A Prince Albert couple who celebrated 65 years of marriage on Saturday said there’s no secret to staying married.
Ed and Helen Boyle celebrated their 65th anniversary with friends and family at the Nordale Hall. The couple were married on May 17, 1958, and while they get a lot of questions about how to stay married, the answers they give are simple.
“I was asked that question and my first answer was, ‘very carefully,’” Ed said.
“I really don’t have an answer,” Helen added. “You just keep on going.”
The anniversary celebration was put together by their children. The family has seven children, 15 grandchildren and several great grandchildren including one on the way.
Helen said that the whole event was wonderful and Ed agreed, noting how many friends came to celebrate.
“This is awesome to have all our friends show up,” Ed said. “There is so many … who could not make it today because of other plans already. It is just awesome that these people show up. Our children did this for us.”
Ed and Helen first met in Grade 5 at St. John School in Prince Albert, but didn’t get to know each other well until starting a club together as teenagers. Ed then phoned Helen and asked her to come to the teenage dance, and she agreed.
“It is surprising that it’s come to this. It’s not something that you think about when you get married. We are very, very fortunate, Helen said.
“I think our faith has kept us together and that’s what we can say,” Ed added.
The couple lived in Nordale for 39 years and now lived in the nearby RM of Buckland.
Although the hall where they attended that first teenage dance is long gone from Nordale, they said Nordale was still a great location for the celebration.
Helen said they both moved to Prince Albert when they were six years old. She spent most of her life as a homemaker raising their seven children.
“We didn’t think that we would be alive in 65 years,” Ed said. “We have had our ups and downs. We had a few close calls, but we came out of it. With the help of our children we are still here.”
“I think all I can say is our children have just been marvelous,” Helen added. “They have been our staple since we started.”
The pair arrived by limousine before the afternoon started with a chance for food and fellowship. Attendees were asked to sign a tablecloth as a keepsake to celebrate the day. There were signed tablecloths from previous momentous anniversaries on display.
There was a short program emceed by their son Michael. The children, grandchildren and great grandchildren were introduced and fun facts about Helen and Ed were read by family. The couple was toasted by those in attendance and people were invited to share memories of Ed and Helen.
“We are very happy for whoever came and from far to be here,” Helen said.
Michael.oleksyn@paherald.sk.ca
