Since 1908
Chronicle The
98¢ (plus HST)
Publications Mail Agreement No. 40010318
www.ladysmithchronicle.com
www.chemainuschronicle.com ron oniiccllee.c on .co om m
McMahon up for five awards
Serving SSe errvvin ing LLadysmith, Chemainus and area
P. 11
Tuesday, February 14, 2012
Smart meters a concern P. 6
Love is in the air Niomi Pearson THE CHRONICLE
With less than two months to go before they tie the knot, Cory Wilson and Candy Coyne say they are more than ready to start their lives as husband and wife. “Once we got into a relationship, it never once felt wrong,” said Wilson. “It felt like we were destined to be married.” “I totally respect and fell in love with Cory’s kindness, he has a genuine kind, loving heart and he’s driven and his integrity is wonderful,” Coyne said. “It’s very rare to find people [like that].” The young couple, who share a home in Ladysmith, also share the responsibility of caring for their eight-month-old German shorthaired pointer, Simon. They say the experience has helped prepare them for the joys of child-rearing that they hope to have some day. “It’s had lots of ups and downs, but we’ve always stuck together and gotten through it,” Wilson said. “He’s a high-energy dog.” However, it was not always so Wilson, a Ladysmith native, met Coyne about two years ago, shortly after she moved to Vancouver Island from Ontario. He recalls Coyne played hard to get, even standing him up several times. But his persistence paid off when he showed up at her workplace to ask her out on one last date. “For some reason, the timing was right and I looked at him and my heart started to flutter,” Coyne said. “From that point on, I was NIOMI PEARSON/CHRONICLE head over heels.” Candy Coyne and Cory Wilson of Ladysmith are celebrating their last Valentine’s Day as an engaged couple, Coyne, a lab tech at Nanaimo Regional General Hospital, and as they are getting married in April and will be husband and wife the next time Feb. 14 rolls around.
Collision Repairs Need a Makeover?
Wilson, an electrician and member of the Ladysmith Fire Department, say their secret has been the ability to work well together, as well as sharing the same goal of raising a family in Ladysmith. “We’re old souls,” said Coyne. “We’re not normal 23-year-olds by any stretch of the imagination. We feel love and respect and companionship with each other ... we bicker and fight like the normal couple, and I think that’s important. “You don’t need to feel the fire in the eyes every moment of every day.” This Valentine’s Day, the couple will spend their last Valentine’s Day as an engaged couple working, but Coyne says that won’t put a damper on her plans. “I’ve got a few tricks up my sleeve,” she smiled. And less than a week after Valentine’s Day, Anne and Al Johnston will be celebrating 58 years of marriage on Feb. 20. The two began their romance at the MacMillan Bloedel office in Chemainus, where Al worked. In 1952, Anne was hired on for clerical duties. The duo’s good-natured humour proved a good match, and it wasn’t long before an office romance bloomed. “I was sort of her boss ... and then later we got married, and she became my boss,” Al laughed. The couple settled in Ladysmith and raised four children. They say the secret to their success was community involvement. “We were really busy and we enjoyed it,” Anne said. “If you are satisfied yourself and are driven by something that you like, then See Local Couples, Page 3
you can
Trust
We are part of an elite group of independent Collision Repair Shops, that believe in providing you with the finest quality in collision repairs & service. Our talented technicians will amaze you with their custom work.
2010 Customer Satisfaction Premier Achiever Award
Quality Assured Collision Services
Call us today & let us amaze you!
13070 Thomas Road, Ladysmith www.littlevalleyrestorations.com
(North of Ladysmith & South of Nanaimo Airport, off the Island Hwy at the Cedar Hwy Junction)
Fax 250-245-3042
250-245-3022