002, where Dennis was Mid-America Union Conference president and Ann was active in pastoral spouse ministry.

Ann's nursing career in four states included medical/surgical, neonatal, pediatrics, doctor's office and home care. The pair moved to Walla Walla, Wash., in 2008, where Dennis served at Walla Walla University as vice president for advancement. They are now both retired and enjoy caring for their grandchildren.

The Carlson family includes their son and daughter-in-law, Jonathan D. and Tonya Carlson of Spokane, Wash.; their daughter and son-in-law, Julie A. Carlson and Scott Straube of Dayton, Wash.; 2 grandchildren and 4 great-grandchildren.