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| Bob and JoAnn Wells |
Welcome and Storytelling
Bob Wells and
JoAnn Gignac were married 60 yrs ago on Feb 1, 1958 at 10 am by Fr. Larry
Mousseau at Holy Names Catholic Church in Windsor.
A couple
weeks ago, I sat down with mom and dad to hear stories about how they fell in
love and why, their dating years, engagement and wedding day, as well as the early
to recent years of their marriage. I learned about their values and how they
instilled these in what they describe as their "3 beautiful
children." They told me about their challenges and successes as a married
couple and how they negotiated their differences as a "stubborn Englishman
and fiery Frenchwoman."
Soon, I will
ask mom and dad to share with us some of the wonderful stories that they told
me about their life together.
Bob and
JoAnn met on a blind date 2 years prior to their wedding at a house party. Dad's
work colleague, Jim Kirwen and his girlfriend and a friend of mom's, Joanne Cork
engineered their connection. Mom was in training to be a nurse and dad was
working at Ford's as a cost accountant.
Mom said she
was attracted to dad's personality. In her words, he was an "upstanding person,
had a responsible job and good looks." Dad said mom "was good looking
and had nice legs." He like that she was easy-going, not nitpicky and,
mostly, because she was kind. "She let me do what I wanted", he said.
Mom and dad,
please tell us the story of your first date and courtship years, including dad's visits to St. Thomas
where Mom was doing a nursing practicum in psychiatry.
Mom and dad
were engaged on the night of mom's nurse's prom at Lakewood golf course, 1.5
years after they had met and before they were married there 6 mo later. Can you
tell us about that night?
When I asked
about the reason for a wedding in the dead of winter, it was clear to me that
mom and dad really wanted to get married. Waiting until after Lent was too
long. They were eager to purchase their first home and to start a family. Mom
and dad please tell us about your wedding day and the early years of your
marriage, including raising 3 children? (Aunt
Gerry to add what she remembers.)
When we
spoke, I asked you about the values you instilled in us as children. Can you
tell us about these?
As with any
relationship, especially in marriage, mom and dad experienced challenges and successes.
Can you tell us how you worked through your differences and some of your
successes? Please don't forget to tell the story about the puzzle.
I invite all
of us to add stories and/or to express our appreciations Mom and Dad, Grandma
and Grandpa.
We know that
one of your joys, unlike many of your friends, is that none of our marriages
have ended in divorce. You celebrate and uphold the goodness of family that
includes grandchildren and great grandchildren, our Hailey now and maybe more
to come. From 60 years of your married life, what wisdom words can you give us
all about life and love?
Slide Show (Power
Point images of Bob and JoAnn, some
with family with music We are Family by Sister Sledge)
Blessing of Marriage
Barb
Bob and
JoAnn, your anniversary remembers and celebrates the covenant of love that you
entered 60 years ago before God, and your family and friends as witnesses through
the Sacrament of Marriage.
I invite you
now to renew before God and we, the family you have created, tended and loved, the
promises you made to one another 60 years ago.
Let's begin
with a reading about spiritual love by St. Paul to the Corinthians (a member of the family reads inscription on
cross 1 Corinthians 13:4-8)
Bob and
JoAnn please stand and face one another as you renew your commitment in your
Sacrament of Marriage.
We ask You,
Holy One to pour forth Your Spirit of mercy, love and compassion upon Bob and
JoAnn so that their marriage vows may continue to be strengthened by Your divine
grace.
Bob: Blessed are You, God,
for by your
inspiration I chose JoAnn as my wife. Thank you for the gift she has been to me
and the face of God that she is.
JoAnn: Blessed are You, God,
for by your
inspiration I chose Bob as my husband. Thank you for the gift he has been to me
and the face of God that he is.
Both Bob and JoAnn:
Blessed are
You, God
for in the joys
and sorrows of our life
You have
been lovingly by our side.
We have been
fortified by Your love, our God and have done our best to be true witnesses to
the covenant and promises we made in Your holy name, 60 years ago.
Continue to
guide us in Your wisdom and in the ways of Jesus Christ.
Help us
remain faithful in our love for one another,
in good
times and in bad, in sickness and in health, for richer and for poorer until death
takes us into Your eternal life, together forever.
Barb:
Bob and
JoAnn, now in the winter of your lives, you rise and fall with the sun, sunrise
and sunset inseparable.
May God
comfort you in adversity
and be a
presence of laughter and joy in ordinary moments.
May God continue
to fill your home and hearts with love for each other and the love of family
and friends.
May God help
you see with eyes of hope, especially in the graces and hardships of aging.
Please
extend your hands in blessing our couple.
+ God bless and
keep JoAnn and Bob. Hold them in the womb of Your loving embrace. Remain close
to them all the days of their life together as they grow in this Sacrament of
Marriage, living examples of the love of Christ.
We ask this
through Jesus Christ, with us always.
All: Amen. (You-tube Grow Old Along with Me by Mary
Chapin Carpenter)
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