Southport Magazine

NAME OF COUPLE: Bill and Debe McCartney

DATE OF WEDDING: June 27, 1970

WEDDING BUDGET: About $900.00, Made my wedding gown for $25.00 in Home Economics class.

NUMBER OF GUESTS: 80 WEDDING VENUE: Shiloh Evangelical Lutheran Church, in Dover, PA

RECEPTION VENUE: Reception Hall at the church

CATERER: Family and church members

CAKE PROVIDED BY: Super thrift Grocery Store where I worked, small 3 tier, and sheet cakes made by church and family.

WEDDING PLANNER: Ourselves

FLORIST: Dover Florists in Dover, PA

PHOTOGRAPHER: Frank E. King, who is still in business

MUSIC: Church organist and Miss York County, a classmate sang during the wedding

MAKE UP ARTIST: me, myself and I, had my hair done up

HONEYMOON: Cove Haven in the Poconos for honey- mooners

FIRST DANCE SONG: “We’ve Only Just Begun”, by the Carpenters

HOW & WHEN DID YOU MEET?

DEBE: I moved into Bills neighborhood when I was in 7th grade, and Bill hung out with my cousin, so I would see him a lot, and he was our paperboy.

BILL: During the time we were in Junior High School Debe’s family and her cousin’s family moved into our neighborhood. I delivered the daily newspaper so I would see her occasionally. Within a year Debe’s family moved about ten miles away. We kept in touch thru high school because her cousin and I were good buddies.

LOVE AT FIRST SIGHT?

DEBE: No, we were friends for years; he graduated high school and went away to electronics school. When he was finished with school in Philadelphia and was fired by IBM in Fishkill, NY, he started hanging with my cousin again and we started dating when I was in 11th grade, and engaged Dec of 1969.

BILL: Not love at first sight but we did become friends during our high school years. We started dating after I graduated from a technical school and got a good job. We fell in love after a few dates.

FAVORITE THING ABOUT EACH OTHER?
DEBE: I love two things about him, his kindness and gentleness. He genuinely cares about people; I will never feel this much love from one person again.

BILL: Positive outlook, organized, energetic

SAME RELIGIOUS BELIEFS?

DEBE: Yes, the belief in God

BILL: Yes

WHERE DID YOU GROW UP?

DEBE: Rochester, NY then really grew up in York, PA
BILL: I grew up around York, PA

FIRST MARRIAGE?

DEBE: Yes, first and last
BILL: Yes first marriage for both of us.

KIDS? (DO YOU WANT THEM OR DID YOU ALREADY HAVE THEM?)

DEBE: We have two daughters and 4 grandkids.
BILL: We have two wonderful daughters and four grandchildren.

BEST PART OF BEING MARRIED?

DEBE: To share all the memories of our life together, being good or bad memories. They are our memories and have made us who we are together.

BILL: Sharing our lives with each other. Being together at the end of the day.

BIGGEST CHALLENGE OF BEING MARRIED?
DEBE: Raising Children, but the grandkids are our reward for our efforts.

BILL: Falling into a dull routine.

WORDS OF ADVICE FOR MARRIED COUPLES?

DEBE: Never go to bed angry at each other, talk things out, so you know where each of you stands on an issue, thus, no misunderstandings. We go to sleep hold- ing hands every night. Be polite to each other. Say “I love you” many times a day.

BILL: Never shout or call each other de- rogatory names. Stop and listen to what your spouse is saying. Marriage is not a 50-50 proposition. Sometimes each per- son has to give up 100 per cent.