Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

Don and Mary Hembree celebrated their 55th wedding anniversary on Feb. 28, 2025. They reside in Johnson City, Tennessee. Don is from Caryville, Tennessee, born to Della Hembree, and Mary is from Elizabethton, Tennessee, born to Earl and Hassie Hodge. They met and fell in love while Don was in the Marine Corps and would come into town with Mary’s cousin Carmen. They were married at Green Mountain FWB Church (where they are still faithful members), with the late Rev. L.D. Berry officiating.

Don and Mary have four children: Don and wife Susan, Mark and wife Suzanne, Rachel and husband Mike Scharberg, and Melissa and husband Mike Stapleton. They have eight grandchildren: Melanie, Kayla, Leann, Matthew, Dixie, Charli, MJ, and MaryGrace; and five great-grandchildren: Cheyenne, Easton, Madelyn, Carson, and Lucas.

They have accomplished much in their 55 years of marriage. Both retired from the James H. Quillen VAMC. They love going to church, going to the beach to eat crab legs, going for scenic drives, working puzzles, attending their grandkids’ sporting events, shopping for deals, and spending time with their family. You can find a weekly family gathering at their house every Sunday after church, as Mary always provides a made-with-love feast. If anyone is in need of a tool, they know that Don has it and will gladly lend it—and help them use it! You won’t find a home filled with more love and dedication to God and family than the Hembree household. Their family feels truly blessed to have been given these two beautiful parents and wants to wish them many more years of health and happiness!