Reverend James Robert and Martha Jane (Walker) Copeland Reverend James Robert and Martha Jane (Walker) Copeland will be celebrting their 65th wedding anniversary with an open house reception at the Aldersgate United Methodist Church on Saturday, August 6, 2016 from 2:00 to 5:00 p.m. Friends and family are invited to attend. The couple requests no gifts be given. Jim and Marty were high school sweethearts and graduated from Dover High School in Boone County, Indiana. They were married on August 10, 1951 in the Presbyterian Church in Shannondale, Indiana. Jim served with the United States Air Force in Korea. After working in industry he went into the ministry in 1962. He earned degrees from Purdue University and Garrett Theological Seminary. He was ordained an Elder in 1968 in what is now the Indiana United Methodist Conference. He pastored churches in northwest Indiana for a total of 43 years. During that time, Marty graduated from Indiana Business College and worked as an executive secretary in Lafayette, Elkhart, Gary and Knox. They were active in the Monticello United Methodist Church where Jim continued his ministry on their staff. They moved to Fort Wayne twelve years ago to help care for their three youngest grandchildren. They now attend Aldersgate UMC where Jim sings in the choir and is part of their Stephen ministry. Along with caring for family, Marty enjoys sewing, crocheting and knitting doll clothes and other items for them. She also researches genealogy and writes family history. They are the parents of three daughters, Joy (Barry) Reeser of Monticello, Tamara (Ken) Low, and Lara (G.R. IV) Rich, both of Fort Wayne. Their two sons, Robert (Susan Koekenberg) Copeland and Samuel Copeland are deceased. They have eleven grandchildren, eight step-grandchildren, twelve great-grandchildren, and two step great-grandchildren. One great grandson is deceased.