Joy and George Deathe mark 65th anniversary

November 21, 2013 · 0 Comments

By Bill Rea
Some marriages don’t last long, but Bolton area residents Joy and George Deathe have proven some can go for many years; like 65.
The couple welcomed family and friends to the celebration of their 65th anniversary Sunday, although the party was about two months late.
They were actually wed Sept. 18, 1948 at Burnamthorpe United Church in what is now Mississauga, and it was simple time constraints that delayed the celebration 65 years later.
“There’s never time in September,” Mrs. Deathe observed. “I don’t know how we had time to get married.”
The two actually grew up on neighbouring farms in the Burnhamthorpe area, although they didn’t know each other well as youngsters. Mrs. Deathe said her husband tells her they went to the same school, but since he was older, she didn’t remember him much from those days.
But that eventually changed.
The couple raised three children; Don, who lives in East York, Bruce, who runs the family farm in Albion, and Betty Armitstead, who lives near the farm. They also boast of five grandsons and two granddaughters, and three great-grandsons and four great-granddaughters.
Mr. Deathe said he was a farner all his life, maintaining a tradition that started with his great-great-grandfather. They bought their current farm in 1953, moving in the following year.
Mrs. Deathe worked in Toronto, but she knew what to expect when she got married.
“I grew up on a dairy farm, so Iknew what I was getting into,” she said. “Seven days a week, 365 days a year, you went nowhere. You were there for milking and you were back there again at night.”
“It was all farmers when we came, and for many years,” she added. “Now they’ve scattered.”
“This was a wonderful community in which to raise a family,” Mrs. Deathe reflected. “If you needed anything or needed help, boy, everyone was there to help one another.”
This was also a time when people were usually at home during the day, so neighbours really knew each other.
The Deathes were not able to offer much advice, when it comes to haw to stay married for 65 years.
“I married a wonderful girl,” Mr. Deathe said. “We were always busy on the farm.”
“I guess it’s cooperation,” his wife added, pointing out that was a big part in getting along in the community. She recalled their telephone was on a party line at one time, with about 18 other users on it. She said one had to know how to cooperate if someone else needed the line. It had benefits too. She said if there was a fire on one of the farms, the operator would ring the phones seven times, and that would be the signal for the other farmers to get to the scene, often getting there before the firefighters.
“I think we’ve been very blessed in all respects,” Mrs. Deathe said “We’ve had a good life.”
“I’d do it again,” Mr. Deathe added.