This week’s prompt for 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks is ‘Valentine’. It is hard to know how your ancestors met each other and fell in love. Some genealogists are lucky to find love letters that were written between their ancestors. Others may have found diaries. Others, like myself, witness the love between a couple during the daily interactions of their life.
The love story I witnessed was my in-laws, Douglas and Mary Hobson. Doug was a captain with Trans Canada Airlines (later to be called Air Canada) when he met Mary Everett who was a stewardess with the company.
Mary wanted to be a stewardess. At that time, one was required to train as a nurse before applying to be a stewardess. Mary did this and graduated as a nurse from the Welseley Hospital in Toronto, Ontario, Canada in 1949. Shortly after her graduation she submitted her application to be a stewardess and was hired by Trans Canada Airlines in 1952 and stationed in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada.
Doug had served in WWII as a pilot with the Air Force. He had performed 39 tours (bombing missions) before returning home to Canada in 1943. Upon returning, he continued with the air force as a flight instructor before his official discharge in 1944. Doug then decided to continue his life as a pilot and applied to Trans Canada Airlines (TCA) and started his career with them 10 April 1944 and was stationed in Winnipeg in 1945. He flew for them until the 30th of November 1977 when he retired. During his 33 years and 8 months with TCA/Air Canada he accumulated 26,532:46 hours flying time.
Mary and Doug met during a TCA bowling event. They noticed each other; Doug was a charming, good-looking man and Mary was a beautiful young woman. Mary and Doug found themselves attracted to each other, but Mary noticed Doug had a wedding ring on his left hand and didn’t want to start any relationship. The two of them continued to run into each other through work parties and get togethers with friends. Doug informed Mary that his wife left him a couple of years prior and they had been separated since. Mary agreed to start dating.
It didn’t take long for the two of them to realize they were meant for each other and Doug introduced Mary to his seven-year-old daughter. As 1953 neared its end Doug petitioned the courts to divorce his wife, Ruby. The petition was heard in the courts and on the 1st of December 1953 the decree was awarded ‘unless sufficient cause be shown to the Court why this Decree should not be made absolute within three months of the date thereof’. At that time the usual period between the Decree and the Order to make it Absolute and Final was six months. Doug asked his lawyer to argue for this period to be reduced so that he and Mary could marry as soon as possible. The judge agreed to reduce the period and on 03 March 1954 the ‘COURT DOTH ORDER AND DECREE that the said decree mentioned and made herein on the 1st day of December, A.D., 1953 be and the same is hereby absolute and final’.
Mary and Doug were married ten days later on 13 March 1954 in Brockville, Ontario, Canada. This marriage lasted 52 ½ years and ended when Mary passed away 05 November 2006.
The family grew by two after the birth of their daughter and son making them a family of five. Family and friends were important to both Mary and Doug. They loved socializing and established great friendships with couples that had children of similar age to their own. Some of these friendships have continued and Mary and Doug’ three children remain in contact with these families; John and Barney Higham are one of these couples that communication by phone or email continues.
Doug commented on more than one occasion to me that he loved Mary and that he could ‘honestly say that they never argued with each other’. They just had ‘discussions’. I can state that I never saw them argue or even appear annoyed with one another. Mary did have a wonderful way to avoid disagreeing with him; this allowed her to win the important discussions. Doug always wanted Mary around and when she wasn’t, he truly missed her. As he aged he began having issues with his memory. Once when Mary was in hospital, arrangements were made to make sure that Doug was never alone because of his memory. One day I received a phone call from my son, who was keeping his grandfather company. My son reported that grandpa had left by taxi before he knew what was happening. I quickly got in the car and headed for the hospital Mary was in, as well as, making a phone call to the taxi company to determine where Doug had taken the taxi to. The taxi company informed me they had dropped Doug off at St. Boniface Hospital. When I got there and entered Mary’s hospital room I found both my in-laws having a conversation and Doug did not know why I appeared so concerned.
When both Mary and Doug were admitted to a long-term care facility they were not on the same ward. The desire for Doug to see Mary was too compelling and even with his memory issues he was able to find her on the few times he left the ward without an escort.
These two wonderful people truly had a love that lasted through all their ups and downs of marriage. I am glad I had the opportunity to know them and witness that love.