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George & Kathryn Whiting Celebrate Diamond Anniversary

Diamonds are a rare and precious gift, and so is the celebration of a diamond anniversary! Silver represents 25 years of marriage,  gold represents 50, and diamonds, 75. At a time when reaching a silver anniversary is considered remarkable, George and Kathryn Whiting of 5 Scott Street in Bellingham (pictured above) had the rare and unique opportunity on June 10th of reaching that 75th milestone.

They were married in the First Baptist Church of Bellingham on June 10, 1945, and continue to happily live together on the Whiting family farm.

George is a life-long resident of Bellingham and is proud of the fact that he lives in the family home of his birth. Kathryn has been a resident of Bellingham since infancy. They met in high school when Kathryn was only a freshman. The day she first saw George in school she came home and told her mother that she had met the boy she was going to marry.

Once married, the happy couple lived the American dream. They bought the home on South Main Street and started a business, Country Charm Beauty Salon, where they worked together as hairdressers until they retired. Along the way they had two children, Kathy and Dale. Kathy lives in Colorado with her husband, Mark, and Dale lives right across the street from the farm with his wife, Helen. It is their dedication and care that allows Kathryn and George to be able to manage and remain living in their home.

When asked what they attribute their success to as a couple for all these years, they agree that keeping busy, working hard, and staying healthy make all the difference. George grew much of their food in his extensive garden, and Kathryn prepared it for a year-round supply.
They also attribute their marital success to the love and devotion they both have always had for each other and God. They will both tell you that it was all accomplished with the faith they have in God’s help. Kathryn will also add (and we’re paraphrasing) that it helps when one—not saying which— in the couple is willing to compromise with the other when necessary.

A celebration parade (a la pandemic) was organized by Dale and Helen, with the help of the First Baptist Church and friends, on Sunday June 7. Approximately 45 vehicles drove down Scott Street to pay tribute to the couple. George and Kathryn sat by the street and waved and thanked their many friends for the drive-by visit. They received flowers, balloons, gifts, and many good wishes for a remarkable achievement that most of us will probably never experience!

Note: the Whitings’ recollections of long-ago life in Bellingham are included in the recently published history book Bellingham Now and Then: Celebrating the 300th Anniversary of Bellingham, MA. You can read more about their lives and the lives of other long-time Bellingham residents, as well as other town history by ordering a copy through the Friends of the Bellingham Library at www.BellFOL.org. To order by mail, send a check for $19.99 (plus $3 if you want it mailed directly to you rather than with the Library’s order) to Friends of the Bellingham Library, 100 Blackstone Street, Bellingham, MA 02019.

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