On June 4, 2012, long-time Eagle River residents John and Roberta "Bobbie" Falcone will celebrate their 60th wedding anniversary. As a young couple fresh out of the Air Force, a memorable adventure to the grocery store left them with just enough cash to buy and share a single baked potato for dinner. Now, sixty years later, what they share is a lifetime of experiences and memories. For their devotion and commitment to each other, their family, friends, and the Alaskan community, we wish them congratulations.
Prior to meeting in Cheyenne, Wyo., both Bobbie and John were born and raised in Pennsylvania. John grew up in West Chester, Pa., as the resident rascal in a family of three brothers and four sisters. Meanwhile, in Philadelphia, Bobbie spent her childhood playing basketball for her high school and working at a local soda shop. Both ultimately joined the Air Force in their late teens and early twenties.
Stationed at the same base in Cheyenne, Bobbie and John met through a mutual friend, and John's sweetness caused Bobbie to break another date. They were married in 1952 in Cheyenne, and shortly thereafter were transferred to Alaska, where they have since made their home.
In 1961, Bobbie and John became proud parents to a daughter, Mariann Falcone. Over the course of the years that followed, Bobbie worked at the FAA, Alaska Fish and Game, and an Eagle River greenhouse. She became a founding member of the Eagle River Softball Association and a devoted softball mom. John meanwhile built a career in the grocery business; working at Piggly Wiggly, S&F Foods, Eagle River's Value City, and ultimately as head executive and buyer for Alaska Wholesale, he solidified a reputation as an unforgettable character.
Alaska residents may especially know Bobbie and John through their involvement in Beta Sigma Phi Sorority, and as the owners of U-Do Mini Storage in Eagle River. If you are lucky enough to know them, you know that John and Bobbie brighten the lives of everyone they meet with kindness, laughter, and of course a little mischievousness. Happy 60th you two!