Along with numerous family members and friends, Jack and Mona Forsyth celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary at a come-and-go tea in Snow Lake's Elks' Hall on Sept. 3. The hall was decorated appropriately and, son Bob's 1929 Ford Model 'A' sat outside with a sign stating "Just Married... 50 Years Ago" fittingly attached to the spare. The couple apparently arrived at and departed from the hall in this classic car that once belonged to Jack's brother and has been in the Forsyth family for decades.
Although the due ran from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m., most folks didn't begin to arrive until 2 p.m. Apparently the ladies do have a better handle on planning these things and they could have stuck with that 2 p.m. later suggested start time! Nonetheless, it was loud, there was lots of laughter and an off-and-on line-up of attendees delivering their hearty congratulations to the beaming not-so-newlyweds.
At the entrance to the hall sat a table with the guestbook. While waiting to sign it, folks were able to peruse a number of congratulatory certificates from the likes of Prime Minister Stephen Harper, Manitoba Premier Greg Selinger, Mayor Clarence Fisher and others. Over to the right of the entrance, where a cake marking the occasion sat, a looped slideshow played out on the wall. The pictures were from a number of eras and as you watched Mona's hairstyles change, you could also watch a few other hairlines wane!
Once everyone was seated and partaking in the buns, desserts, coffee, and tea, the couple's son Bob very capably took on emcee duties, introducing the head table, grandchildren, and great grandchildren in the assemblage. These included, Bob's wife Dori and daughter Kaylee (son Leif had to work), his elder brother Bill, wife Shelly and children Aiden and Elin, sister Barbara and daughter Lola, and sister Brenda (husband Delphis had to work), daughter Candice and granddaughter Chloe and Brenda's youngest daughter Colleen (son Calvin was away to the Dauphin Kings Junior Hockey camp). As well, Bob pointed out Mona's cousin and bridesmaid, Thelma Berg from Medicine Hat, Alberta and Thelma's sister Betty Berg and friend Jac Heibert from Brandon. Carrying on, Bob read two very touching e-mails; one from lon-time friends and expat Snow Lakers, Jerry and Hope Kitzler. The other from a good friend from Palm Springs, Patrick Murray.
Once Bob had wrapped up, his father asked for everyone's attention. With an old cooking pot in hand Jack gained everyone's notice right off the hop. Setting it down on the head table, he began to speak about the previous week and the memories of youth and marriage that he and Mona's impending golden anniversary evoked. Jack talked about his wife being a tad late for the service 50 years previous and stoked more laughter as he continued with stories of that special day. "At a wedding, they say something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue," Jack concluded. "Well, today I have a pot here that along with three other 's we still have, will be 50 years old on or around the 15th. That pot and the other ones have cooked many good meals... and a few burnt offerings. But today, it is the old - and inside is something new! Go ahead and open it up Mona." She did and inside was a massive diamond ring, that came from son Bill's former workplace - the Diavik Diamond Mine. Jack then thanked his family for putting on the celebration and everyone for being there with them to mark the occasion.
Subsequent to the cutting of the cake, fellowship and more food was enjoyed by the couple their family, and many friends. Although completely unrelated, the occasion was suitably marked the following day with a large display of fireworks (actually, they were left over from Canada Day and were set off to mark the resumption of school)!
