The Ballad of Bruce and Gail
August 24th, 2008by Kimberly M. Wetherell
BROOKLYN, NY-
Summer, 1966.
Bruce and Gail met at a Roy Orbison concert in Clearwater, Florida.
The way Bruce tells it, he walked in ‘Only the Lonely’ and came out with a ‘Pretty Woman’.
He was the 18-year-old son of a Connecticut rancher. Number five out of six kids. Hard-working and a little gruff, but with a big smile and a devastating twinkle in his eye that made girls like Gail weak in the knees.
She was the 17-year-old daughter of New Hampshire drapery-makers. A ‘good’ girl. Quiet. Responsible.
He called her every single day.
When Bruce first came knocking on Gail’s door, Phil, her father, opened the door.
Bruce stuck out his hand and took a deeply nervous inhale:
“GoodeveningsirmynameisbrucebwetherellandI’mheretotakeyourdaughteroutfortheeveningsir.”
Phil slammed the door in his face.
They married two years later on August 24, 1968.
Their first apartment was a tiny duplex.
One day while ‘honeymooning’, Gail’s brother, seven years her junior, came knocking on the door, looking for an after-school snack: something Gail had always done for him when she lived at home, so why should anything be different now?
Coitus was interrupted.
Milk and cookies were served.
Family always came first.
Soon after, Bruce joined the Navy and they spent the first few years of their marriage apart while he worked aboard the U.S.S. Quillback.
When he finished his military stint, he found a job as manager at Fotomat.
He quickly progressed the ranks, eventually becoming the East Coast Regional Manager.
So Bruce and Gail began to move.
Winter Park, FL, Queens, NY, Richmond, VA and Lebanon, CT were all temporary homes for the young couple.
Somewhere in the midst of all that packing and unpacking, (and no doubt thanks to Gail’s brother’s eventual relocation to Los Angeles) they managed to start a family.
Things were tough during those early years together.
Financially and emotionally, they faced problems far beyond their tender ages and eventually had to move in with Gail’s parents.
Can you imagine?
But the kids were oblivious.
They had amazing Halloween parties with the best homemade costumes and peeled grape eyeballs and dry ice cauldrons of Witches’ Brew…
There was Girl Scouts…
and Boy Scouts…
… and little league and music lessons and trips to Disney World.
Bruce and Gail did everything they could for their children.
Always.
They found a prime ‘fixer-upper-opportunity’ not far from Gail’s folks and by 1983, for the first time in years, they created a permanent home…
… and watched their little family grow.
The eldest set off early with dreams to conquer the world and the youngest settled down with a ‘Pretty Woman’ of his own and started a family.
But before they left home, Bruce and Gail made sure each of their children was well-armed with a corny sense of humor (thanks to Bruce), the ability to create absolutely anything out of hot glue, duct tape and dreams (thanks to Gail), fierce independence (much to their dismay, I’m sure) and the pure and unwavering knowledge that nothing –- nothing — was impossible.
They have weathered innumerable storms together and through it all, in good times and bad, for better or for worse, Bruce and Gail have presented a true reflection of loyalty, friendship, devotion, tolerance, patience, humor and companionship.
I’ve never known another definition of love.
40 years.
Together.
Today.
- - - - -
(p.s. Please leave comments directed to Bruce & Gail, not to me. After all, it’s their big day! Thanks!)
Tags: anniversary, Love, marriage, parents
What a sweet story. Congratulations on weathering the years. You guys are a rare set these days! (And I love the fact that you have a photo from the Fotomat circa 1970)
I found it on the Google. Unfortunately, I’m thousands of miles away from the REALLY good (and totally incriminating) pix.
Sorry Marcy couldn’t find the pix. They are in the garage, just where I put them!
Thanks so much for the congrats. After 40+ years, we’re still hanging in there, or so aptly put, “weathering the years”!!
Congratulations on your wonderful journey.
Isn’t it amazing? I’m so proud of them!
Thanks! It has definitely been a journey, literally and figuratively! How can it be 40 years - we’re not that old!!
That is a lovely heart warming story.
All loves should truly be like this.
Congratulations on the adventure and all the best for the future.
I love the fact that 40 years later, they still actually like each other. Every time I see them, their friendship seems to get stronger and stronger. That’s true love, baby.
It is quite a story - Roy Orbison and all. The adventure of 40 years has been quite a wonderful thrill ride!
Wonderful. What a testimony to what truly matters.
Yep. They have definitely subscribed to the “that which does not kill you makes you stronger” theory of survival.
A great lesson for one and all.
What truly matters in life is family, friends, love and laughter. Our family is absolutely the best!!!
Now sing the ballad and boogie!
P.S. - Fotomats were cool!
Fotomats were cool!
My parents are cool.
The fact that their preferred boogie would be a Polka, makes them even cooler.
I cower in their cool-ness.
I want to be them. Tell them happy anniversary from me, please.
Thank you for your good wishes!
Actually, we love to do our version of swing dancing like we did in college, and you Dad is a FABULOUS slow dancer!!
Love you lots!
Boogie on! That’s what we do when there’s time to play. It makes life more fun that way.
Go Bruce and Gail!
that’s a really long time together. i can’t even go two months in a relationship. you guys rule.
congrats, and sorry your sex was interrupted back then.
