ABOYNE – In a world of impermanence, a marriage lasting over seven decades is about as close as two people can become.
Ruth and Bill Wells celebrated their 71st wedding anniversary on Oct. 13 with a romantic lunch and photo shoot at the Wellington County Museum and Archives, followed by a personal tour.
The Wells are residents at the Wellington Terrace Long-Term Care Home; Ruth stays on the Apple Valley wing and Bill on Oak Glen.
Their relationship began many moons ago with a summertime visit to neighbouring cottage properties in Caledon, soon blossoming over icy dips in a nearby swimming hole.
“That is one thing we remember, isn’t it Willy – icy pond,” Ruth says to her husband on a recent Wednesday.
The pair were still in their teens, and Ruth saw the refreshing water as a “reason to get acquainted.”
Ruth, now 92, recalls Bill, now 95, unsuccessfully trying to hop a fence near the swimming hole resulting in a tumble.
Instead of getting upset by the situation (or Ruth’s laughter), Bill was good-humoured and took the affront in stride, a reaction she found quite attractive.
“He was a nice guy, and I knew he was honest, so anything he said to me I could believe, and he was good looking too,” Ruth says. “I guess he still is.”
Shaking his head and laughing, Bill responds, “She needs new glasses.”
They went their separate ways over the cooler seasons – Ruth to Kingsway and Bill to Etobicoke – but remained in touch, dating for a year-and-a-half before marrying at the Kingsway United Church in 1951.
Newlyweds Bill and Ruth Wells. Photo submitted
“It was a day just like this: sunny, warm,” Bill recalled.
He found Ruth to be smart, ambitious and good-looking.
“She was just the kind of girl I loved,” he said.
A honeymoon followed in history-rich Boston, but Ruth says it never really ended.
“It wasn’t over for a long time,” Ruth said. “We liked each other, and besides, Willy agreed to be a bit of a traveller for awhile.”
The couple ascended great heights of mountains around the United States and eventually settled in Bolton in 1955, raising four children.
Bill was educated at the Ontario College of Art and Design and spent his life’s work as a photoengraver before turning to fine art in retirement, painting landscapes with watercolour and oil.
He enjoyed painting scenes of Guelph, participated in the Insights Juried Exhibition of Fine Arts and has artwork at the National Gallery of Canada.
When not creating artwork, Bill educated himself on North American history, becoming a history buff in his own right.
Ruth embarked on a career as a nurse before turning to education, earning a Masters Degree, and teaching high school English – a career lasting three decades.
Ruth enjoyed imparting optimism to her students, teaching young women “that we could do anything as long as we thought about it and worked hard.”
The couple doesn’t have any wisdom or secrets to impart to readers looking for advice on what makes a marriage stand the test of time.
“I don’t have any advice, I think it’s got to be that unique thing between couples who get along and are going to stay together for a long time,” Ruth said.
“I wasn’t in the marriage as a sort of frivolous affair, it was real to me, and what you said at the alter was real to me.”
Ruth takes Bill’s hand and says “we have been very fortunate, haven’t we?”
What has made life worth living over the years comes down to what brings most of us satisfaction: family, good health, and something to do – and they would do it all over again.
