Sweet Life With Mary

As a tribute to my parents, on their 50th Wedding Anniversary.

February 3rd, fifty years ago, a country lass  and a city boy  stood in front of a Justice of the Peace and said vows to each other that will bind them to a lifetime together.  The lass, at 22, was rescued from the throes of spinsterhood.  The boy, at 21, was taking over the family business and now ready to take on the responsibility of his own family.

With help from his parents, the city boy and the country lass  settled in the growing industrial/commercial section of Caloocan City, a suburb just outside of Manila, Philippines.   The city boy started his own business, a repair shop, which later on turned into Simplex Engineering, a thriving machine shop that provided apprenticeships and jobs to 20-30 young men.  (To the city boy’s credit, a few of these young men had gone on and opened their own successful machine shop businesses.)

As he was growing his business, the city boy was also growing his family.  Nine months after they were married, the country lass gave birth to Virgilio.  Less than two years later, Gracia.  Almost two years later again, Victor.  Then, Vilma, 21 months later after that.  And finally, Virginia, another 21 months after.  Five kids was what they planned on and five kids was what they had.

For eleven years.

Then came Valerie.

Family was complete.

For this generation.  And then…

Virgilio begot Eleanor and Vince.  Eleanor begot Ajdin. Vince begot Tyler.

Gracia begot Giuseppe and Anamaria.

Victor begot Judith and Joshua.

Vilma begot Mary.

Virginia begot Richard and Dianne.

50 Years begot Six Children, Nine Grandchildren, Two Great-grandchildren and a lifetime of memories.

And Counting…