Happy 65th Anniversary to Eric and Wanda MacPhail

Eric and Wanda MacPhail will celebrate their 65th Wedding Anniversary on August 27th. Family and friends gathered this past week to celebrate it a bit early, so I asked them to send along some photos and to tell us about their wedding day. Victoria MacPhail collaborated with the family to offer the following story and sent along some photos.

Eric MacPhail and Wanda Livingstone grew up together, having parents who visited with each other as neighbours, and having attended Clyde River School together for a few years. In 1947, they became closer and started dating, often going to Canoe Cove Hall for a movie or to Prince Edward Theatre or Capital Theatre in Charlottetown.  In August of 1948, Eric proposed, and, fortunately for us all, Wanda accepted. On August 27, 1949, they were married “at high noon” in the front parlour of the Livingstone home in Clyde River, where Ruth (their youngest daughter) currently lives with her family. It was a beautiful sunny day with a bit of a breeze, and they had 50 guests in attendance. Her father, Watson, escorted her down the stairs and handed her off to his new son-in-law. Wanda’s cousin, Fay Inman, was the maid of honour, and Eric’s uncle Lloyd MacPhail, the best man. Ina Inman, Wanda’s aunt and sister to Watson, played the wedding march, and Rev. J.R. Skinner presided. A piece of trivia: the juice to toast the bride and bridesmaid was kept in the well to keep it cold as there was no fridge and electricity at the time. However, as the minister was in a rush to leave, there was no time to get the juice from the well and thus the toasts were done with left over tea instead.

Eric and Wanda had three children, Paul, Ann, and Ruth, and now have six grand-children, Mark, Victoria, Peter (Paul and Jo-Ann MacPhail), Callie, Drew (Ruth and Allan Nelson), and Grace (Ann MacPhail).  All are very proud of their parents and grandparents!

Last Thursday, August 14, family and friends gathered together at Papa Joe’s restaurant in Charlottetown to congratulate Eric and Wanda on their 65th wedding anniversary. The love and dedication Eric and Wanda have for each other is still obvious and going strong after all these years. They are truly a couple to look up to.

On behalf of the community, we share in your celebration. Congratulations Eric and Wanda as we raise our cups of left-over tea!