More than 50 years ago, a young dental student from Minnesota met a pretty young nursing student in a dental office in Chicago. He knew right away that there was something special about this girl. Although the student nurse was someone elses patient, William Grady soon moved in and took over.
I asked her out immediately, he says. I was what they call smitten.
He was so smitten that six months later he proposed. It was a partnership that has lasted more than half a century and produced 11 children and 27 grandchildren. Two more grandchildren are expected soon.
William and Patricia Grady renewed their original wedding vows at St. Marys Catholic Church in Anacortes on June 5, 2004. They were joined by family and friends from all over the United States.
Things have changed since the Gradys had their first wedding ceremony back in Illinois, but some things remain the same. Planning a wedding is a lot of work and it takes a lot of help.
It was busy, William Grady remembered of that first ceremony back in 1954. I graduated dental school, bought a car and got married all in the same week.
We had a classic church wedding in the Catholic church, Patricia added as she shared photos of the event from 50 years ago. My family were Quakers and some of them had never been in a church like that before.
The couple enjoy thumbing through their old wedding album and remembering the family and friends that attended that first ceremony. Some of the same guests were able to attend the 50th-anniversary celebration last June. The photos from both events are
something the Gradys treasure. They advise couples planning a wedding to have a lot of pictures taken at their own ceremony.
I think the only regret I have about the second wedding was that we didnt have a big picture taken of all the family together, William said.
The photos from 2004 show a table display of memorabilia from the first wedding. Prominently featured is Patricias white satin wedding dress. She opted to wear a yellow dress at the second wedding in honor of her golden anniversary, but the original gown was preserved and exhibited. She compares new pictures of the displayed dress with the older photos of herself wearing the gown and surrounded by bridesmaids.
I bought my own wedding dress back in Chicago, she remembered, but for the bridesmaids and so on everything was homemade. That was how it was back then. A lot of things had to be homemade. My mother made all the girls dresses. Everyone just pitched in and helped.
Everyone pitched in and helped for the Gradys 50th wedding anniversary celebration, too. One of the nicest parts, according to Patricia, was that she didnt have to lift a finger for the later event. Her children made all the arrangements for her.
It was the easiest thing, just letting my daughter Eileen and the other kids take care of everything, she said. They would ask what would you like? and we chose whether to have halibut or roast beef for the dinner, and I got to choose the cake, but they took care of everything else. Everyone pitched in and we could invite as many people as we wanted.
The food in 2004 was quite a bit different from 1954. The recent celebration featured a series of smaller parties and a large formal dinner. The main meal was catered at the Depot Arts Center in Anacortes and offered guests a choice of entree. But in 1954 in Illinois, there was simply a small reception at home after the ceremony.
Catering wasnt common then, Patricia said. You maybe had punch or nuts and a cake and that was all. We still had kind of a mini reception in our back yard this time, too. After we said our vows in the morning we came back to the house and had all kinds of pastries and things, but we had a big sit-down dinner at the Depot Arts Center, too.
The Gradys explained that it wasnt what they had to eat that made either event special. It was the fact that everyone was together and sharing it. It was especially nice to have members of the original wedding party in attendance in particular Patricias sisters who had been her bridesmaids. One guest of the original wedding presented them with a piece of vintage china dating back to the year they were first married. Patricia marks it as a very special gift. Their silver and crystal from the first wedding are also cherished. Those traditional wedding gifts truly do have lasting power.
Looking back over the years, the Gradys say they are very satisfied with the way things worked out for both of their wedding events.
We were able to have all the family around, Patricia said. Thats whats important. You dont need something extra special. Just being together is what makes it special.
And is there a secret to a long and happy marriage such as the Gradys have had?
Keep your mouth shut, William said with a mischievous grin. But he quickly added, The thing Ive liked best about our marriage is that she never pressed me for anything more than we could afford. Being satisfied with what you have and enjoying the same things means a lot.
Patricia had her own take on it. We love so many of the same things. We like the same sports and music. Having the same interests, just enjoying life together, thats what makes it happen.
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