OXBOW — Rob and Terry Wilson will be celebrating another anniversary later this year.
Terry was born in Frobisher, not far from their current home. As a teen, she unofficially joined the air cadets. She was one of 13 girls who served in the cadets even though it was a male-only organization at the time. The Canadian Parliament passed a bill in 1974.
Her cadet experience whetted her appetite for military service. While attending the Estevan Comprehensive School, she sat in on a session held by a recruitment officer in 1976. She signed up and, upon graduation, was posted to CFB Cornwallis in Nova Scotia to train as a radio technician.
Following that, she went to CFB Kingston for further training. While there, she and her fiancé visited the home of Rob’s sister Karen, whose husband was stationed there.
Rob was born in Guelph, Ont. In 1970, he joined the army cadets. This developed an interest in army life, something he was familiar with since his brother-in-law was in the army. That interest was further heightened by several TV ads he saw about the adventure of the Canadian Armed Forces with the line “Ask us about you".
He did and enlisted as an air defence technician. He, too, was sent to Cornwallis and then to CFS Falconbridge for training.
One weekend, Rob and his girlfriend went to Kingston to visit Karen. While there, he was introduced to Terry and her fiancé. It was a casual meeting that held no pitter-patters in their hearts.
Rob returned to Falconbridge and not too long afterwards, his girlfriend had ‘dumped’ him.
In July of 1977, Terry was posted to CFS Lowther, a military base. The following month, so was Rob.
Shortly after, Rob was talking to his sister back in Kingston. She asked him where he was posted. “Lowther,” he replied.
“That’s where Terry is,” Karen responded.
“Terry who?” asked Rob.
His sister recounted that previous meeting in her living room but also warned him to stay away from her, as she was engaged. Terry’s fiancé was in Germany at the time.
Rob heeded his sister’s warning, but it doesn’t take long to meet everyone on a small military base. Terry saw Rob sitting at the bar alone one day and thought she should welcome him. She approached him and asked, “How’s Karen”?
At first, Rob didn’t know who she was referring to, but then she went on to remind him of their chance meeting at his sister’s home back in Kingston.
As time moved on, they became better acquainted. They met during group outings and dances. Terry’s relationship with her fiancé ended. But still there were no sparks between Terry and Rob.
While in Lowther, Rob visited his family back in Guelph. Shortly into that visit, he became aware of feelings he had for Terry. They were so strong that he cut his visit short, returned to Lowther, and proposed. They had not yet dated.
Terry’ response was strange and awkward: “I thought you’d never ask.” Until that moment, she had been unaware of any feelings for Rob.
In July 1978, Terry was posted to CFB Penhold in Alberta. A few months later, Rob was stationed at CFS Alsask, across the border in Saskatchewan. Rob occasionally travelled the four hours to see Terry. During these times, they started making preparations for an April 1979 wedding. Rob and Terry both talked to their career managers about how they could be together on the same base.
“Get married as soon as possible,” they were told.
They pushed their wedding day up to October 1978. The minister they had asked to marry them raised an eyebrow, asking why. He wondered if there were any extenuating circumstances like an unplanned pregnancy. She wasn't.
In January 1979, Terry moved to Alsask to be with her husband of three months.
Two months later, Terry was sent back to Kingston for six months of temporary duty where she underwent further training. Many, many phone calls kept the passion going until they were reunited in Alsask – one week before their first anniversary.
Forty-seven years later, they are still madly in love, parents of three children, and grandparents to another five. Rob and Terry still shed tears of happiness as they reflect on the steps that brought them together. Their marriage has more than survived the many moves that come with military life.
They have been living in Oxbow for 25 years – their longest stay anywhere since tying the knot.
Their military careers are long over. Terry retired in 1981 and Rob in 1995. But they’ll never forget those years serving their country.
