In a remarkable example of a long, happy marriage marked by love and commitment, the Sault’s Frank and Bernice Harper marked their 75th wedding anniversary Tuesday, Feb. 4.
They celebrated with a private family luncheon held Saturday in a banquet room at the Windsor Place Retirement Residence.
“We never had any serious disagreements. Everything's mutual,” Frank told SooToday, reflecting on his marriage to Bernice.
As overspending can sometimes cause problems for younger couples, Frank offered some words of wisdom.
“We always lived within our means. If I didn't have the money, I didn't buy it. We worked hard. Everybody in the family’s worked hard.”
“If there's something that had to be done, we always did it together. It was always about family,” Bernice said.
Bernice settled in Sault Ste. Marie during the early years of her life.
“I came from Echo Bay. I moved to the Sault when I had to go to high school. I worked for the Woolworth company for a couple of years and then I worked for British American Oil for a couple of years before we were married,” she recalled.
Frank came from Matheson, Ontario to the Sault at an early age.
“I started my apprenticeship as a machinist when I was 15. Then I went into automotive machine work for 20 years or more, then we were in business for ourselves. We were Western Auto on Queen Street. I was a licensed mechanic,” Frank said.
Western Auto opened in 1969 and, after Frank retired, the business was run by a second generation of the Harper family by the time it closed in 2015.
“We had gas pumps at one time out in front of the store. Everybody had to pump gas, work the till and stock the shelves,” Bernice said.
The business was beneficial for many of the family's members.
“Our brother worked there and my sister and her husband. So when dad retired, it was well looked after by this next generation and we employed some of the grandkids there too,” said Heather Grandmont, Frank and Bernice’s daughter.
Saturday’s celebration was organized by Grandmont - a retired Sault Area Hospital employee - and her siblings.
“The kids are super,” Frank said.
“We couldn't do without them, I'm telling you,” Bernice said.
Many of Frank and Bernice’s family members have remained in the Sault. Others travelled from other communities such as Toronto and Ottawa for Saturday’s celebration.
Frank and Bernice have five children, eight grandchildren and 13 great-grandchildren.
“There are 20 adults and nine kids here,” Grandmont said of Saturday’s special occasion.
The Harpers moved out of their Sharon Crescent home and into their apartment at the Windsor Place Retirement Residence in June 2023.
Frank said it has taken some adjustment but they are getting used to their new surroundings.
“They look after you here. We have a nice view of the river and I sometimes like to watch the ships go by,” Frank said.
Grandmont said it was a privilege to celebrate her parents’ 75th wedding anniversary with them.
“When they moved in here and we were cleaning out the house, we just felt so blessed that every knick-knack and every picture had a story. To see that history, we know how lucky we are that we have wonderful supportive parents and a family that is still all together and cohesive and do so many things together. We celebrate. We found a good example in our parents,” Grandmont said.