RUMFORD — On the occasion of their 50th wedding anniversary, Thomas and Jacqueline Fallon renewed their sacred matrimonial commitment to each other before God and were given the blessing of the Roman Catholic Church by the Rev. Philip Tracy during the celebration of Mass on Aug. 29 at St. Athanasius-St. John Church in Rumford.

Mr. Fallon and the former Jacqueline Thibodeau were married Aug. 27, 1960, at St. Athanasius Church in Rumford by the Rev. Robert Lee, with Robert Fallon as best man. They have seven children, Thomas, Mary, Katherine, Rebecca, Deirdre, Melissa and Patrick. They also have 15 grandchildren, Olivia, Heather, Brandi, Rikki, Jacob, Amelia, Martin, John, Jeffrey, Kyle, Andrew, Brian, Allison, Michael and Casey.

Mrs. Fallon worked at home raising their children and was active in the Catholic church from youth, chaired fairs and festivals, taught in the Confraternity of Christian Doctrine program, served on the St. John School committee and taught as a substitute at St. John’s School, mentoring her husband for many years in the Catholic religion.

Mr. Fallon, a U.S. Air Force veteran, worked at various occupations, finally settling in the Rumford paper mill, drew sports cartoons and wrote columns and reported for the Rumford Falls Times and has been active in the Maine literary scene. Mr. Fallon serves the church as an extraordinary minister of Holy Communion, conducting communion service as a lay person when necessary.

After the blessing at the Mass, a small family get-together took place at the Rumford Community Home.