Three quarters of a century: Cliff and Ruth’s 75-year love story forged in faith, family, and the Grand River Valley

Chris Whelan

Editor

In the autumn of 1949, at a Teen Town dance held inside the walls of Paris District High School, a young man from Brantford spotted a pretty girl from Paris across the gym floor. He didn’t know her name, but he knew he wanted to ask her to dance.

That single dance launched a journey of companionship, resilience, and devotion that has spanned more than seven and a half decades.

This year, Cliff and Ruth Leach are celebrating their 75th wedding anniversary—a rare and monumental milestone that offers a beautiful window into a changing world and the timeless values that keep a marriage whole.

Ruth, born at the Willett Hospital in 1932, was a town girl through and through. Cliff, born at the Brantford General Hospital in 1931, hailed from the Eagle Place neighborhood. Despite living only a town apart, it took the local youth dance circuit to bring them together.

"He was neat, well-shaven, and friendly," Ruth recalls of her first impressions that night. Cliff, meanwhile, was simply struck by how pretty and welcoming she was. After an evening of talking and dancing, Cliff drove her home.

It took about a year of dating before Ruth decided Cliff was "the one"—noting with a smile that his choice not to smoke or drink was a major attribute in her eyes. Cliff, though admittedly quite shy, confesses he knew she was the one much sooner, overjoyed that she returned his affection.

The early days of marriage brought immediate adjustments. For Ruth, marrying Cliff meant leaving town life behind to become a farm wife on Pottruff Road, moving into a home overlooking the Grand River alongside Cliff’s parents.

"Like any newlyweds who had never lived together, it was an adjustment learning to cohabitate," they share. Fortunately, Cliff’s parents proved to be wonderful anchors, instrumental in helping the young couple find their footing.

Ruth also had to quickly develop a love for sports, as Cliff was heavily involved in local athletics, playing Junior C hockey for many years and later taking the ice for the Ayr Rockets. The sports circuit brought lifelong rewards, forging tight-knit friendships with teammates and their families, including longtime friends Scott and Joyce Wells.

The young couple’s resolve was tested almost immediately when Cliff unexpectedly lost his job just one week after their wedding. Though a stressful period, Cliff soon found better-paying employment. They navigated the early bump the same way they would handle the next 75 years: through good communication and deep mutual respect.

Cliff and Ruth offer some very sound advice for a lasting relationship: "Start each day with a fresh attitude and a kiss."

No marriage spans three-quarters of a century without enduring seasons of profound grief. For Cliff and Ruth, 1974 was an agonizing year. In a mere three-month span, the couple lost Ruth’s mother, Cliff’s father, and tragically, their 15-year-old daughter, Sandra.

They credit their survival through that dark period to their deep faith and an unwavering community. As active members of Bethel Church, they belonged to a young married couples group alongside local families including the Pottruffs, Millers, Davises, Whitings, and Gretzkys.

"Our friends helped tremendously during this time," they recall, highlighting the invaluable support of their pastor at the time, Stan Tose.

Having lived on the same soil for 75 years, the couple has witnessed an astonishing transformation of the local landscape and daily life.

When they first moved to the Pottruff Road farm, the property had no electricity or running water. Today, they marvel at the literal flip of a switch, banking on handheld cell phones, and the wonder of GPS tracking on modern farm tractors. Even the simple joy of sports has evolved, moving from the days of huddling around a radio to hear a hockey broadcast to watching games on a massive, colour television screen.

Yet, with progress comes a touch of nostalgia. They fondly look back on summers spent swimming in Whiteman’s Creek at Five Oaks and Rest Acres, community baseball games, and church dinners at Bethel filled with homemade skits and singing.

"We played hockey and went skating in the old horse shed next to the church all winter long," they remember. "We do miss how Sundays used to be dedicated purely for family and church—now it’s just another day of the week."

Still, they express immense gratitude for the modern healthcare advancements that have aided their longevity, and Cliff remains captivated by the evolution of agriculture. "Gone are the days where he had to be up at the crack of dawn to milk cows and spend all day in the heat on a tractor with no AC," Ruth laughs. In 1995, after selling the farm, the couple moved into Paris, finding a welcoming spiritual home at the Paris Presbyterian Church. There, they found inspiration in fellow congregants like Jack and Joyce Bawcutt, whom they admired as a shining example of a successful marriage. Today, looking back on a shared lifetime, Cliff and Ruth state unequivocally that their greatest pride is their expanding family tree. 

Their legacy includes a lifelong closeness with their own brothers and sisters, their three children—Patti, Gary, and Teresa—as well as 7 grandchildren and 7 great-grandchildren who continue to bring life and joy to every family gathering.

When asked what piece of wisdom they would pass along to the next generation of sweethearts hoping to reach their milestone, their answer is simple, practical, and timeless:

"Express your feelings and your hurts, and settle your differences before going to bed. Start each day with a fresh attitude and a kiss. Even today, we still struggle with communication—but it is the key to succeed."