Ernie and Doris Young of Tiverton are 60 years married Oct. 5

Ernie Young remembers seeing Doris Bradley in church when she was just 14 years old, and he was 18. Two years later, they were married, and Oct. 5, they will celebrate their 60^th wedding anniversary.

Relaxing in their home on the 2^nd Concession of the Municipality of Kincardine, northwest of Tiverton, the couple recalls meeting at Knox Presbyterian Church in Tiverton.

“I sang in the choir,” says Ernie, “and she sat with her family in the congregation. We hadn't talked at all yet. The first time we connected was a few months later, in the summer of 1956, when she was 15 and I was 19.”

It was at a Box Social, and Ernie had told Doris' brother, Gordon, to let him know which lunch box was Doris' so he could bid on it.

“Gordon said his sister's and his mother's looked the same,” says Ernie. “I paid him $2 to tell me which was the right one to bid on – and you have to remember, at that time, I was making $5/day at work.”

He managed to get the right box and he and Doris enjoyed the meal together.

“I asked her out but she wasn't sure if her mother would allow it,” says Ernie. “So, a week later, I called and asked if Doris could go out with me, and her mother said, fine, as long as Gordon went along.”

Their first date was to the movie theatre in Kincardine. The next time, they took Gordon along, dropped him off at the theatre and went for a drive, then picked him up and went home.

“That went on for about six months before Doris' mother said that Gordon could stay at home,” says Ernie, with a laugh.

In June, 1957, Ernie asked Doris to marry him, but because she was just 16, she couldn't do so without her parents' consent. Her father refused to sign, saying she wasn't old enough and should work for a few years before getting married.

“Her mother told me, 'Don't worry, Ernie, I'll take care of this for you',” recalls Ernie, with a grin. “The next Saturday night, when Ernie arrived at the Bradley home, Stuart told him that the piece of paper he wanted was in the drawer. I took it out, and he had signed it.”

They were married Oct. 5, 1957, at the Bradleys' home on the boundary (Bruce County Road 15), by Rev. Hutton.

“It was a beautiful day,” remembers Doris. “It was sunny but not too hot.”



Doris and Ernie Young (centre) on their wedding day, with their parents, from left, Bill Young, Irene Bradley, Rosina Young and Stuart Bradley, and Gordon Bradley in front; photo courtesy of Doris and Ernie Young

They went to Niagara Falls for their honeymoon and checked into the Treading Inn which cost $10.50/night. They stayed only one night because they had to get back to do the chores.

Doris grew up on a farm and did most of the chores there, but Ernie's family was from Burlington, vacationing at a cottage at Inverhuron. Ernie was interested in farming, much to his father's dismay, so he allowed Ernie to work on a farm for the summer and the farmer commended him.

Subsequently, his father put a down-payment on a farm on the 2^nd Concession of the former Bruce Township, and Ernie began farming.

After they were married, Doris joined Ernie on the farm and they had a mixed farming operation, with Ernie working part-time at the feed mill in Tiverton and later driving the milk truck.

In 1959, he worked for Ontario Hydro (now Hydro One), clearing brush and then helping to construct the Douglas Point nuclear power plant.

Their first son, Jim, was born in 1960, and Ernie jokes that they had four boys before Doris could vote at the age of 21. They also have two girls.
 

• Jim is married to Rose Marie and they live on a farm on Highway 21, just south of Tiverton. They have two children, Amy (Andrew Hallman) of Trenton and Corey Young who is a trucker out west.
• Bill is married to Nancy and they live at the corner of Highway 21 and the 2^nd Concession. They have four children, Ashley of Chepstow, and Deven, Cristina (just married) and Caitlin, all of Tiverton.
• Brian is married to Katherine and they live on Highway 21, just south of Tiverton. They have two children, Brandy (Steve Bernard) of Kincardine, and Ryan (Kait) of Kincardine.
• Roger is married to Carolyn and they live in Port Elgin. They have a daughter, Samantha who is married and has a home in Boston, Massachusetts.
• June is married to Laverne Walker and they live in Fort McMurray, Alberta. They have one son, Jacob.
• Linda lives at home and is getting married to Dave MacKereth of Owen Sound. She has one son, Dylan.

The Youngs also have seven great-grandchildren, with two more expected this year.

Ernie retired from Hydro 25 years ago and took up farming full-time. They sold their first farm in the 1970s, and moved to another farm on the other side of the 2^nd Concession. They then built the house where they live now and moved there in 1981.

Doris is Past Matron of the Order of the Eastern Star, and Ernie is Past Master of the Tiverton Masonic Lodge. They continue as members of these organizations. They are also members of Knox Presbyterian Church where she now sings in the choir and he does not.

Ernie is a Bruce Township director on the Federation of Agriculture. He was also one of three people who went to the Ontario Supreme Court to stop the sale of the Bruce Municipal Telephone System (BMTS, now Bruce Telecom) back in the 1980s.

They enjoy travelling and used to go to Florida every year. Now, they prefer visiting with friends and family.
A successful marriage doesn't just happen, you have to work at it, says Ernie. “Doris and I grew up together because we were so young when we had our kids.”

They also agreed on what they would contribute to the relationship – he worked the farm and part-time off the farm, and she looked after the home and the children.

“You have to work together,” says Doris, “but I have things I enjoy doing, and he has his.”

“You have to work at a marriage, you stand up for each other and you respect each other,” says Ernie. “Plus, my mother-in-law was wonderful – she treated me so well.

“Life is to be lived. It's great. We are so blessed. The longer you live, the more you learn. Give what you can and don't always expect something in return. It's a great feeling when you help others.”

Ernie and Doris welcome their family, friends and neighbours to a come-and-go tea, to celebrate their 60^th wedding anniversary, Sunday, Oct. 1, from 1-3 p.m., at the Underwood Community Centre. In lieu of gifts, donations to the local food banks would be greatly appreciated.



Doris and Ernie Young of the 2nd Concession, northwest of Tiverton, celebrate their 60th wedding anniversary Oct. 5