Valentine couples’ love lasts for a lifetime

Every February 14 people have a reminder of how important it is to have someone to love or somebody to love you. Some married couples in the Quoddy area have celebrated a great many Valentine Days together and feel very fortunate to have found the right person with whom to share their lives.

Young sweethearts weather life together
Hazen "Bud" and Marjorie Mitchell of Lord's Cove, Deer Island, will be celebrating their 68th wedding anniversary in April.
Although they both grew up on Deer Island, Bud Mitchell and Marjorie Pendleton didn't meet until high school. "I was the second class to graduate from there, and he was in the third one," recalls 89-year-old Marjorie of her slightly younger husband. "No one had any cars on the island back then, so we never went very far."
After becoming "acquaintances" with Bud and graduating from high school, Marjorie attended commercial college in St. Stephen and then moved to Fredericton with a girlfriend to work.
"He followed me around for three years off and on," she recalls of her future husband, who was a hard-working fisherman. "It was a long time ago, and I don't really remember why Bud originally caught my eye, but we discovered we liked the same things."
Nineteen-year-old Hazen and 20-year-old Marjorie were married by the Rev. Lloyd Smith on April 2, 1947, in the bride's Lord's Cove home.
Life was not easy for the newlyweds. "We slept in a converted pool room while our house was being built across the road," says Marjorie. "I had no fridge or washer, so I had to go to neighbors for help. We didn't get into that house until our first son was two years old."
Marjorie worked for many years in the school office, including a long stint with Principal Sid Peabody, while raising sons Brian, Michael and Daniel. When the fishing wasn't good, Bud would go clamming or even trap rabbits for the needed income.
"We weren't rich, but we've always had enough," sums up Marjorie. "We had a good life."
Despite having no daughters, Marjorie was active with the Girl Guides on the island as well being involved with the activities in the Church of Christ in Lord's Cove. "I'd go to my church, and my husband has always gone to the Baptist Church."
Now 88, Bud retired from fishing 14 years ago, and he and Marjorie are "sort of on a set schedule. We watch the news at 6 p.m. together, and he loves the Big Bang Theory. Then we'll watch Forensic Files together."
"I've told him that, now that I watch Forensic Files, I've learned 10 different ways to kill him," she chuckles.

Lucky in love, twice
Jim and Lois Bezanson of Lubec are examples that love can strike twice. They got to know each other after cancer had claimed both of their spouses and will be celebrating their 20th wedding anniversary. "If there was ever a love match, I think we have it," stresses Jim.
Jim's wife, Norma, died in February of 1994, and Lois' husband, Paul Foust, passed away in March of the following year.
"We didn't travel in the same circles," recalls Lois, who had previously only spoken to Jim when Norma and Paul were in the hospital for treatment. "But I was a music teacher in adult education. Jim was one of my students, and we got to know each other."
"We also had the bond of losing our spouses. I was devastated, and it was the same with Jim."
" We built up a good relationship," recalls Lois. "I discovered he was a wonderful person who was very trustworthy and very honest with a great sense of humor."
"We started off on the right foot, and our friendship turned to love," adds Jim.
When they decided to tie the knot, Jim and Lois sold their respective homes and built a beautiful new one for themselves on North Lubec Road, where they enjoy the view of Eastport.
During the gardening season Jim grows flowers "to beat the band," and in the evening the Bezansons enjoy playing Scrabble and other board games.
"I enjoy going to the First Congregational Church in Calais where I'm an organist, and Jim does a very good job of keeping it in repair. He's also chairman of the board of trustees," reports Lois.
The couple also does church business on Fridays, and Jim estimates the twice weekly trips from Lubec to Calais have added up to "100,000 miles on our car just going to church."
"I count my blessings," he stresses. "I enjoy her music both at home and in church, and I'm very happy."
"And I'm so proud of him," adds Lois. "He's a wonderful man."

Shared values form a lasting love
Andrew "Andy" and Nancy Seeley of Eastport will be celebrating their 49th wedding anniversary in 2016 and say their love has continued to grow through the years.
The two agree that love struck when they were very young and caught sight of one other at a Knights of Pythias dance. "I was 14 and he was 15 years old, and he asked me to dance," recalls Nancy. "I loved his smile."
"And I saw how pretty she was, and she wasn't vain," says Andy of his future wife. "There was something special about her countenance that shined through, and I knew, this is it. It doesn't get any better than this!"
Andrew Seeley and Nancy Scott were married in December 1967 by the Rev. Cedric Brooks at the Washington Street Baptist Church, and their common faith has been an inspiration and comfort to them in their nearly five decades as husband and wife.
"We have the same Christian values and goals," says Nancy. "We knew we were going to enjoy this journey through life together, no matter what challenges there might be."
The newlyweds moved into a bungalow before moving into a larger house as their family grew with the addition of Lisa and Andrew Jr. They raised their family in the home on the corner of High and Lincoln streets that had belonged to Andy's maternal grandfather, but Nancy points out, "When the kids left, we moved to my end of town and built our own house on Clark Street."
Since the beginning of their relationship, the couple enjoyed many outdoor activities, including hiking and motorcycling, and they still do. "We also like to travel. Andy is fun to be with," says a very happy Nancy about her husband.
"Over the years, our love has just gotten stronger," emphasizes Andy. "We put each other first and discovered early on to stick together when there's a problem. It feels special to share such a great journey with someone."