INNISFAIL -- Love always finds a way.
For Clarence and Ida Schwartz, cupid’s arrow hit them a second time, later in life.
The couple, now 88 and 84 years respectively, first met more than 50 years ago in Swift Current, Sask. where they both grew up. They dated for a year or two before going their separate ways.
“She was my first girlfriend in Swift Current back in the early '50s,” said Clarence Schwartz. “I was working and she was still in school. We dated for about a year and half.
“Then we went our own ways,” he added. “We didn’t correspond at all over the years.”
They moved away and married other people. Ida was married to her first husband Harry for about 50 years and Clarence to his first wife Caroline for 54 years.
Clarence and his wife moved to Alberta and later to the Innisfail area for his job, while Ida and her husband moved from Regina to Red Deer.
Clarence and Ida reconnected years later, shortly after their spouses passed away. Their friendship grew stronger once again, and blossomed into love.
“I waited a year before dating. I wanted to be sure and we were both grieving our spouses,” said Schwartz. “We both had some feelings for each other at that time, after our spouses had passed away.”
They reminisced about days past and their lives in Swift Current.
“We did talk about the old times. I knew her family and she knew mine,” he added, noting they dated for about a year before deciding to marry.
“The sparks were rekindled.”
While the couple now live in Red Deer, both attend church every week in Innisfail.
“We have a strong faith in God. We have our daily devotions and we pray,” said Schwartz. “We always say sorry and there’s not too many fights,” he added with a chuckle.
Now married for nine years, Schwartz noted what they love about each other.
“Ida says I make her laugh. I like to kid around,” said Schwartz. “I love her smile and her joyfulness. She’s a good-hearted girl.”
