Anniversary celebration catches couple by surprise

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Published on Thursday, August 30, 2018

By Jean Borchardt

Submitted

Jeannette and Marshall Dolding told us, Jean and Rev. Al Borchardt, that they were taking us to Winnipeg to attend a dinner theatre on Saturday, to celebrate our 60th wedding anniversary on August 17 and we should bring some dress up clothes. We questioned why we had to go so early if the anniversary is not until Saturday? We were further lead along being told they were also taking us to the Red Lobster, as that’s their dad’s favourite restaurant. So off we went to Jeannette’s hotel room, as Jeanette said our room wasn’t quite ready yet.

We’re sitting there waiting and in walks my younger brother Ronald Kulpa and his wife Sarah from Kansas City, Missouri. Ronald was our ring bearer 60 years ago. Behind them, in pops Pam, our oldest daughter, and her husband Rick Chevrier from Marathon, Ontario, followed by their son Christopher and his wife Janine and Pam’s daughter Brittany. They are all from Kitchener, Ontario. After that, I can’t remember who all came Friday, but our second oldest son Brian,his wife Lori, and his family, all travelled together from Minnesota. His eldest daughter Tiffany and husband Justin Greiner, second oldest, Bridget and husband Eric Bossert and their daughters, Reagan, Embry and Eloise, third oldest daughter Candice and husband Brad Lawson and daughter Addison Rose. Our fourth oldest, Rev. Harold and wife Annette, from Anola, MB.,  and their daughter Carissa and husband Derek Zachar and daughter Eva, from Beausejour, son Lance and wife Rebecca Borchardt from Winnipeg., fifth oldest Jim and Kelly, from Thunder Bay, Ontario, and daughter Jaymie, from Florida and fiance D.J. Mistry from Winnipeg, and son Drew and girlfriend Morgan Baltzer, from Thunder Bay, Ontario, and last but not least, the one who organized and planned out this whole thing, our youngest daughter Jeannette and husband Marshall Dolding, from Eden, Manitoba and their children; Clayton and fiance Kayla Clement, Dalton and girlfriend Sydney Hanska, from Brandon, and daughter Robyn Dolding, from Eden. 

To our surprise, in walked my husband’s sister Florence Braun of Morristown, Minnesota, along with her children, Curtis Braun, daughters Judy Carter, Patty and husband Dave Rux, Sue and husband Dan Dwyer, and daughter Nancy Schwanke, all from Minnesota as well. Our adopted daughter/dearest friends from Marathon, Ontario, Steve and Joyce Humphrey also walked in and we were in complete amazement that Jeannette was able to pull this all off without us knowing or suspecting what was going on. 

Friday evening, we dressed in our Sunday best and we were ushered to the banquet room by our grandson Clayton, for a fantastic banquet served by the staff of the Clarion Hotel. Jeannette had snuck our wedding album out of the house long ago, took a copy of our wedding cake, and a bakery from Winnipeg was able to duplicate the cake that we had at our wedding. A table was set up with a letter from Queen Elizabeth and the Governor-General of Canada. Jeannette also had an envelope from MLA Eileen Clarke. After the introduction by the Master of Ceremonies, Clayton, he asked for anyone wanting to say anything to come forward, so our sons Brian and Harold gave their speeches and then Jeannette came up to give us a DVD of Mama Mia and said, “We hope you’re not disappointed that you’re missing out on the dinner theatre, but we decided having a dinner here in the Clarion Hotel would fit the occasion just as well.”

On Friday, when we were having breakfast at the Pancake House, I noticed they had a sign that read, “60th anniversary, 1958-2018” and I said, “There’s anniversary signs all over this place.” Here it wasn’t for us, but  for 60 years of the Pancake House. Blonde moment! So Pam talked the manager out of one of these signs and presented it to us at the banquet. It brought a good laugh to everyone.

Saturday was recovery day and visiting day. After such a fantastic weekend, Sunday wouldn’t be Sunday without attending church at St. James Lutheran Church and then heading back home day after lunch with those still there. All we could say, was “We started all this 60 years ago. Praise God from whom all blessings flow.”