鈥淵ou were 18 when we were married,鈥� Emily Smith told her husband Syd from their Turtle Mountain balcony overlooking Vernon鈥檚 cityscape.
鈥淚 was lying,鈥� he said with a sly smile. 鈥淚 was only 17.鈥�
Laughter, a good sense of humour and family are the keys to this Vernon couple鈥檚 successful 60 years of marriage.
Emily, 79, was born in Vernon and was introduced to Syd through mutual friends and the pair clicked. They were married July 16, 1960, when they were 19 and 18, respectively 鈥� not 17.
Syd purchased Emily鈥檚 wedding gown and veil from Blocks Apparel 鈥� a shop owned by Lydia Block, which stood a few stores down from the old Eaton鈥檚, where Raku Rice and Noodle Bar stands today, according to Vintage Vernon.
鈥淭he only reason I did that is because she didn鈥檛 have any money,鈥� Syd said with a hearty laugh.
Emily was studying hairdressing at Olga鈥檚 in Vernon at the time the two tied the knot.
鈥淲e were so young,鈥� Emily said.
The two celebrated their day among family.
Emily said they couldn鈥檛 afford a big white wedding so they kept it small and intimate.
鈥淭he reason our marriage has lasted as long as it has is that it has been all family all the time,鈥� Syd said.
鈥淲e were never big partygoers or people that had friends over all the time.鈥�
鈥淯nlike now,鈥� he said as the doorbell rings.
Darcy, eldest son of the Smiths visiting from Grande Prairie, Alta., answered the door and had to ask two of the Smiths鈥� friends 鈥� who happen to celebrate an anniversary the day prior 鈥� to try calling again.
Sticking it out through 鈥渢rials and tribulations,鈥� Emily said is a key component to a successful marriage.
鈥淎 lot of our friends said we would only last one year,鈥� she said, noting most of the couples that offered that warning have since divorced.
Syd cited an article he had read; 鈥淚f you want your marriage to last and have a good life, you have to help your wife with the dishes. Well, I can guarantee that guy has never been married 60 years.鈥�
鈥淚t would be nice to have a man help with the dishes,鈥� Emily said with a laugh.
鈥淭hank God for dishwashers,鈥� Syd said.
The pair have spent years up north in Fort St. John and around the Peace Country, but Vernon鈥檚 warm climate and Emily鈥檚 relatives were always a drawing factor that saw the couple return home.
The three Smith sons were raised in Vernon, spending countless hours in the arenas, representing different teams.
鈥淓ither the kids were dragging us around town, or we were dragging them around,鈥� Syd recalled.
The snowbirds have spent the past 24 winters in Arizona, but Syd said in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, 鈥淵ou鈥檙e not going to catch me there this year.鈥�
Otherwise, the couple said the worldwide pandemic hasn鈥檛 changed too much of their routine.
鈥淲hat are we going to do?鈥� Emily asked.
鈥淭here鈥檚 nothing to do.鈥�
鈥淲ith this COVID thing, the casino quit and I had to go get another wallet,鈥� Syd joked.
鈥淚 was always at the casino,鈥� Emily admitted.
鈥淚t was the only thing I could do.鈥�
Emily was diagnosed with macular degeneration, a medical condition that affects vision.
Syd said Emily hasn鈥檛 been able to do a lot of the things she loved to do because of it, including crosswords.
鈥淪he was famous for crosswords,鈥� he said.
鈥淪he can鈥檛 do those anymore.鈥�
Emily said driving isn鈥檛 even an option anymore.
鈥淚鈥檓 going to buy a Bentley,鈥� Syd said.
鈥淟ike Driving Miss Daisy.鈥�
As the two prepare to celebrate 60 years of marriage 鈥� which Syd said is just another number 鈥� the Smiths will be surrounded by immediate family and treated to a fishing trip, a great dinner and perhaps a round or two of golf.
鈥淲e would like to wish our parents, Syd and Emily Smith, a very special and happy 60th wedding anniversary,鈥� Darcy wrote in a special message from himself, his wife Charlee and brother Todd Smith.
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Caitlin.clow@vernonmorningstar.com
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