J.D. and Syble Brown of Dahlonega celebrated their 50th anniversary on Sept. 26, 2008. A reception held in their honor at Mount Gilead Fellowship Church was given by their children David and Fran Wasson, Randy and Jan Brown, Pat and Stevie Walden and Randall and Cindy Barnes and their grandchildren Brooke and Matt Smith, Josh and Megan Walden, Kayla Walden, Haileigh and Holden Brown and Carmen Wilkins.

Their children and grandchildren gave them a vacation to Hilton Head Island, S.C., and took them to Stone Mountain.

The couple were married when they were both 18 years old by the Rev. C.C. Smith at the courthouse in Dahlonega. They have lived in Dahlonega ever since. J.D. worked for the telephone company for 40 years and Syble worked for Georgia Power for 25 years.

The couple have four children and six grandchildren.