The Jepsens, longtime Dot couple, celebrate 70 years of wedded life

Robert and Mary (Sim) Jepsen celebrated their 70th wedding anniversary on Dec. 1. The high school sweethearts met while living in Neponset where they were born and raised and were married at St Ann’s Church, Neponset on Dec. 1, 1951.

Bob was from Port Norfolk and Mary from Holbrook Avenue overlooking Garvey Park.

Mary attended the Minot School and then Dorchester High School for Girls after which she began a career in bookkeeping. Bob attended St Ann’s and then English High, where he was the class president his junior and senior years. He went on to Boston College where he graduated in 1951 with an accounting degree (he later earned an MBA at the Heights) and Army ROTC designation.

His career in the US Army took him to Iceland and then to Germany during the Cold War where he was captain of an artillery battery. While stationed in Germany, the couple traveled throughout Europe while tending to their growing family. They spent many weekends touring, camping in the Alps, and, at one point, visiting the Vatican with children in tow.

They returned home to Neponset in 1963 where their four youngest children would be born for a grand total of 11. Bob began his post-Army career in public accounting and then moved into healthcare administration, which included stints as VP at St Elizabeth’s Hospital in Brighton and as president of St John of God Hospital in Brighton. He finished his working career as president of Cardinal Cushing Hospital in Brockton.

Along the way, he served on many charitable boards, including Mount Saint Joseph Academy, where their five daughters attended high school.

Mary raised their children, all of whom attended St Ann’s. She helped with homework, typed many term papers, and answered urgent notes from teachers. As the children got older and found jobs, she chauffeured them, ensured they were on time for work, and kept their work clothes looking spiffy.

The couple stayed active in the community by getting involved with St Ann’s School, Church, and Band, Neponset Youth Hockey, Great Books, Girl Scouts, and Boy Scouts. In her free time, Mary enjoyed taking classes at UMass Boston and volunteered as a tour guide at Boston’s Museum of Science for more than 25 years. She was awarded the Marian Medal by St Ann’s School for her work with students at the parish school. 

Bob and Mary spent their retirement years traveling across the US visiting family, and traveling around the globe, including trips to Europe, Russia, the Caribbean and Latin America. They now reside at Linden Ponds in Hingham while trying to keep up with their 10 surviving children and their spouses, 25 surviving grandchildren, and 2 great grandchildren. 

In a statement to the Reporter, their children wrote: “During this holiday season, we are reminded of all the wonderful memories of living in Neponset, including 55 years on Arbroth Street where Thanksgiving dinner for 45 — or more— was not uncommon. Their family is very thankful for their examples of hard work, faith, and enduring love, and for the emphasis they have always placed on the importance of family.”

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