I’m sure they’ve made up for it plenty of times since then.
They still kiss and hold hands in public and all kinds of other mushy stuff, too.
PDAs rule.
What was once interupted was for family. My younger brother and his best friend, both altar boys at our wedding, were very important to us. As my parents worked, and I was 7 years older than he, I became his second mother. So, of course i gave him his milk and cookies. The only problem was that our mom was none too happy with him when he told her what they did! Oh well!
Happy anniversary to them!
Yes, indeed!
Thanks!
Happy happy anniversary to Bruce and Gail!
I hope milk and cookies were served at the anniversary party.
For old time’s sake.
Tee hee. If they weren’t on the menu last night, you can bet they will be tonight!
Actually, we never thought about it until it was in Kimberly’s blog! We added them to the meal the next night, though!!
My parents have been married 45 years this year and I think this is an excellent tribute to them.
I’ve always said that their love has evolved throughout the years and it is the most profound, inspiring love I’ve witnessed.
It’s also probably damned me for life in terms of ever hoping to get closed to it.
Yeah, I know.
Sometimes I think we WAY overanalyze relationships these days. I like the idea of falling in love with someone and sorting out the kinks as you go.
But I’ve been spoiled by thinking that that sort of stuff-n-nonsense actually works.
I guess I’m a romantic.
Thanks for your good wishes, and congratulations to your parents! Making it 45 years, in this day and age, is a great feat.
…in terms of aspiring to anything close to it. <– how i meant to finish my previous comment.
So sweet and inspirational. And the pictures are great. Bruce and Gail, happy anniversary!
Thank you! It was fun to see the old pictures. They brought back many great memories! What a great family we have!!!
Aren’t they an inspiration???
WOOOOOOOOOOOOW!!!! That was great!
Congratulations to the absolute BEST in-laws a girl could ask for.
~Love you guys~
Thanks! We are very fortunate to have such a great, great family! We are very proud of of our children and grandchildren. How lucky can two people get!! We wouldn’t be who we are without all of you!!
40 years, WOW! It seems like it was last week when I was altar boy at their wedding. That was a sad day for me, but I’m glad it worked out so well. I’m proud of them both. And you should know that I still ask my wife of 21 years for milk and cookies. Love you all, Marc
Marc,
Thanks. Who can remember 40 years ago? Sometimes it seems like yesterday, and sometimes it feels like forever ago! Although it was also a sad day for me to move out of the house with my family, it was a great time to start a new life with a wonderful man!
I would have never thought of not giving you and Dave cookies and milk. That was how we treated family that we love! Keep asking Denise for cookies and milk, but don’t let Riley interrupt anything!
We love you all!!
Uncle Bruce and Aunt Gail, You are an inspiration to all married couples. 40 wonderful years - two beautiful children and beautiful grandchildren as well! And so much more to go!!!! Love to you!!! Kirk, Wendy, Devon and Morgan Willard
Thanks! We Wetherell’s are strong people, and we honor promises made. It has been a great adventure during the 40 years, and we are very proud of our children and grandchildren. We love our family greatly, both immediate and extended (cousins, nieces, nephews, in-laws, etc.). We are very blessed with wonderful people in our families!
We love you all!!
Shout out to Bruce and Gail!
I’m here in Texas with my parents who will be married for fifty years roughly five months after I turn fifty myself next summer. You do the math - lots of marriages in the 1950’s started that way. But here we are today. Three Kids, three grandkids, a few broken dishes from the days when Mom’s friends in the PTA introduced her to Betty Friedan
Reference to your first post: What do you make of all these 50s Miss 666?
We hear you loud and strong all the way down here! Thanks for the good thoughts, and we send the same best wishes to your parents for making it to the 50th! That’s quite a milestone. Thankfully, we have been given a wonderful family, and we love our children tremendously. We could not have been given two greater ones, both of whom we are very proud!!!
You guys are the best! Many Happy Years To Come! Congratulations!! love to both of you!
Larua
Thanks for the good wishes! You know you’re the best, too, and we love you lots!
Dear friends,
Sorry we’re late to congratulate you on this special anniversary. We got back from Quebec this week-end.
Please always remember to tell each other “Shut the door”.
We love you
Martyne & Pat
We always tell each other to “shut the door”! We are so lucky to have not only such a great family, but also fabulous friends!! Je t’aime!!
Congrats on 40 blessed and wonderful years. I enjoyed being there the day you were married even though I didnt know what to do with the large amount of petals I had remaining in my basket! Dumping at the end of the aisle really did leave a lasting impression on everyone!
I am blessed to have such a wonderful family! I just had my 7th anniversary and I cant wait to see my 40th! I love you both so much. Sorry this is so late but better late then never… I hope you enjoyed your day. I enjoyed our phone call that day! Love Always, Shawn
What a great story. Enjoyed the pics, and I offer my late congratulations!
I bet your shocked to see my name here. LOL
Best Wishes,
Ray
Ray,
Thanks for the congrats!! What a kick to see your posting! It brought back the good ol’ days of Oreos and bonfires! We wish you all the best in your life as well. Let’s hear from you and reminisce about the good times past!!