Bernice, 93, and Wally Whipple, 95, like to celebrate.
“We had lots of cake to eat,” Wally said, remembering the sweet treat from February 3.
“Beautiful cake. Boy, it was a pretty cake,” Bernice added. “It was a great anniversary. Couldn’t have done better.”
The Whipples don’t like anything as much as they love each other. Last week, they celebrated their diamond anniversary.
“It’s been a pretty good marriage for 75 years,” Wally said. “We haven’t had too many fights.”
“Not yet,” Bernice chimed in, laughing.
To honor their anniversary, the Whipples’ granddaughters are accepting cards, since they cannot hold the big party the family is used to having for special occasions. If you’d like to send the couple a card, the address is: Bernice and Wally Whipple, PO Box 342, Clay, NY 13041.
“We used to eat at Mimi’s (Diner) a lot and we got a card with all of the names of the waitresses on it,” said Bernice. “That was a surprise. And we got a card from the police department in Syracuse, and that was a surprise. We got a lot of cards.”
It’s easy to see why they haven’t fought much over the decades. Every quarrel ends with giggles.
“Well, he said he was going to go someplace and he had just got home from work,” Bernice recalled. “And he was on the night shift. And I said ‘no, you’re not.’ And he said ‘yes I am, so I went out and got on the hood of the car and I went on a ride.”
“I come out and hop right in it and we took off,” Wally said about driving down the road with Bernice on the hood of his car.
In the 1940s, the Whipples met at the Nestle factory in Fulton. Wally had just returned from serving in World War II.
“I got wounded over there. They sent me home, and I met grandma,” said Wally, who served in the infantry.
Bernice was working on a war project at the factory. But this sweet love story doesn’t begin with love at first sight.
“I went up to the sink to wash my hands and he came up and he wouldn’t even look at me or say ‘hi’ so I thought he was kind of snotty,” said Bernice. “That was my first impression.”
On a cold day six weeks later, they tied the knot.
“It’s amazing we’re still sitting here,” said Bernice.
Seventy-five years later, they are most proud of their family. The Whipples have three children, four grandchildren, and six great-grandchildren.
“And I’ve been miserable for 75 years,” joked Wally.
“Ready for another 75,” Bernice asked.
“Yeah!” Wally exclaimed laughing.
The Whipples aren’t slowing down anytime soon.
