Anniversary

By Isabel Morse Maresh

July 27, 1989

An anniversary party celebrating the 36 years of marriage of Robert and Isabel Maresh was held at the home of Rick Morse in Center Belmont June 16. The event was hosted by Donna Sawyer and Teresa Maresh.

Great care was taken to keep the celebration a surprise, but unknown to the hostesses, the news had been leaked out by unsuspecting invited guests.

The large kitchen was decorated with streamers, good wishes and bells. The three-tier cake, purchased by the kids, was made by Sandra Miles. It was decorated with yellow icing, silk daisies, Isabel's favorite flowers and a ceramic bridal bear couple. The family catered the affair and good food was in abundance. Guest attended from Belmont, Searsmont, Northport, Waldo, Belfast, Lincolnville, chichester, Concord and Lancaster, N.H..

Robert V. Maresh, the son of Anthony and Gladys (Hannan) Maresh and Isabel Marie Morse, daughter of Amon and Mary (Lermond) Morse were married June 16, 1953 by the Rev. Charles Quine at his home in Monroe at nearly midnight.

In the days of blood tests, we had them taken before asking permission of Bob's parents, as he was under age. His parents lived in East Natick, Mass., and had decided Bob was too young to marry. The licenses had been applied for in Searsmont and Northport.

So, bob and I boarded the bus in Belfast to go to Massachusetts to convince his parents to let us marry. Unknown to us, his parents had relented, signed the necessary notarized papers and mailed them the day they arrived. So back to Maine to wait for the mail. At that time, I believe that the blood tests were good for 30 days and time was drawing to a close. I was working as a payroll clerk in the office of Belfast Shoe Company and Bob was doing farm work in Searsmont for $11 a week. When we got out of work, we drove to Town Clerk Ray Robinson's in Searsmont, and down to Weymouth's store in Saturday Cove for the licenses. We picked up my new white dress that my father had given me the money for, and on to Searsmont to dress. The minster had been phoned. Glenice was working at Rookie's Diner in Belfast and would get out of work at 10 p.m..

We picked her up, waited for her to dress, got Buster and the four of us headed to Monroe in Bob's 1931 Model A Ford convertible coupe – quite a carload! Rev. Quine had given up on our arriving and got up with his clerical robe over his pajamas.

After the ceremony, Glenice was returned to Belfast, Buster to Searsmont, and we drove down the Atlantic Highway looking for a cabin. There weren't as many in those days, as there are motels now, and we didn't find one open. We drove back through Lincolnville Beach and back to Searsmont, only to find that we were locked out.

The story doesn't end yet. I called Belfast Shoe Co. the next morning to tell them I had gotten married and wouldn't be in to work. I was told that if I valued my job that I would be in. Oh, the ignorance of my youth! What I would tell them now! So Bob had the day off and I worked.

We are the parents of seven children, Julie, wife of Joe Briggs, Shirlee of Lancaster, N.H., wife of Steve McMann, Betty, wife of Allen Phillips, Robert Jr. and Teresa (Murphy) Maresh, Tony, Patrick, and Peter Maresh, and grandparents of 14 grandchildren.

Bob has worked in sawmills most of the years as a laborer and sawyer. He is good at what he does and is trying to build up his own mill. He presently, for a couple of more weeks, works for Bill Calderwood and 'the crew' at Searsmont Lumber Company.

I am an avid genealogist and historian, as well as being a homemakers, and I enjoy making quilts and various other crafts. We have resided most of the 36 years in Searsmont and Belmont, except for 1974 and 1975 when bob operated a sawmill for World Radio Mission in Lancaster, N.H..

The last 36 years have been much of the same as the night of June 16, 1953. There have been good times and there have been hard times raising seven children in Waldo County, sometime son what has been called "below poverty income levels." But, oh, I wouldn't trade my life with anyone that I've ever met in my lifetime.

This one's for you, Bob. I love you. "Grow old with me, my love, the best is yet to be."