There's wisdom in being able to appreciate one's good fortune when a lengthy milestone is reached, and there is still more wisdom in being able to make light of that good fortune to give everyone a good laugh.
Vernon's Jack and Daphyne Tordoff celebrated their 70th anniversary Saturday, June 7, and when asked what comes to mind now that the impressive milestone has been reached, Daphyne's countenance took on a slight sardonic smile.
"I wouldn't want to do it again," Daphyne said, eliciting cheerful guffaws from family members.
Jack could only agree: raising five kids isn't something that calls for a do-over. Once is enough.
And once is all that was needed as all of the Tordoffs' sons and daughters made the trip to Vernon's Polson Extended Care unit to celebrate seven decades of love, commitment and overcoming hard times with a slice of anniversary cake.
There were plenty of hard times, what with Jack working as a truck driver and being on the road much of the time, leaving Daphyne at home with the kids 香蕉视频直播� now Winnona Price, Ramona Phemister, Tammy Whatman, John Tordoff and Byron Tordoff.
"We worked through them," Daphyne said of the challenges they faced as a couple, as a family.
Jack and Daphyne's perseverance as a couple seems to have rubbed off on all five of their children. Wayne and Winnona Price have been married 52 years; Ramona and Scott Phemister, 35 years; Tammy and Chuck Whatman have been together 24 years; John and Nancy Tordoff are going on 40 years; and Byron and Dorothy Tordoff have enjoyed 46 years of marriage.
Clearly, sticking together as a family is something that runs in the family.
Jack and Daphyne taught their children that marriage is not an easy thing and that it's something not to walk away from. This lesson would seem to have prepared them all for the matrimonial long haul.
The couple was married on June 1, 1955. They'd met at one of Daphyne's girlfriend's place.
"We all made arrangements to go dance, and that's what started it," Jack said.
He added his wife has "really been good to him" these 70 years.
They had all their kids within seven years of getting married and worked hard. They made mistakes, but they corrected them.
Jack was one of the original volunteers who helped set up Vernon Search and Rescue, and Daphyne would pack up food for the search crew, which was relying on CB radios at the time.
The family enjoyed one another's company as they celebrated a long-lasting bond on Saturday.
"It's miracle we still have them," daughter Winnona said of her parents, teary-eyed. "It's a milestone for all of us."
