Edward and Dr. Frances Walsh of Slippery Rock celebrated 50 years of marriage with a family dinner hosted by their children at the William Penn Hotel in Pittsburgh.

The former Frances Ernest married Walsh on Dec. 30, 1954, during a civil ceremony in Oil City. After returning from Japan, where Walsh had served in the U.S. Army, the couple had a second marriage ceremony in 1958 at St. Joseph Roman Catholic Church in Verona.

They have two children, Susan Walsh of Rochester Hills, Mich., and Timothy Walsh of Hong Kong. They also have two granddaughters.

Walsh is retired from Slippery Rock University, where he was a professor in the English Department.

Mrs. Walsh is also retired from Slippery Rock University, where she worked as a professor in the elementary education and library science departments.

The couple continues to teach courses for the Institute for Learning in Retirement at the university. They have also led folklore and cultural study tours of Ireland since their retirement.