Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: TUESDAY, June 21, 1994 TAG: 9406240018
SECTION: EXTRA PAGE: EXTRA-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: Kathleen Wilson
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
Vince Humphries remembers affectionately shooting spitballs at Mildred Crawford when the two were in elementary school in Oriskany.
Mildred didn't remember Vince at all.
After all, he was two years younger than she was. ``You know how girls are,'' she said. ``You never looked at younger boys.''
Vince never did get up the nerve to ask Mildred out. ``I had a lot of pride, but not much dress, so I was afraid she'd turn me down.''
When his parents died, Vince was forced to quit school to farm to raise his two sisters and lost track of Mildred. Eventually, Vince married and moved to Michigan. Mildred married and moved to New Castle.
``I was married 17 long and difficult years,'' explained Mildred, who is now 71. ``But looking back, it was all worth it.''
Mildred's daughter, Trena Southworth Boudreaux, says life for her mother was more difficult than she lets on. Mildred raised Trena as well as her sons, Chip and Spencer Southworth, all by herself, working as a receptionist at the electric company in New Castle. She sold Sara Coventry jewelry on the side.
``She didn't own her first home until she was 68,'' explained Trena.
Mildred's life changed entirely back in September when Vince, who's now 69, flew in from Michigan for an Oriskany reunion. He'd made the trip before, and each and every time asked if Mildred was there.
This time, she was.
``I assumed she'd be married,'' he said. He'd lost his wife of 47 years two years earlier. ``I never stopped being curious about what she looked like.''
Vince walked over to Mildred and introduced himself.
``When we were in elementary school, I thought you were just about the prettiest thing I'd ever seen. I had a big crush on you when I was a kid.''
Three weeks later, the two were talking marriage.
``We thought for sure she was pregnant,'' joked her six sisters, who range in age from 69 to 85. They threw Mildred a lingerie shower last Thursday morning.
She received a glorious array of lovely nighties and negligees.
``Holy mackerel,'' said Vince as box after box were opened.
There'd been some discussion about whether or not Vince should be allowed to see the gifts in advance. But, ``he's going to see them eventually,'' figured Mildred's sister, Zylpho ``Zip'' Crawford Hambric.
Since meeting Vince in September, Mildred has received flowers every week. And he promised that she'd never have to work another day in her life; that he'd take care of her if she would just marry him.
And that she did Saturday afternoon in the New Castle Christian Church in Craig County before a crowd of more than 400 - nearly twice the population of New Castle.
``Your ride is here!'' announced Trena, when a buggy and two horses arrived to carry Mildred to the church just a few blocks away.
Mildred Crawford Southworth was a vision in ivory satin and Alencon lace. She and LaRue Sherman of New Castle designed the dress together. LaRue made it for Mildred herself.
Along the way to the church, people lined the streets, waving at the 71-year-old bride who sat in the carriage beneath a lace umbrella. A dog wagging its tail barked and ran along for a while. A man pumping gas into a pick-up truck at the Chevron station, tipped his baseball cap and waved.
Outside the church, more than 75 people waited for her arrival. Unlike most brides, who are whisked inside, not to be seen so as to make a grand entrance, Mildred savored talking to each and every guest who waited outside for her arrival.
Her sisters, Thelma Crawford Holdren, Juanita Crawford Murray, Sarah Crawford Switzer, Zip Crawford Hambric, Evelyn Crawford Kennedy and Cleo Crawford Hannah were glowing almost as much as Mildred. So were Mildred's ``outlaws,'' Thelma Tucker Crawford and Mabel Tucker Crawford, two sisters who married two of Mildred's now deceased brothers, Lawrence and William. Mildred's older brother Harold, who is in a Pennsylvania nursing home, was unable to attend.
Tally up their years of marriage, and the Crawfords can boast 374 years of marriage.
When the minister asked ``who giveth this woman,'' sons Chip and Spencer pulled out a silver dollar and flipped for it. The church absolutely roared.
As Trena sang ``The Wedding Song,'' couples throughout the church curled their arms around each other. Others reached out to hold hands.
``If loving is the answer, then what's the reason for?'' goes the song. ``Do you believe in something you've never seen before? There is love...''
The hope was palpable, as was the faith that at the end of a difficult life there can be someone there to walk beside you to the very end. The confidence that no matter how alone you've ever felt in your life, that somewhere out there, there very well might be your soul's other half. No matter how long it takes you to find one another.
Yes, one day your Vince will come.
by CNB