Recent History – 2000
Aug. 14, 2000, By Mark Nielsen, Daily News Staff
Couple Proves You’re Never Too Old to Fall in Love
You’re never too old to fall in love.
Cliff Pepper, 88, and Betty Bloder, 92, are proof of that. The two, who met after Cliff moved into Rotary Village in February, got married Friday, before a large crowd of friends and family. “We just get along,” said Cliff in summing up why they took the vows.
The two were introduced to each other by a woman who was helping Cliff moving into Rotary Village. She noticed a violin among the items he owned and told him that there was a certain pianist in the building who was looking for a partner. She also made a point of telling Betty that the new guy could play the violin and that he was looking for a pianist.
“I said, “me with my one finger on my piano?’” Betty said. “And she, said, “you’ll do alright.’ So, that’s how it got started.”
It turned out that the range of their common interests spread beyond just music. “We found out we liked a lot of sports and things. Floor curling, carpet bowling, shooting pool, and walking,” Betty said. So the two decided to get married.
“They say that nowadays the women are looking for younger men. I found one,” Betty deadpanned.
Both have been married before. Betty was married to Ture Bloder for 24 years, and has one child, four grandchildren, and three great grandchildren. Cliff was married to Ann Gazdwich for nearly 60 years, and has six children, about a dozen grandchildren, and three great grandchildren.
Bob Pepper, a son of Cliff’s, said he was surprised to learn that his father was getting married again. But now that he’s met Betty, he can see why. “She’s got a charming personality,” he said.
He’s also found that their wedding has become a source of inspiration.
“The people that I know that aren’t married, all of them, independently and separately, they say, gee they’re getting married, there’s hope for me,’” he said.
Betty’s daughter, Nancy MacLennan, was also surprised at the news. “But it’s quite wonderful,” she said.
Although Betty had come to know Cliff only since February, Nancy has known Cliff for over 50 years. “He was a school bus driver and I used to ride on his school bus,” she said.
During the post-wedding celebration Friday night, Cliff and Betty played a few tunes. Asked if they have a favourite, they replied that Cliff likes to play “Have I Told You Lately That I Love You?” Betty said he also likes to play a bit of a game with that one.
“He’d say ‘what are you going to play?’ And I’d say ‘you know, the first song.’ ‘Well,’ he’d say, ‘what is it?’ And he wouldn’t stop until I’d have to tell him, ‘Have I Told You Lately That I love You.’ And he’d say, ‘no you haven’t.’