Robert still remembers the first date he had with Mary in January, 1950. Her cousin, Jack, a friend of Robert’s, set them up on a blind date.

"We had a great time. After driving her home, she refused to get out of the car unless I gave her a kiss goodnight. Well I didn’t know what to do I mean it was a first date and all. Then Jack hollered from the back seat 'For god sake, Robert, give her a kiss so we can go home.' So, I did."

Six months later, they were married.

Together they built a life, raised a family of two children, a boy and a girl, and three years ago celebrated 62 years together until Mary sadly passed away. Robert and Mary were able to spend her last year together at McLaughlin Road. The couple have five grandchildren and six great grandchildren.

Robert was born and raised in Toronto.

A haircut led to a career in plumbing.

"I was looking for a career opportunity and was talking with my barber. He said why don't I become a plumber. His son-in-law had a plumbing business so I took a job for three months to see what it was all about. I ended up working for him for six years."

Looking for more opportunities, Robert went to work for another plumbing company for a year. He wrote his plumbing certification exam and passed with an 85% score. Armed with his plumbing certification, Robert decided to start his own plumbing business in Wasaga Beach and moved his young family up there where they lived for five years. That was in 1975.

His family wasn't happy living that far away so Robert sold his plumbing business and the y moved to Uxbridge where he started up another plumbing business that he ran for the next 30 years.

"I loved living and working there," says Robert. "I got to know most of the people in town and the town was good to me and my family. I did some work for the town and really enjoyed what I was doing. You never knew what the next day was going to bring."

Robert says he lived a very good life with no regrets. Except maybe one.

"I never won an argument with my wife."