Smile, We Met At X

WE MET @ X!Smile

Editor’s Note: Leading up to Valentine’s Day 2021, the StFX Alumni A airs O ce hosted a heartwarming Instagram contest, celebrating alumni love stories that blossomed during or after their time at StFX. Couples submitted ‘then’ and ‘now’ photos and a short note on their relationship. These were pro led on StFX’s Instagram account and compiled into a video released on Valentine’s Day. Couples were also entered into a draw for matching StFX hoodies from the StFX store. Here, we share just a few of the stories received.

JAMES CORMIER ’81 AND ROSE (GARTLAND) CORMIER ’84

We met on Rose’s rst day at StFX. I was the very rst person she met (9:30 a.m. Sept. 3, 1980), and she didn’t enjoy the experience at all. I was on Orientation and she needed directions to the Mount, but I wouldn’t help her until she bought an Orientation t-shirt. She le with the shirt and a very poor impression of me. We saw each other during Orientation and around campus a er that, and we had a number of friends in common. ose of us of a certain age will remember the Christmas Ball, and how the girls asked the guys to it. Rose asked me and I foolishly thought this was an expression of interest. It wasn’t. She was trying to encourage another girl to ask a particular guy to the Ball. As a result, though, I was dropping by the Mount more and more o en, and the rest is history. And the t-shirt? She still has it. It’s the most expensive piece of clothing she owns; she’s still paying for it. Fun fact #1: e Blue Room in Lane Hall was where we had our rst kiss. Since they are now demolishing the building, perhaps a commemorative plaque is in order. Fun fact #2: Exactly 26 years later, September 3, 2006, our son Michael started at X. ~ James Cormier

ED MCHUGH ‘79 & SHELLY (CULLIGAN) MCHUGH ‘80

I was the very rst person she met at X in 1976. In those days, you were rst greeted at Bloom eld by members of the Orientation Committee. I registered her. We did not realize this until years later when we were going through her X souvenirs and I noticed her name tag in my writing. We started dating in 1980 when she was in her nal year of nursing and I was working at X in the Admissions O ce! P.S. All she remembered from that rst day was how handsome the other guy (Duncan MacIntyre) was, who was registering the M-Z people! I was registering A-L and she was a Culligan. She wondered if she could change her name to McCulligan! ~ Ed McHugh ~ Ed McHugh

SOPHIE PELTEKIAN ‘16 AND SARAH MACPHEE ‘16 ‘17

Sophie and I met in our rst year at X (2012) when we lived on the same oor in Chillis House! In second year, we became very good friends, but it wasn’t until third year when these two Chillis Chicks realized they were more than friends. A er several years of long distance pursuing further education, we are now living together happily in Ottawa and approaching our six-year anniversary. We’re so grateful to have met at StFX and for the wonderful memories we shared there. ~ Sophie Peltekian

BOB KENNEDY ‘85 AND CATHY CONNORS KENNEDY ‘86

It was Orientation week in 1982 when we rst met. Cathy Connors was a freshman and I was a sophomore. She lived in TNT, along with several of my cousins. When we rst met, I immediately knew she was the one for me. While it took some convincing on my part, she soon discovered I, too, was the one for her. We married in June 1986, not long a er her graduation. Now, 38+ years later, we are still happily married. We can’t imagine our lives had we not gone to StFX and met on that fateful day in September 1982. ~ Bob Kennedy

VALERY LEGERE ’51 AND ALINE LEGERE

My name is Diane Legere ’81 and I am writing about my parents, Valery ’51 and Aline Legere. ey met on a blind date on the StFX Chapel steps in May 1950. My mom’s sister Lorraine (Renault) Girardin ’50 was looking for dates for her two sisters that were coming for the graduation ball. She asked my dad to accompany my mom. It was love at rst sight for my dad. ey had ve more dates and on their sixth one, October 11, 1952, they got married. ey had nine children, 22 grandchildren, and 13 greatgrandchildren. My dad died May 31, 2019 and 18 months later, on December 6, 2020, my mom joined him. ey were each other’s best friend and the love they shared was obvious every day they were together. My mom was not sick when she died. I believe she died of a broken heart and wanted to be reunited with my dad. Six of her eight children and one grandchild were able to visit with her in the last few days of her life. at was a small miracle for COVID times because only two of us lived near her.

THE FRANCIS FAMILY - THE TRADITION CONTINUES!

StFX honorary degree recipient and alumnus Dr. Kevin Francis ’70 met his wife Sharon (Logue) ’71 at StFX. en their son Kirk Francis ’95, ’99 met his wife Danielle (Beaton) ’97 ’99 during their time at StFX. In a few years, Kirk and Danielle’s son Ryan will be going to StFX – perhaps a third generation will have an X wedding? Kevin recounts: “I met Sharon at the Sydney Airport where I worked a summer job at Air Canada as a ticket agent. She was checking her friend in and I asked my fellow agent who she was. He said Sharon Logue. I said I am going at ask her out. I did the next day and from there it was love at rst sight. We then returned to X in September of 1968 and have been together for 53 fabulous years.”

JENNY (COATES) BUSHELL ’02 DANA BUSHELL ’02, ’04

Our love story began in the fall of 2001. Believe it or not, I (Dana) saw Jenny my very rst night out in my rst year at X and it only took me four years to work up the courage to ask her out. I (Jenny) wasn’t really interested at rst and made it quite clear but his persistence paid o and a er our rst date, we both knew this was something special. We have now been married for 16 years and have two beautiful and amazing boys (Brooklyn and Cole), a little Chihuahua Bitsy, and are happily in love. We cherish our memories together at X and our boys just love our story. ~ Dana Bushell